By Jim Gressinger
The Coronado National Forest is big and diverse. It includes the Santa Catalina Mountains including Mt. Lemmon, Santa Ritas home to Mt. Wrightson and Madera Canyon, the Huachuca Mountains of which Ramsey and Carr Canyons are well known, the Pinaleno Mountains of which Mt. Graham is the highest peak, Chiracahua Mountains, the Rincons, Dragoons, Patagonia Mountains and Whetstones, just to name a few. The principle activities in the forest are biking, hiking, camping and mining. All of the picnic areas and campgrounds on Mt. Lemmon have toilets. Dogs are allowed everywhere in the Coronado National Forest with the exception of Sabino Canyon and the Pusch Ridge Wilderness area.
For camping on Mt. Lemmon, our favorite is Spencer Campground, located at 8,000 feet elevation. It’s more spacious and adjacent to some of the best hiking trails. In the Huachuca’s we like Reef Campground. Mt. Graham’s Soldier Campground is beautiful and quiet. Riggs Flat Lake is not far.
The Coronado National Forest website is a wealth of information, and well organized by activity or area. Visit their website at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/
