Mount Lemmon in May 2026: Tucson's 27-Mile Drive From Sonoran Desert to Quaking Aspen — and What's On the Calendar

Tucson valley temperatures are climbing into the 90s — and the simplest reset in the metro is also one of the most underrated. The 27-mile Sky Island Parkway from the desert floor to the 9,157-foot summit of Mount Lemmon climbs through the equivalent of a drive from Mexico to Canada in roughly an hour, with summit temperatures typically 25 to 30 degrees cooler than central Tucson. The Mt. Lemmon Hill Climb weekend launches Friday, May 1, the SkyCenter's stargazing program runs nightly Wednesday through Sunday, the scenic chairlift at Mount Lemmon Ski Valley is open year-round, and the Music on the Mountain concert series at Mount Lemmon Lodge starts Memorial Day weekend. Here is a fully sourced spring guide to the mountain — what to do, where to eat, and how the housing market in Summerhaven actually works.