Gerald Tietje
There are wonderful birding opportunities in the desert ecosystem surrounding SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR), but different species of birds are found at different elevations, so birding on Mt. Lemmon provides an opportunity to see many different species of birds. Mt. Lemmon rises to 9,157 feet in elevation, the tallest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains. It’s less than 10 miles as the crow flies from SBR to the top of Mt. Lemmon but it takes almost 2 hours to make the 65-mile drive to the summit. The last 25 miles is an exhilarating drive up the winding Santa Catalina Highway to the top. You start the drive in a desert landscape punctuated by saguaro cacti and end it in a mixed conifer and aspen forest. You also see the temperature gauge in your vehicle drop by almost 30 degrees, which makes it very pleasant atop the mountain in September.
There are many bird species that are present on Mt. Lemmon year-round. These include yellow-eyed juncos, pygmy nuthatches, Mexican jays, white-throated swifts, acorn woodpeckers, mountain chickadees, and Steller’s jays. September is also at the midpoint of fall migration for birds, so there is a good possibility of seeing black-headed grosbeaks and several warbler species, including Townsend’s and Wilson’s warblers. A good place to start birding is Incinerator Ridge, shortly before you come to the Palisades Visitor Center, where you can pick up a trail map. I recommend parking as soon as you turn onto Incinerator Ridge Road and walking the road and the trail. I’ve seen painted redstarts and brown creepers along this short road, which is narrow and a little rough to drive on. Bear Wallow is another good stop as you climb toward the summit; later in fall the bigtooth maple leaves are quite colorful here. Continuing up the highway you reach an intersection where you can either turn right to go toward the summit, or left to go to Summerhaven, a small mountain community. The road to the summit goes by a ski area and the Iron Door restaurant, where there are hummingbird feeders, and on to the Meadow Trail, the highest trail on the mountain. If you travel to Summerhaven you will find public restrooms and places to eat. Don’t miss the Mt. Lemmon Cookie Cabin for plate-sized cookie treats! Continuing through Summerhaven you reach Marshall Gulch, a birding hotspot, where you may also see tufted-ear Abert’s squirrels. If you haven’t had enough birding by now, stop at Rose Canyon Lake on the way down the mountain; it’s another birding hotspot.
You don’t need to be a birder to enjoy the drive to the summit of Mt. Lemmon, but if you do like bird watching, it offers an additional treat. September is still hot in the desert so it’s a good time of year to make this drive.