Sky Island Parkway National Scenic Byway (Catalina Highway)

Story of the Byway

This route showcases mountain forests, canyons, deserts, and breathtaking vistas. and begins in the Lower Sonoran region. Climbing up to the forests of the Canadian zone, it provides a unique chance to experience four seasons in one trip! Name for the areas of biological diversity in the Coronado National Forest, as it rises dramatically from the desert floor to stand wreathed in clouds as twelve widely scattered "sky islands." The route has one of the few paved roads leading up to the top of Mt. Lemmon. There are several places to enjoy wonderful vistas of the forest and desert far below. The trek up to Babad Do'ag Vista is the perfect place to pull out your picnic basket, take a rest from your climb and enjoy the view of the sky islands spread out before you. Aspen Vista and Windy Point Vista also offer dramatic views.

The Sky Island Parkway provides recreational opportunities such as mountain-biking or horseback-riding on its many trails, remote backcountry hiking in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness. Mt. Lemmon offers alpine skiing in the winter and an escape from the desert heat in the summer. The civilizations of the Tohono O'odham and the ancient Hohokam visited these mountains long before Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo settlers arrived. Gordon Hirabayashi refused a relocation order during the Second World War and served a prison sentence here. Rife with historic importance along with its scenic beauty, the visually stunning Sky Island Scenic Byway offers much or the traveler.