The Sky Island Scenic Byway is located in southern Arizona. The byway begins near the eastern city limits of Tucson and travels north to Summerhaven. Sky Island is reached from I-10 by following Grant Road east to the Catalina Highway.
Sky Island is 30 miles long and follows Catalina Highway through Coronado National Forest. Catalina Highway is also known as General Hitchcock Highway or Mount Lemmon Highway. The byway officially terminates near the village of Summerhaven. Catalina Highway is a two-lane paved road. It twists and turns as it climbs in elevation, with turns becoming more severe as elevation increases. The byway is usually open all year.
The Santa Catalina Mountains rise from the Sonoran desert at an elevation of 2,500 feet, to a mixed conifer forest above 9,000 feet. Travelers begin their journey in the Sonoran desert scrub, dotted with mesquite and palo verde trees in low lying areas and cacti braced upon the steep rocky mountain side and canyon walls. As you climb into the mountains, the desert gives way to oak and cypress trees. Farther into the mountains, you enter a forest of juniper, mixed conifers, and ponderosa pine. Portions of the forest are preserved in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness.
Nearly three miles from the forest boundary, visitors reach the first vista point, Babat Duag, Tohono O’odham for “frog mountain.” From here you can gaze upon the Tucson Basin and the many mountain peaks that rise sharply above the desert floor. This vista point is popular with visitors in the evening that watch the sun set behind the Tucson Mountains.
Coronado National Forest has many developed recreation areas for camping and picnicking. The first campground you come to is Molino Basin, which has nearly 50 RV and tent sites. Hikers can access the Arizona Trail from this area. General Hitchcock campground is nestled in the oak woodlands of the upper reaches of Bear Canyon and has 13 tent sites. Rose Canyon is a popular recreation area with a 74-site campground and seven-acre lake that is stocked with trout. Molino Basin and Rose Canyon campgrounds have an RV length limit of 22 feet.