Sometimes the end of the road is not the end of the road. Sometimes you can go farther.
Literal case in point: the road leading to Mount Lemmon Ski Valley in the Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson.
Most travelers drive up the Catalina Highway and take the 1.4-mile spur road that ends at Ski Valley. But it's possible to go farther — on a narrow, minimally maintained but splendidly scenic road segment leading from Ski Valley to the top of Mount Lemmon.
Drive it: In snow-free seasons, such as right now, passenger cars can travel the 1.7-mile road segment from the ski area to a parking lot on the mountaintop. It's critically important to keep in mind that the road is narrow and uneven in places — and to watch out for pedestrians along the way.
Walk it: Many visitors park their vehicles at Ski Valley and walk all or part of the way up the road, which is flanked with tall firs, aspens and other trees. Clumps of ferns and vibrant wildflowers line the route in the summer months. Be sure to walk well to the side of the road and stand clear when vehicles approach.
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Did you know . . . Some of the Douglas fir trees near the road are hundreds of years old. Researchers have dated one fir in the area to A.D. 1320.
Get there: From Tucson, take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway. Follow the highway past milepost 24 to a turnoff for Ski Valley. At Ski Valley, pick up the narrow road to the top of Mount Lemmon.
For more hiking stories, go to: go.azstarnet.com/trails.
