Mount Lemmon and the Catalina Mountains are best known for their desert-to-forest scenery, but after seasonal rains and snowmelt they also reveal a surprising variety of amazing hikes along with waterfalls—most of them intermittent and closely tied to weather conditions. The summer monsoon rains create lots of swimming holes for a refreshing dip, while the melting snow in the winter creates an opportunity for a polar plunge. If you are planning to hike any of these trails, you have come to the right place to read about them.
One of the most well-known is Seven Falls, located in Bear Canyon. This is a series of cascading drops that create a wonderful view of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The hike offers multiple viewpoints and pools, making it one of the most popular waterfall destinations in the Catalinas.
Near Molino Basin is another seasonal waterfall that is beautifully tucked into a narrow canyon between milepost 5 and 6. Reach out to the staff at Mt. Lemmon Hotel for more information on this hike. There is an also an abandoned car that is at least 50 years old at the bottom of the canyon.
Seven Cataracts Waterfall on Mount Lemmon (in the Santa Catalina Mountains, near Tucson, Arizona) isn’t a single waterfall but a series of cascading falls along a seasonal stream in Willow Canyon that eventually empties into Bear Canyon. It’s one of the more dramatic waterfall features you’ll find in the Catalinas—but it’s very dependent on recent rain or snowmelt to flow strongly.
🌊 What It Is
- The name “Seven Cataracts” refers to multiple cascading waterfalls—essentially seven distinct drops—along a steep canyon drainage visible from Catalina Highway (Mt. Lemmon Scenic Byway) near milepost ~9.
- A “cataract” is another word for a waterfall, hence the name.
🗻 When It Flows
- Seasonal only: These waterfalls flow mainly after heavy rains or during snowmelt in late winter and early spring. During dry periods common in Arizona, the creek and cataracts can be bare or only trickling.
- They tend to be most photogenic and powerful shortly after monsoon storms or after winter/spring runoff.
👀 How to See Them
- Roadside viewpoint: The most common way to enjoy Seven Cataracts is from the Seven Cataracts Vista pullout along the Catalina Highway. There’s no official trail down into the canyon from this spot, and the view from the highway is the safest and easiest way to appreciate the falls.
- Technical route only: Some experienced hikers and canyoneers descend steep, rugged slopes into Willow Canyon and scramble or rappel along the waterfalls. This is not an official trail and requires advanced skills and gear; it can be dangerous due to slippery rock, steep terrain, and flash flood risk.
📍 Tips for Visiting
- Best visited after rain or snowmelt for the best water flow. There are no formal trails or amenities at the waterfall viewpoint.
- There’s no swimming or safe access down to the actual falls from the highway viewpoint.
- Always use caution when stopping along a highway pullout and watch for fast-moving vehicles.
Higher up the mountain, Marshall Gulch and nearby drainages can feature small, ephemeral waterfalls during wet periods. These are usually short-lived but picturesque, especially in early spring when melting snow feeds the creeks beneath pine and fir forests. Marshall Gulch is located a short walk from Mt. Lemmon Hotel. When Marshall Gulch gets really cold, it is a common occurrence to see the waterfalls freeze.
If you follow Marshall Gulch and the creek towards the south (towards Tucson) the many flat stretches of creek cascade down boulders as the water moves down in elevation. Scattered throughout the range are many unnamed cascades and trickles that appear after monsoon storms, particularly along steep canyon walls and rocky streambeds. While Mt. Lemmon isn’t known for large, year-round waterfalls, the seasonal nature of these flows makes finding them feel like a reward—best experienced after recent rain, when the normally dry landscape briefly comes alive with moving water.
When you are done with your waterfall adventure hike, you can book a room directly through Mt. Lemmon Hotel. Why book a room when you can book a cabin?