Catalina Highway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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| General Hitchcock Highway, Sky Island Scenic Byway, Mt Lemmon Highway | |
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Catalina Highway highlighted in red
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| Route information | |
| Maintained by US Forest Service | |
| Length | 27 mi (43 km) |
| Existed | 1933–present |
| Tourist routes |
 Sky Island Parkway |
| Major junctions | |
| South end | Tanque Verde Road in Tucson |
| North end | Near the summit of Mount Lemmon |
| Location | |
| Counties: | Pima, Arizona |
| Highway system | |
| State routes in Arizona Unconstructed • Former National Forest Scenic Byway |
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The Catalina Highway, officially called the General Hitchcock Highway, is a very popular road in Pima County, southern Arizona. It's also known as the Sky Island Scenic Byway or Mount Lemmon Highway. This special road is the only paved way to reach the mountain village of Summerhaven. It also leads to many fun places and science centers near the top of Mount Lemmon.
This short highway starts in the desert near Tucson and climbs over 6,000 feet (about 1.8 kilometers) to the mountain peak. As you drive, you'll see many different types of weather and plants. You'll go from hot desert to cool mountain forests. The name "sky island" comes from how these mountains look like islands of green forest in a big sea of desert. The road is so beautiful that it's been named a scenic byway by both the National Scenic Byways Program and the Federal Highway Administration.
What is the Catalina Highway Like?
The Catalina Highway starts in northeast Tucson at Tanque Verde Road. It goes through a small community called Tanque Verde. Then, it enters the Coronado National Forest. Once inside the forest, the road officially becomes the General Hitchcock Highway. However, most people still call the whole road the Catalina Highway.
From the forest boundary, the highway twists and turns through the Santa Catalina Mountains. It goes through a place called Molino Canyon. Because the road climbs so quickly, it has many sharp turns called switchbacks. The road generally heads north until it reaches Forest Road 9 and Rose Canyon Lake. After that, it turns more to the northwest, leading to the village of Summerhaven.
The very last part of the road is sometimes called Ski Run Road. It goes east to the Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. Finally, it ends near the very top of Mount Lemmon.
The History of the Catalina Highway
Building the Catalina Highway started in 1933. A big reason it began was because of Frank Harris Hitchcock. He used to be the Postmaster General of the United States. Mr. Hitchcock really wanted a road to the popular spots on Mount Lemmon. He worked hard to get the money and people needed to build a better road to Summerhaven and other places nearby.
To help with the work, a special camp was set up at the bottom of the mountains. People staying at this camp helped build the highway. During World War II, this camp became a place where Japanese Americans were held. It was called the Catalina Federal Honor Camp. The people staying there were required to work on building the road. One of these Japanese Americans was Gordon Hirabayashi. Years later, in 1999, the site of the camp was renamed the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Area to honor him.
The highway took a long time to finish. It was finally completed in 1950, 17 years after it started. After it was done, the highway was named after Frank Hitchcock, who had passed away in 1935.
The first paved road was quite narrow and bumpy. It didn't have much space on the sides and had steep drop-offs in some places. People often said it was one of the most dangerous roads in Pima County. But in 1988, a program began to make the road much better and safer. This project worked with the US Forest Service and Pima County. They wanted to improve the road's quality and safety while keeping the beautiful mountain views. The last part of this big project was finished in 2007. It cost $15 million. Now, the road is much wider and has good shoulders, places to pass, and strong guard rails.
In 2005, the road won an award called the Arizona Engineering Excellence Grand Award. It was honored for being built in a way that protected the natural environment and beautiful rock formations.
Fun Things to Do on the Catalina Highway
The Catalina Highway is the only paved road that leads to all the fun attractions on Mount Lemmon and in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It's a very popular place for visitors. More than a million people travel on the Catalina Highway every year!
The Coronado National Forest, where the highway is located, offers many ways to have fun. You can find many places to camp and have picnics. There are also trails for hiking and biking, and lots of amazing views. At the top of the highway, you'll find the Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. In winter, you can go skiing there. In summer, they offer "sky rides" on the ski lift, which is a fun way to see the views. It's known as the southernmost ski resort in the United States.
Besides all the activities, the highway itself is a major attraction because it's a Scenic Drive. The Forest Service says driving this road is like taking a trip from Mexico to Canada in just 27 miles! As you drive, you'll see many different plants. You'll start with saguaro cacti, mesquite trees, and cholla plants from the Sonoran Desert. Then, you'll pass through areas with oak, juniper, and pinyon pine trees. Higher up, you'll enter pine forests. Finally, at the cooler, north-facing slopes near the end of the highway, you'll see fir and aspen trees.
The amazing views and challenging terrain make the highway a favorite spot for people who love to drive for fun or ride motorcycles. It's also very popular with cycling organizations and bike riders. The climb is a big challenge! Local cycling groups often organize rides with hundreds of riders going up the highway to the mountain top.
In October 2010, the first Mount Lemmon Marathon took place. Nearly 800 people finished the race, which started near the beginning of the highway and went all the way up to Summerhaven.
