Sunsets in Tucson, in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, is a place where nature puts on a daily show – and the grand finale is nothing short of spectacular. As the sun dips below the horizon, the desert sky explodes in a riot of color, making Tucson sunsets a must-see for any visitor or resident. What better way to relax and enjoy the end of the day than with a blaze of color.
Mount Lemmon has a summit elevation of 9,159 feet. Located in the Santa Catalina mountains in northern Tucson, Arizona, it is a 27 mile beautiful drive from desert to alpine. With the altitude change the temperature can drop 20-30 degrees compared to the desert floor. Mount Lemmon was named after botanist Sara Plummer Lemmon who trekked to the top in 1881.
Yuma, Arizona was about a four-hour drive from Tucson. It was only an overnight stay for us, but it would be our last night before being back in California again. Our house in San Diego had been vacant for over a year, so we planned on staying at Santee Lakes for a bit while we got the house up and running again and time to unload the Airstream.
The Rincon Mountain District and Tucson Mountain District compose the two sections of Saguaro National Park. They are separated by about 30 miles. Even though they both have similar vegetation, the topography is different. The Rincon district is where bears, mountain lions, and coati can to be seen.
The Desert Museum was founded in 1952. It features plants and animals native to the Sonoran Desert. It is consistently one of the top things to see in Tucson and for good reason. There is so much to see no matter what time of the year it is. Michael has been visiting it and frequently a member since the early 80s.
Tucson Mountains is a small mountain range west of Tucson, Arizona. There are four mountain ranges that surround Tucson; the Tucson Mountains, the Catalina Mountains, the Rincon Mountains, and the Santa Rita Mountains. Even though each mountain range is unique and outstanding, we gravitate towards the Tucson Mountains because of the density of saguaros, hiking trails, wildlife, Tucson Mountain Park, Saguaro National Park West and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. From Cave Creek, Arizona it was about a 2 hour drive to Tucson.
