State Parks and National Parks

Spanish explorer Coronado entered southern Arizona in 1540 in search of gold. He found grassy hills, cactus, lizards and scattered, rugged mountain ranges. These ranges, known as sky islands, are the real treasures of Arizona.

There are 17 mountain ranges in the 1.78 million-acre Coronado National Forest, a region rich in its diversity of landforms, culture and biology. A one-hour drive from Tucson to the top of Mount Lemmon is ecologically equivalent to a trip from Mexico to Canada.

Visitors travel to the Sky Island Scenic Byway and other upland areas for cooling relief during summer and to Sabino Canyon and other low-elevation areas for sun and warmth during winter.

Those seeking non-traditional recreation experiences include rock climbers, spelunkers and sky divers. The 26 known geologic formations or deposits in the Forest provide interesting viewing for geology buffs.

Each winter, thousands of ardent bird watchers journey to the Cave Creek, Madera, Sabino, Guadalupe and Ramsey canyons.

More than 1,000 miles of trails crisscross the forest, from open grassy slopes to ponderosa pine, fir and spruce forests. Backpacking and horsepacking take place in eight wilderness areas.

There are 39 developed campgrounds, four small lakes, three mountain biking trails and several historic sites. Rock art and ceremonial caves demonstrate the importance of this landscape to Native Americans.

Photo credits in order: Photo by Randy Wilkerson, courtesy of USDA Forest Service. Photo by Randy Wilkerson, courtesy of USDA Forest Service.