The soul of the Sonoran Desert. The flavor of the Southwest. Tucson means Wide Open Spaces and plenty of room to unplug, explore, and Free Yourself. Tucson is known for its landscape scattered with cacti, but it also has mountain ranges in all directions, tons of resorts and spas, championship golf courses, and an impressive food scene. It also has highly esteemed museums and galleries featuring work by world-renowned artists.
The city's elevation is 2,643 ft (806 m) above sea level (as measured at the Tucson International Airport). Tucson is on an alluvial plain in the Sonoran Desert, surrounded by five ranges of mountains:
The high point of the Santa Catalina Mountains is 9,157 ft (2,791 m) Mount Lemmon, the southernmost ski destination in the continental U.S., while the Tucson Mountains include 4,687 ft (1,429 m) Wasson Peak. The highest point in the area is Mount Wrightson, found in the Santa Rita Mountains at 9,453 ft (2,881 m) above sea level
Sentinel Peak is a 2,897 ft (883 m) peak in the Tucson Mountains southwest of downtown Tucson, Arizona. The name "Tucson" is derived from Uto-Aztecan language meaning "[at the] base of the black [hill]" (from basalt/lava rock). It is now often known as “A” Mountain for the University of Arizona “A” near the summit of the peak. The name "Tucson" is derived from Uto-Aztecan language meaning "[at the] base of the black [hill]" (from basalt/lava rock). It is now often known as “A” Mountain for the University of Arizona “A” near the summit of the peak.