Home > Arizona > Mt. Lemmon |
Sunday, December 15, 2024
Other Names | Backway To Mount Lemmon, Backway To Mt. Lemmon, Mt. Lemmon Control Rd, Peppersauce Creek, Coronado National Forest, Santa Catalina Ranger District |
Last Known Status | Closed For Season |
Open to street legal vehicles only, this 25 mile long maintained dirt road begins at Peppersauce Campground and leads to the top of Mt. Lemmon. The road is mostly smooth and hard packed dirt with some small but occasional loose chunk rock.
The Mt. Lemmon summit offers various restaurants and cafes, making this a nice and easy dual sport ride, or if you have a street legal ATV, as many do in Arizona.
Peppersauce Campground at the base offers cool and shady developed campsites but is too cramped for large trailers and RVs. There are no pull-throughs and the sites are about 22 feet deep.
Permit Required | Yes | AZGFD sticker required |
Dates Open | March - December 14 | |
Other ATV Stickers Accepted | No | All non-residents must purchase an Arizona OHV decal. |
Spark Arrestor | Yes | A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles. |
Noise Limit | Yes (96 dB) | |
Whip Flags | Not Required | |
Maximum Vehicle Width | No Restriction | |
Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes | Permitted | street legal only |
ATVs | Permitted | street legal only |
UTV & SXS | Permitted | street legal only |
SUVs & Jeeps (registered) | Permitted | street legal only |
Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered) | Permitted | street legal only |
2 Stroke Engines | No Restriction | street legal only |
MX Helmet Required | Youth Only | required for persons under 18 by state law (RiderPlanet strongly recommends helmets for all riders.) |
Camping | Some Areas | (camp in developed sites only) |
Campfires | Some Areas | (permitted in developed campsites only) |
Night Riding | Yes | Not Recommended |
Trail Blazing | Prohibited | stay on trail |
Rule Enforcement | Few/Periodic |
Miles Of Trail | 25 | |
Climate Type | Desert | |
Elevation | 4600 to 8000 ft. | |
Trail Maintenance | Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained | |
Loose Dirt | None | |
Hard Pack | All | |
Sand | None | |
Mud | Little | |
Dust | None | |
Rocks | Little | |
Trees | Few | |
Steep Hills | Few | |
Water Crossings | Some | |
Small Jumps | None | |
Large Jumps | None | |
Berms | None | |
Sand/Gravel Pits | None | |
Single Track | None | |
Roads | All | |
Intersections | Few | |
Rider Traffic | Few | |
Shade | Some | |
Ranges/Gunfire | Few | |
Hazards | Few | (hazards not marked) steep banks, no guardrails |
Novice | All | |
Amateur | None | |
Expert | None | |
Comment | Just a smooth, maintained dirt road - not many pot holes. |
Area | Motorized Trails |
Land | National Forest |
Gasoline | 5-20 Miles (N) | Oracle |
Diesel | 5-20 Miles (N) | Oracle |
Water | On Site | Peppersauce Campground |
RV Hookup | 30+ Miles (SW) | Catalina State Park (520) 628-5798 |
RV Disposal | 30+ Miles (SW) | Catalina State Park (520) 628-5798 |
Campground | On Site | Peppersauce Campground |
Conv Store | 5-20 Miles (N) | Oracle |
Parking | (None) |
Entry | (None) |
Riding | (None) |
Camping | Yes Tent: $15.00 RV: $15.00 Addtl. Vehicle: $15.00 Peppersauce Campground Fee - $15/night; group site - $50/night. |
Comment | Cash, check, or money order accepted at campground. |
Pros | free, nice campground, nice scenery |
Cons | no actual trails |
Our Rating | Fair |
Recommended Stay | Full Day Spring/Fall |
Comments | (Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments) |
Nearest City | Oracle, AZ | ||
Address | S Mt. Lemmon Road, Oracle, AZ 85623 | ||
| From: Oracle, AZ
1) Take SR-77 to West or East American Ave. 2) Follow road until it connects with Mt. Lemmon Road 3) Continue about 8 miles east on Mt. Lemmon road to Peppersauce campground. Stage here. |
Contact Info | Coronado National Forest - Santa Catalina Ranger District 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road Tucson, AZ 85750 (520) 749-8700 mailroom_r3_coronado@fs.fed.us www.fs.usda.gov |
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