Gates Pass

Best Sunsets ever! Be careful and respectful of the drive. The roads are tricky but well worth the drive

Pretty close to town for a quick trip to check out the scene. Lots of great lookout points and not too steep of trails. Plenty of parking spots and an indoor bathroom of needed.

This viewpoint is such a beautiful easy experience! It's only about 10 minutes down the way from me but I went for the first time yesterday evening for sunset and took it all in. There is a minor easy "hike" to get to the best high points for the views but you don't have to to enjoy the view. There were also people taking their wedding photos there during golden hour. I took a few cool sunset photos and would totally go again with my parents.

We stopped at the Gates Pass Overlook to take a few photos. It's very scenic and we even witnessed a wedding proposal while we were there!

There are a few informational signs, along with bathrooms and a trail. Great quick stop on your way to Saguaro National Park!

Great views of the park, Marana, Old Tucson, and excellent location to take pics. Plenty of parking. I live near this location so I pass by here all the time. Nice drive to the top.

Great little spot with a decent amount of free parking to stop and take a stroll or serious hike, and to catch the sunrise or the sunset.

There is an outhouse, but no lights or soap.

It is open dawn to dusk, like 6 am to 6 pm or something like that.

The views of the mountains, and flora and amazing!
Several kinds of plants and cacti including Prickly pear, Saguaro, Chollas, and on and on.

The drive to it is a small 2 lane and can get backed up with all the twists and turns.

There is some information on some of the signs under the pagoda. You can get a great view of the valley below, and did I mention the sunrise and sunset?

It is on the way to AZ Sonoran Desert museum and worth at least a 15 minute stop.

If you don't have time to stop, you need to at least drive through. Winding roads of the mountain gives you stunning views on Gates Pass. We drove through Saturday then again on Sunday but stopped this time. We got lucky on parking. An hour to sundown there's some great spots on the way to gates pass if it's full.

I love gates pass. It's a must for locas and visitors alike. There are wildflowers, saguaros, bird watching galore! Gates Pass is extremely magical during the spring time. Sunsets are beautiful. For sure one of the best drives In Tucson.

I've been to Gates Pass twice now for sunsets and it's simply stunning. There are endless opportunities for unique ways to view Tucson Mountain Park.

Getting here from Tucson couldn't be simpler. It's a straight shot west out of the city and just a few miles. Gates Pass Road winds up the mountain and leads to a turn off (be careful, it comes up quickly) into a driveway for the scenic overlook.

There are three areas for parking. The first has several spots a little ways down the hill. It's an easy walk up to the overlook. The second area has even more spots and is right next to the overlook and the restrooms. The third area is just past the overlook and toward the exit. The whole driveway is a one way road, so if you find a spot you should take it. Otherwise, if you move on and find no open spots you'll be stuck driving out onto the main road, back down the mountain and into the entrance again. NOTE: There's no room for large RVs. It's all pretty tight with no back to back spots, so the most you could fit is a Sprinter Van or a small RV.

The views are amazing and speak for themselves. There's a nice pavilion where you can watch the sunset right off of the parking lot, so it's handicap accessible.

There are several paths leading off into the mountains for hikers (ie: me). You can go as far and as high as you want. There are no fences or restrictions as to where you can go so it's basically an adventurer's paradise. I hiked across a couple of peaks to reach the highest point near the pass. It took about 45 minutes to an hour, and I reached 3,556 ft elevation, after a 700 ft ascent. I did it without gear, but gets steep and very windy up on the peaks, so I wouldn't recommend it for the inexperienced.

In summary, this place is perfect for everyone. You can do as much and as little crazy stuff as you like, and everybody gets to enjoy amazing views.

Hint: The view is best from the top.

The range is full of hiking trails, from very easy to moderate. I have not yet come upon a highly difficult trail just yet.

Need a date night idea? Yes, the views are spectacular. It can be quite the romantic location. Perfect for new and established lovers alike.

Be sure to bring water and a small snack. You will likely find lots of people sitting out waiting for the sunset, so I recommend coming about an hour before the setting to stake out a spot. Then expect that there will be a bunch of passerbys while you wait for the sun to set. People are generally friendly out this way, so shouldn't be a problem.