The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Wendy Moore, assistant professor of entomology and curator of the the state's largest insect collection, joined with husband, Rick Brusca, to write a Natural History of the Santa Catalina Mountains focusing on its geology, its plants and its critters.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 1: Soldier Trail In the front range of the Catalinas, at 3,255 feet, Soldier Trail is a classic example of upland desert, with saguaros, palo verde and mesquite trees, acacia, ocotillo and desert scrub.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 2: Babad Do'ag Vista From here, at 3,555 feet, you can see a panorama of sky isand mountain ranges ‹ Rincons, Santa Ritas, Sierritas and Santa Catalinas. It¹s also a great view of the city of Tucson.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 3: Molino Canyon Overlook Paved and unpaved trails from this parking lot give a view of the transition from upland desert plants to grass and oak woodland. In the canyon bottom, the wetter microclimate allows growth of cotttonwood, ash, walnut, mulberry and sycamore.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 3: Molino Canyon Overlook Paved and unpaved trails from this parking lot give a view of the transition from upland desert plants to grass and oak woodland. In the canyon bottom, the wetter microclimate allows growth of cotttonwood, ash, walnut, mulberry and sycamore.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 4: Molino Basin This wide basin at 4,750 feet, is part of the Romer Pass fault which separated the front range of the Catalinas from its high country towered over by Mount Lemmon and Mount Bigelow. This is mostly Emory oak grassland, with several oak species of larger specimens in the riparian areas. Here, you have left the upland desert vegetation behind.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 5: Middle Bear Canyon In summer, this is among the first shady spots for lunch. Here, at 5,900 feet, pine trees make their first appearance, mixed still with oaks, cypress and juniper, with pines dominating the wetter, cooler north slopes.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 6: Windy Point Vista The biggest paved parking lot along the highway, at 6,600 feet, affords a spectacular view of the entire Tucson valley from a shelf of granite outcrops favored by photographers and rock climbers. The chaparral plants growing among the rocks include manzanita, pinyon, alligator juniper and shindagger agave.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 6: Windy Point Vista The biggest paved parking lot along the highway, at 6,600 feet, affords a spectacular view of the entire Tucson valley from a shelf of granite outcrops favored by photographers and rock climbers. The chaparral plants growing among the rocks include manzanita, pinyon, alligator juniper and shindagger agave.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 7: San Pedro Vista Your first chance to see the other side of the mountains ‹ the northeastern slopes of the Catalinas and the green ribbon of cottonwoods where the San Pedro River flows. At 7,350 feet, this is the edge of the pine-oak woodland and the start of the pine forest.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 7: San Pedro Vista Your first chance to see the other side of the mountains ‹ the northeastern slopes of the Catalinas and the green ribbon of cottonwoods where the San Pedro River flows. At 7,350 feet, this is the edge of the pine-oak woodland and the start of the pine forest.
The Santa Catalina Natural History Tour
Stop 10: Mount Lemmon/Summerhaven Photo is above Summerhaven on the ridge, opposite of Mount Lemmon. This is the most densely populated part of the mountain. The village of Summerhaven with a smattering of restaurants and stores and a rebuilding enclave of second homes sits at about 8,400 feet. Mount Lemmon, with its observatories and forest of communication towers, tops out at 9,157 feet.