The
Santa Catalina Mountains are located north of Tucson,
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Commonly referred to as the
Catalinas, the mountain range is the most prominent in the Tucson area, with the highest average elevation. The highest point in the Catalinas is
Mount LemmonMount Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. It is 9,157 feet above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually...
at an elevation of 9,157 feet above sea level and receives 180 inches of
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
annually. The Catalinas were named by
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
Jesuit
priestA priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities. Their office or position is the priesthood, a term which may also apply to such persons collectively.Priests and priestesses...
Eusebio Francisco Kino in honor of
St. CatherineSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr who is claimed to have been a noted scholar in the early 4th century. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, it was rumored that she had spoken to...
in 1697.
The Catalinas are part of the
Santa Catalina Ranger DistrictThe Santa Catalina Ranger District governs the Santa Catalina Mountains within the Coronado National Forest, northeast of Tucson, Arizona.-See also:*Santa Catalina National Forest*Pusch Ridge Wilderness*Arizona Trail*Sabino Canyon*Pima Canyon...
located in the
Coronado National ForestThe Coronado National Forest includes an area of about 1.78 million acres spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico....
, and also include the
Pusch Ridge Wilderness AreaPusch Ridge Wilderness Area is a 56,430 acre wilderness area. It is located within the Coronado National Forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, United States...
.
The
Santa Catalina Mountains are located north of Tucson,
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Commonly referred to as the
Catalinas, the mountain range is the most prominent in the Tucson area, with the highest average elevation. The highest point in the Catalinas is
Mount LemmonMount Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. It is 9,157 feet above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually...
at an elevation of 9,157 feet above sea level and receives 180 inches of
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
annually. The Catalinas were named by
ItalianItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
Jesuit
priestA priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities. Their office or position is the priesthood, a term which may also apply to such persons collectively.Priests and priestesses...
Eusebio Francisco Kino in honor of
St. CatherineSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr who is claimed to have been a noted scholar in the early 4th century. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, it was rumored that she had spoken to...
in 1697.
The Catalinas are part of the
Santa Catalina Ranger DistrictThe Santa Catalina Ranger District governs the Santa Catalina Mountains within the Coronado National Forest, northeast of Tucson, Arizona.-See also:*Santa Catalina National Forest*Pusch Ridge Wilderness*Arizona Trail*Sabino Canyon*Pima Canyon...
located in the
Coronado National ForestThe Coronado National Forest includes an area of about 1.78 million acres spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico....
, and also include the
Pusch Ridge Wilderness AreaPusch Ridge Wilderness Area is a 56,430 acre wilderness area. It is located within the Coronado National Forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, United States...
. The mountain range is considered a prominent range in the
Madrean sky islandsThe Madrean sky islands are enclaves of Madrean pine-oak woodlands, found at higher elevations in a complex of small mountain ranges in southern and southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northwestern Mexico. The sky islands are surrounded at lower elevations by the Sonoran and...
.
The Catalinas are a significant focus of recreational activity, with areas such as
Sabino CanyonSabino Canyon is a significant canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, USA. Sabino Canyon is a popular recreation area for residents and visitors of Southern Arizona, providing a place to walk, hike or ride. Minutes away from the...
providing streams and perennial pools for visitors.
Catalina State ParkCatalina State Park is located adjacent to the Coronado National Forest in the western slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. Catalina State Park has an average elevation of , but varies dramatically with high ridges and low creek beds. The park includes 5,493 acres ,...
in the western foothills of the Catalinas attracts visitors for its hiking opportunities and permanent pools in
Romero CanyonRomero Canyon is located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and part of the Coronado National Forest. A popular hiking trail leads to the Romero Pools, which hold water even during the driest parts of the season. The trailhead for the Romero Canyon Trail is located in the Catalina State Park. It is...
. The village of
SummerhavenSummerhaven is a small unincorporated community on Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Summerhaven sits at an elevation of approximately 8,200 feet. Summerhaven is accessed by the Catalina Highway from Tucson.Summerhaven is a...
on
Mount LemmonMount Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. It is 9,157 feet above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually...
serves as a popular summer retreat from the heat of
ArizonaThe State of Arizona is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. The capital and largest city is Phoenix. The second largest city is Tucson, followed in size by the four Phoenix metropolitan area cities of Mesa, Glendale, Chandler, and Scottsdale.Arizona was the 48th and...
's lower deserts.
Mount Lemmon Ski ValleyMount Lemmon Ski Valley is a recreational ski area in the U.S. state of Arizona, and the southernmost ski destination in the continental United States. Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is located on the slopes of Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson, Arizona. It is part of the...
is also notable as it is the southernmost
skiA ski is a long, flat device worn on the feet designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now primarily used for recreational and sporting purposes...
destination in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Other mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley include the
Santa Rita MountainsThe Santa Rita Mountains, located about 65 km southeast of Tucson, Arizona, extend 42 km from northwest to southeast. The highest point in the range, and the highest point in the Tucson area, is Mount Wrightson, with an elevation of 9,453 feet , The range contains Madera Canyon, one of the...
, the
Rincon MountainsThe Rincon Mountains are a significant mountain range east of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, in the United States. The Rincon Mountains are one of five mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley...
, the
Tucson MountainsThe Tucson Mountains are a minor mountain range west of Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Mountains, including Wasson Peak, are one of four notable mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley...
, and the
Tortolita MountainsThe Tortolita Mountains are a minor mountain range located north of Tucson, Arizona, USA. With a peak elevation of 4,652 feet, the Tortolita Mountains are situated north of Oro Valley and Marana, two suburban towns of Tucson...
.
Naming of the Santa Catalina Mountains
The Catalinas were originally named the "Sierra de las Santa Catarina" as depicted on a German map from 1875 and prior maps dating back to 1864. A successive map from 1890 still referred to the Catalinas as the "Santa Catarina Mountains." However, a map from 1895 depicted the range with the name "Santa Catalina." Various maps during the 1880s and 1890s referred to the range as either "Santa Catarina" or "Santa Catalina." However, by 1902 the range was officially designated the "Santa Catalina Mountains," as the
General Land OfficeThe General Land Office was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department of the Treasury...
established the Santa Catalina Forest Reserve that year, encompassing 155,520 acres (later to become the
Santa Catalina National ForestSanta Catalina National Forest was established as the Santa Catalina Forest Reserve by the General Land Office in Arizona on July 2, 1902 with 155,520 acres. After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907...
.) As such, the name of the range apparently morphed into the current "Santa Catalina Mountains" sometime between 1890 and 1902, but each previous version of the name always referred to the namesake
St. CatherineSaint Catherine of Alexandria, also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is a Christian saint and martyr who is claimed to have been a noted scholar in the early 4th century. In the beginning of the fifteenth century, it was rumored that she had spoken to...
.
Creating a National Forest
Following the
Gadsden PurchaseThe Gadsden Purchase is a region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico that was purchased by the United States in a treaty signed by President Franklin Pierce on June 24, 1853, and ratified by the U.S. Senate on April 25, 1854...
, Americans increasingly moved into the
Arizona TerritoryThe Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
and focused on the Catalinas in search of gold, silver, and copper beginning in the 1850s. By the late 1880s, residents of southern Arizona desired protection for the Catalinas, and the U.S. Congress authorized the President to designate specific lands around the U.S. to be removed from the public domain under the
Forest Reserve Act of 1891The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 allowed the President of the United States to set aside forest reserves from the land in the public domain. Passed by Congress under Benjamin Harrison's administration...
. As mentioned above, the Santa Catalina Forest Reserve was created on July 2, 1902, and after the National Forest Service was organized in 1905, the reserve became the
Santa Catalina National ForestSanta Catalina National Forest was established as the Santa Catalina Forest Reserve by the General Land Office in Arizona on July 2, 1902 with 155,520 acres. After the transfer of federal forests to the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, it became a National Forest on March 4, 1907...
on March 4, 1907. On July 1, 1908, it was combined with two other nearby national forests (Dragoon and Santa Rita) to create the present
Coronado National ForestThe Coronado National Forest includes an area of about 1.78 million acres spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico....
.
Notable sites and areas
Mountains and ridges
- Cathedral Rock
- Mount Bigelow
- Mount Kimball
- Mount Lemmon
Mount Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. It is 9,157 feet above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually...
: highest point
- Pusch Ridge
Pusch Ridge is the most prominent feature in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area of the Santa Catalina Mountains, located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, in the United States....
: westernmost point
- Rattlesnake Peak
- Table Mountain
- Thimble Peak
Thimble Peak is a well-known landmark in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. Thimble Peak rises from the foothills on the south side of the range. On its east is Bear Canyon, on its west Sabino Canyon....
Canyons
- Bear Canyon
Bear Canyon, located in the Sabino Canyon recreation area of the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, Arizona, offers views of the Santa Catalina Mountains to the north. Accessible by tram or foot from the Sabino Canyon visitors' center, Bear Canyon contains such attractions as the seasonal Seven...
- Box Camp Canyon
- Canyon del Oro: north of Mount Lemmon
Mount Lemmon is in the Santa Catalina Mountains located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. It is 9,157 feet above sea-level, and receives approximately 180 inches of snow annually...
- Esperero Canyon
- Pima Canyon
Pima Canyon is a major canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains, north of Catalina Foothills and Tucson, Arizona, USA. Pusch Ridge forms the northwestern cliffs of Pima Canyon, dramatically rising from Pima Creek on the canyon floor...
: southeast of Pusch RidgePusch Ridge is the most prominent feature in the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area of the Santa Catalina Mountains, located in the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, in the United States....
- Romero Canyon
Romero Canyon is located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and part of the Coronado National Forest. A popular hiking trail leads to the Romero Pools, which hold water even during the driest parts of the season. The trailhead for the Romero Canyon Trail is located in the Catalina State Park. It is...
: located in Catalina State ParkCatalina State Park is located adjacent to the Coronado National Forest in the western slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. Catalina State Park has an average elevation of , but varies dramatically with high ridges and low creek beds. The park includes 5,493 acres ,...
- Sabino Canyon
Sabino Canyon is a significant canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, USA. Sabino Canyon is a popular recreation area for residents and visitors of Southern Arizona, providing a place to walk, hike or ride. Minutes away from the...
- Ventana Canyon
Other
- Catalina Highway
The Catalina Highway, officially the General Hitchcock Highway, is the popular name for a Forest Highway and scenic route located in Pima County in southern Arizona...
- Catalina State Park
Catalina State Park is located adjacent to the Coronado National Forest in the western slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. Catalina State Park has an average elevation of , but varies dramatically with high ridges and low creek beds. The park includes 5,493 acres ,...
- Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area
Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area is a 56,430 acre wilderness area. It is located within the Coronado National Forest in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, United States...
- Redington Pass
Redington Pass is a high mountain pass between the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Rincons in Pima County, Arizona. It is located just east of Tucson...
- Summerhaven
Summerhaven is a small unincorporated community on Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson in Pima County, Arizona, United States. Summerhaven sits at an elevation of approximately 8,200 feet. Summerhaven is accessed by the Catalina Highway from Tucson.Summerhaven is a...
- Tanque Verde Falls
Tanque Verde Falls designates a series of waterfalls in Tanque Verde, Arizona near Tucson, Arizona. The upper part of the falls features an area traditionally reserved for nude bathing.-Safety:...
Miscellaneous facts
- Contrary to popular perception, Mount Lemmon is not the highest point in the Tucson area. Mount Wrightson
Mount Wrightson is the highest point in the area around Tucson, Arizona, United States at an elevation of 9,453 feet . Mount Wrightson is located in the Santa Rita Mountains 40 miles southeast of Tucson in the Coronado National Forest. It was named for William Wrightson, who was a miner and...
in the nearby Santa Rita MountainsThe Santa Rita Mountains, located about 65 km southeast of Tucson, Arizona, extend 42 km from northwest to southeast. The highest point in the range, and the highest point in the Tucson area, is Mount Wrightson, with an elevation of 9,453 feet , The range contains Madera Canyon, one of the...
has an elevation of 9,453 feet (2,881 m).
External links