Mt Lemmon Pictures: Photos of the Mountain & Village

Mt Lemmon Pictures: Photos of the Mountain, the Village and the Views

These are our own photographs, all taken on Mt. Lemmon and none of them licensed from a stock library. We have grouped them by what you are actually looking at, because the mountain changes completely as you climb it - desert at the bottom, pine forest at the top, and a night sky that is the reason there is an observatory up here.

Tap a group below to see it. All four are on this one page, so nothing loads until you ask for it.

Views & The Drive Forest, Flowers & Wildlife Sunrise, Sunset & Stars Winter & Snow

The road, the rock formations and the look back down at the desert. If you only see one part of the mountain, it will be this.

The Catalina Highway curving up Mt. Lemmon past a stone guardrail — The Catalina Highway, the 27-mile road that climbs the mountain from the desert floor.

A car on the Catalina Highway below pine-covered slopes and rocky peaks — The climb, with the pine belt closing in and the desert falling away behind you.

The two-lane Catalina Highway curving along a mountainside framed by tan rock spires — Where the road cuts between rock spires - one of the best views on the drive.

The Catalina Highway curving past a tall rock formation with cars travelling it — Rock formations crowd the road on the upper half of the climb.

Twilight highway curving downhill past a rock cut, amber city lights far below — Looking back down at Tucson from the highway as the lights come on.

Three helmeted mountain bikers on a rocky ridge overlooking a hazy valley and distant mountains — Cyclists on a ridge above the valley. This climb is famous with riders.

Cabin loft interior with wood panelling and windows framing forested mountain views — Inside one of the village cabins, with the mountain framed in the windows.

Red umbrella, camp chair and fishing rods on a sandy shore beside a calm lake — A lakeshore setup at Rose Canyon Lake, the only fishery on the mountain.

What the drive actually passes through: ponderosa and oak, wildflower colour in late summer, and the wildlife that shares the place with you.

Weathered wooden boardwalk with railings curving through dense green forest — A boardwalk threaded through dense forest.

Small cascade of water over a fallen log into a rocky pool in a shaded forest stream — A small waterfall dropping over a fallen log. The mountain runs water in season.

Pointleaf manzanita in bloom, pale urn-shaped flowers among rounded green leaves — Pointleaf manzanita in bloom, one of the first shrubs to flower up here.

Indian paintbrush, scarlet bracts above green stems on a mountain slope — Indian paintbrush, the red that shows along the roadsides in late summer.

Golden columbine, yellow nodding flowers above fern-like foliage — Golden columbine, which grows in the damp shade of the upper mountain.

Gray squirrel standing upright beside a fallen log on a pine-needle covered forest floor — A squirrel on the forest floor. The mountain is thick with wildlife - do not feed it.

Dark-headed bird with blue wings and a long blue tail standing on rough bark and pine needles — One of the mountain birds. Mt. Lemmon is a genuine birding destination.

The hours that make the drive up worth it. Sunrise and sunset both land differently at 8,000 feet, and the stars after dark are the reason the observatory is here.

Low bright sun glowing gold through silhouetted evergreen branches above a dark ridge — The sun dropping through the trees on the upper mountain.

Layered dark ridges and a flat-topped mesa under an orange twilight sky — Layered ridgelines at twilight, with a flat-topped mesa holding the last of the light.

A hiker with a daypack stands on a rocky ledge facing a bright sun above hazy ranges — Sunrise from a rocky ledge, looking east over the ranges.

Low sun glowing behind dark tree trunks above a dirt trail climbing a slope — A trail climbing into the last light of the day.

Star-filled night sky above dark silhouettes of treetops on a forested ridge — The night sky from the village. At 8,000 feet the stars are a different proposition.

Snow from roughly November to March. It is why the road gets a gate above Ski Valley each winter, and why people drive up from the valley just to see it.

Snow-coated evergreen treetops on a mountain ridge beneath a blue, partly cloudy sky — Snow on the upper mountain - why the road gets a gate above Ski Valley each winter.

Road cyclist in a red jersey riding away along a curving mountain road beside a snowbank — A cyclist grinding up the highway with snow still banked on the shoulder.

Robins Nest storefront lit up at night beside a plowed, snow-covered road — The village in winter, storefronts lit and the road plowed.

Where to Take Pictures on Mt. Lemmon

A straight answer for anyone driving up with a camera: the light matters more than the location, and the light up here is best in the first two hours after sunrise and the last hour before sunset. Midday light is flat and harsh, and in summer the monsoon builds cloud through the afternoon that can either ruin the shot or make it.

Windy Point, mile marker 14. The classic, and for good reason. Around 6,600 feet, with the rock formations and the valley below. It is also the busiest pullout on the road, so go early.
The rock cut around mile 9. Thimble Peak and the Seven Cataracts area. Good for the road itself as a subject, and best in low side light.
Rose Canyon Lake, mile 19.6. The only fishery on the mountain, and the water gives you reflections and evening light that the forest does not.
The village and Ski Valley. Summerhaven's storefronts are at their best after dark in winter, when the snow is on the road and the lights are on. Ski Valley is where the chairlift and the upper slopes are.
The upper trails. Aspen Trail #93 and the Marshall Gulch area have the aspen stands, which is where the October color is. Check the current forest orders before you plan around the Marshall Gulch trailhead.
Anywhere after dark. At 8,000 feet the night sky is the attraction. A steady tripod and a long exposure will get you a Milky Way shot on a clear, moonless night.

Practical notes: a polarising filter does a lot on a bright day at altitude, the temperature can drop 30 degrees from the valley so bring a layer even in summer, and there is no fuel anywhere on the mountain. If you want the mountain at its most photogenic, aim for mid to late October for color or a snow day in winter - and check the road before you leave either way.

Mt Lemmon Pictures FAQ

Where can I see pictures of Mt. Lemmon?

On this page. We have grouped 23 of our own photographs into views and the drive, forest and wildflowers, sunrise and sunset, and winter. Every one was taken on Mt. Lemmon rather than licensed from a stock library.

Are these photos of Mt. Lemmon or of the hotel?

All Mt. Lemmon. The Catalina Highway, the rock formations, the forest, the wildflowers, the night sky and the village in snow. Some are shot from our cabins and some from the trails and overlooks. The cabins and interiors themselves are in our photo gallery, linked below.

What does Mt. Lemmon look like in fall?

The upper mountain turns in October. Aspen and oak change first and the color usually peaks in the second half of the month, with the highway itself one of the best places to see it. Our fall colors guide covers the timing month by month.

What does Mt. Lemmon look like in winter?

The upper mountain holds snow from roughly November into March, and the road above Ski Valley is gated shut for the winter. The village gets snow that sticks, which is why people drive up from Tucson and Phoenix to see it. Check the road hotline before you come.

Can I take my own pictures of Mt. Lemmon?

Yes, and it is genuinely hard to take a bad photograph up here. Early morning and the last hour of daylight are the best light. The mountain runs about 30 degrees cooler than Tucson, so bring a layer - and the drive up is worth the camera on its own.

Can I send you my Mt. Lemmon photos?

We are glad to see them. We do feature guest and local photography on our social media, and you can send yours to customerservice@mtlemmonhotel.com - let us know how you would like to be credited if we share it.

Related Mt Lemmon Guides

Mt Lemmon Hotel photo gallery - the cabins, the interiors and the property
Mt Lemmon sunset guide - sunset times month by month and the best overlooks
Mt Lemmon fall colors guide - when the aspens turn and where to look
Flowers, plants and trees - what is blooming, and the life zones you drive through
Live Mt Lemmon webcams - what the village looks like right now
Our favorite Mt. Lemmon photographer - the local photographer behind many of these views

See it for yourself rather than through a camera.

Mt. Lemmon Hotel keeps 21 private cabins in Summerhaven, 12 of them pet friendly with no pet fee. Sunrise, sunset and the night sky are a short walk from your door instead of a two-hour drive home.

Text us at (520) 277-2478 with any question, or see the cabins.