If you're a hiker, you're familiar with topo maps. Topographical maps show the relative elevation and slope of the land. Contour lines spaced very near each other show steep topography, while those spaced farther apart show more gently sloping terrain.
At the scale of the map on the right, there are no contour lines--just shades corresponding with the legend to the left. The darkest areas are the tallest mountains around Tucson. They're sky islands.
The dark line at the bottom is our national border with Mexico. The two rivers both flow north toward Phoenix.
You can see from the map why the mountains are called "sky islands." They stand alone as sentinels, towering a mile or more above the surrounding desert floor.
What's really interesting is that they are home to plants and animals which could not survive at lower elevations--black bears, Apache trout, and species of birds that migrate up from Central America, keeping to the cool, high elevations.
The sky islands are protected by the national park system. Tucson is surrounded on two sides by the Coronado National Forest, which runs roughly northeast to south/southeast around Tucson.
It's a hikers paradise.
Trailheads, for the most part, are well maintained, and fees are very reasonable. Expect to see signs warning of black bears at the trailheads. Picnic areas have trash containers which are bear-proof.
There's hiking terrain for every ability level, from paved areas near some trailheads that can accomodate wheelchairs to the roughest rocky terrain you can imagine. It's all spectacularly beautiful!
These hikers on the right are looking toward the towns of Marana and Oro Valley to the left of the photo, and Catalina and Oracle to the right. Their perch is at elevation 8,000 +/-.
Birders the world over come to Tucson to see species found nowhere else in North America. The elegant trogon, a sky island visitor from Central America and Mexico, is an example. For all its beauty, that male in the photo can't sing worth a darn. It's call sounds like a terrier barking. The females must like it, however. :)
Rock formations fascinate me, and the Catalina Mountains in particular have "hoodoo" formations that delight the hikers who find them.
Catalina highway, which runs 26 miles from the Tucson valley floor to the town of Summerhaven, has a three or four mile section just surrounded by an army of them.
Come and visit. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!
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I'm Mike in Tucson, your preferred Tucson, AZ Mortgage lender.
Think of me as your Tucson mortgage expert.
Call me if I can help you with a mortgage to buy your next house:
(520) 349-9090
Photos copyright Mike in Tucson (all rights reserved)
The Series:
So You Thought You Knew Something About Tucson, Arizona? (1 of 10: Origins)
So You Thought You Knew Something About Tucson, Arizona? (2 of 10: Geography)
So You Thought You Knew Something About Tucson, Arizona? (3 of 10: Outdoor Living)
