Some morning you might wake up and say: You know what? I think I'd like to stride up the steep spine of a stone lizard.
We've got you covered.
Lizard Rock - a broad, beckoning expanse of stone at 7,328 feet in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson - offers a brief, brisk ramble topped off with grand views.
WALK THE LIZARD
The rock, apparently named for the fact that it vaguely resembles a lizard from some angles, can be ascended by its easiest routes with no technical climbing skills or gear.
It's a short - but steep - scamper of less than a mile to the top.
But this is a place to take your time and enjoy a walk through woodlands at the base of the rock and a trek up the Lizard's spine on your way to the high point.
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No maintained trail leads to the rock, but generations of Lizard lovers have etched a path in the lower reaches. Once you reach the base of the main rock ridge, it's a matter of choosing your own way up the reptilian backbone.
Aim to keep your feet on rock as much as possible, and avoid vegetation and eroded terrain.
OGLE THE VIEWS
Evergreen forests, deep-cut canyons and steep cliffs set the scenic tone on the way up the rock.
The vista from the top includes distant deserts, the serpentine Catalina Highway and the Tucson valley nearly a vertical mile below.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE
Lizard Rock is a place for extreme caution. Footing is unstable in some sections of the route, and cliffs fall away steeply on both sides of the ridge. This is not a hike for children or people with a great fear of heights.
GET THERE
Take Tanque Verde Road to the Catalina Highway ($5 per vehicle fee) and follow the highway into the mountains, passing Windy Point near Milepost 14. As the highway bends to the left before the 16-mile point, watch for a pullout on the left and park there. Look for an unsigned trail leading up toward the rock.
Contact reporter Doug Kreutz at dkreutz@azstarnet.com or at 573-4192.
