Scenic & Primitive Roads
Scenic Drive on Redington Rd
A favorite scenic drive out of San Manuel is paved and about 25 miles round-trip. With it’s park-like saguaro landscape and mountain backgrounds it even offers nice photographic opportunities.
From the Salt ‘N Pepper gas station head SE on Veterans Memorial Blvd for 3.9 miles and the road takes an abrupt left as Redington Road. You will begin to experience nice views of saguaro desert with the panoramic Galiuro Mountains as the backdrop. The road descends down into the San Pedro River valley where it branches with primitive River Road. You can stay on the paved road to the right. The next 5.7 miles is blacktop surface that ends at the county line where you can return.
Mount Lemmon Road | FR 38
Mt. Lemmon Road goes from Oracle to the Summerhaven resort. The road is Control Road #38 within the Coronado National Forest with the top five miles being more primitive and rocky. It goes up to a cooler 7,800′ or so in elevation to Summerhaven’s restaurants, shops, lodging and Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley with it’s sky ride. Parts of the road might be closed when there are winter storms or possible washouts.
Getting there from San Manuel: Go NW about 8/10 of a mile (from gas station) on Veterans Memorial Blvd and turn left onto Webb Road and go 6 miles. At the T, turn left onto Mount Lemmon Road.
Redington Road From Tucson
San Manuel makes a nice restaurant lunch stop on this primitive road excursion. Going east on Tanque Verde Road in Tucson it becomes Redington Road as Forest Road #371 that takes you northeast to near Redington then on to San Manuel where it becomes Veterans Memorial Blvd. Pavement begins in Pinal county at the county line onward to San Manuel. Veterans Memorial Blvd then continues NW five miles to Highway 77 that toward Tucson becomes Oracle Rd.
Southern Arizona Guide Article | Friends of Redington Pass | Hunting Info
Road To Benson
The route between Benson and San Manuel is paved on both ends but in-between is about 27 miles of unpaved road. It has narrow and curvy sections and can be rough (especially at washes).
Bicycling
There’s lots of scenery to include San Manuel in a bike ride or mountain biking trek. Annually the Santa Catalina Weekend races are based out of San Manuel. And, one cyclist course of the Mt Lemmon Gravel Grinder passes through San Manuel. | San Manuel Cycling Trails
Be aware that roads and washes can flood or flash flood from monsoons or other precipitation.
Places to Eat | Where to Stay | Off-Road Adventure