How to drive the steep road to Mount Hopkins in Arizona?
Mount Hopkins is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.612m (8,569ft) above sea level, located in Santa Cruz County, in the US state of Arizona.
Where is Mount Hopkins?
The peak is located north of Patagonia, in the southern part of Arizona, within the Coronado National Forest.
Why is there a road to Mount Hopkins?
The peak is the home to the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, an astronomical observatory owned and operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
Is the road to Mount Hopkins unpaved?
The single-lane dirt road to the summit is called Mount Hopkins Road. It’s mostly unpaved, with narrow parts and without guardrails. The road is more or less a series of switchbacks. It’s very steep, especially the last part of the climb. Person unaccustomed to mountain roads of this type should consider this trip carefully.
How long is the road to Mount Hopkins?
Starting from Arivaca Junction, the road to the summit is 28.8km (17.9 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1680m (5,512 ft) and the average gradient is 5.83%. The last three miles are open for guided tours only.
Is the road to Mount Hopkins worth the drive?
Set high in the Santa Rita Range, views all along this mountain-climbing route are breathtaking, but because the road is a twisting single lane of dirt without guardrails, the drive will require your full attention.
Pic: Galit Morales