Sky Island Scenic Byway

This road stretches in between jagged cliffs on the Sky Island Parkway.

The Sky Island Parkway features a daunting view of the sheer cliffs that line the highway. Road-construction cones warn drivers away from a damaged railing in this photo.

Tall saguaro cacti and rugged canyons provide a scenic backdrop to the start of the Sky Island Parkway.

Sky Island Scenic Byway climbs high into the Santa Catalina Mountains which provide a scenic backdrop to Tucson.

Visitors read interpretive signs discussing the story of Gordon Hirabayashi, who spent time at these prison ruins, protesting internment during WWII.

This old stone wall and staircase is all that remains of the camp where Federal prisoners who built the highway lived.

The byway winds past many unusual rock formations, sometimes called Hoodoos. The formation here is known as Goosehead Rock, and is seen near Geology Vista.

A Mexican spotted owl sits framed by sun dappled leaves.

Byway travelers will find many convenient amenities along the route, including vista points with parking and interpretive signs, restrooms, and picnic tables.

A scenic sky ride awaits visitors in all seasons at Mt. Lemmon.

Byway visitors can stop at Palisade Visitor Center to view the many exhibits, ask questions, and buy maps and souvenirs.

The top of Mt. Lemmon is a cool escape from the desert heat. These summerclad aspen trees will be brightly colored in yellow in the fall.

Blue skies frame the equestrians riding their horses into the rocky Pusch Ridge Wilderness.

High over Sky Island Scenic Byway, these adventurous visitors climb one of the area's many striking rock formations.

Pine trees frame campers picniking at Rose Canyon campground.

Fishermen and women watch the dark waters of Rose Canyon Lake as they wait for action on the end of their fishing lines. Rose Canyon Lake is a popular place to hike along the lakeshore trail or fish for trout.

From the Santa Catalinas visitors have easy access to the clouds surrounding distant mountains, making "sky islands." There are approximately 40 "sky islands" in southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico.

After rain, wet pavement glistens outside this shop in the the village of Summerhaven. The village is a popular destination for visitors and lies near the end of the byway in a shady conifer forest.

Visitors who stop at Windy Point get a scenic view of the Tucson Valley and other sky islands, and can learn about the the mountains by looking at on-site interpretive signs.

Geology Vista provides a view of the rock formations near Windy Point Vista.