Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2022 and updated in 2024.
Sentinel Peak is special to 蜜柚直播.
The west-side mountain, often dubbed 鈥淎鈥 Mountain thanks to the giant letter 鈥淎鈥 on its east side, offers 360-degree views of the city.
The base is considered , and the mountain itself is often the backdrop for Fourth of July fireworks. Its stone 鈥淎鈥 was created by University of 蜜柚直播 students in 1915 and finished in 1916.
In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 鈥淎鈥 was painted blue. Over the years, it鈥檚 been painted red for the #RedForEd movement, green for St. Patrick鈥檚 Day, and red, white and blue following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
It鈥檚 been lit with flares to kick off the UA鈥檚 homecoming celebrations. It鈥檚 even been painted yellow as a prank by 蜜柚直播 State University students.
Whether you鈥檙e hiking, bicycling or driving, consider this your guide to visiting 蜜柚直播鈥檚 very special 鈥淎鈥 Mountain and its cityscape views.
Fourth of July fireworks display from 鈥淎鈥 Mountain.
Getting there
Sentinel Peak Park, or 鈥淎鈥 Mountain, is located on 蜜柚直播鈥檚 west side at . It鈥檚 open from sunrise to sunset daily, though there are restrictions for cars, .
Cars are not allowed at all on Mondays, but are allowed these days and times:
- 2 p.m. to sunset Tuesday-Thursday
- 11 a.m. to sunset Friday-Sunday
The rivalry between the UA and ASU has been around for a longgggg time, both on and off the football field.聽
History
Sentinel Peak and the Santa Cruz River below have histories that date back thousands of years, with the area鈥檚 first inhabitants growing crops at the mountain鈥檚 base, . Eventually, the Hohokam and the Tohono O'odham established villages in the area, .
The village at the base of Tumamoc and Sentinel Peak was called 鈥淪-cuk Son鈥澛犫 meaning 鈥渇oot of the black,鈥 a reference to the dark聽volcanic rock on the mountains, 's historian Diana Hadley and community outreach coordinator Kendall Kroesen in 2019.
, the settlement was pronounced as 鈥淭uk-Son鈥 when Spaniards arrived.
A sign at Sentinel Peak says the mountain was once the subject of development proposals including a water reservoir and the location for a hotel accessible by a tram. It was ultimately deemed a public park, but not before years of litigation聽that led to the U.S. Department of the Interior deciding in the late 1920s that the mountain belonged to 蜜柚直播.
A brilliant sunset competes with the annual Lighting of A Mountain party on top of the Main Gate Garage at the University of 蜜柚直播 in 蜜柚直播, on Oct. 21, 2018.
Driving
If you鈥檙e looking to drive up the mountain, you can follow Congress Street west until you see Cuesta Avenue 鈥 make a left there. You鈥檒l see a lower parking lot on your right when a sign for the park appears. If you continue driving beyond that parking lot, the roadway will take you up the mountain.
Along that road, you鈥檒l loop around the mountain, its 鈥淎鈥 and a multitude of city views, before getting to the upper parking lot, where you can park for free.
蜜柚直播 from Sentinel Peak as clouds roll through Pima County on Dec. 29, 2020.
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If you so choose, you can park in the lower parking lot and hike the Gilbert Escand贸n Jim茅nez trail, named after Jim茅nez who helped maintain the peak鈥檚 trails for more than 70 years.
You can find the trailhead in the southwest corner of the lower parking lot. The uphill hike itself won鈥檛 take you to the peak and will instead take you to an upper section of the road. Some hikers choose to turn around, or continue along the side of the road to the mountain's summit, though beware of cars.
The 蜜柚直播 says the trek is about 2陆 miles roundtrip. Find more information about the trail from .
The views of and around Sentinel Peak, otherwise known as "A" Mountain on April 10, 2013. The coloring of the "A" has changed over time, ranging from black to green and the patriotic red, white and blue scheme.聽
Alternatively, you can park in the upper parking lot and choose from a handful of much shorter hikes to reach the 2,897-foot peak.
There鈥檚 Mission View Trail, which is a mostly smooth walkway with little noticeable elevation gain. It takes you along the south side of the mountain and ends with a sideview of the 鈥淎.鈥 There鈥檚 also Sentinel Summit Trail, which is far more steep and very rocky, ending with a view right above the 鈥淎.鈥
Other trails include Sentinel Trail and South Sentinel Trail, both of which end with side views of the 鈥淎.鈥 All of the trails are less than a mile long and some of them connect.
Whichever hike you choose, you鈥檒l get beautiful views of our purple mountains and the city below.
A young couple takes in monsoonal cloud sunset over the 蜜柚直播 Mountains as they endure gusty updrafts at a lookout on Sentinel Peak on July 18, 2018, in 蜜柚直播, Ariz.
Other things to note
There are a few ramada areas along 鈥淎鈥 Mountain, in addition to a couple picnic tables and benches. West of the upper parking lot, there鈥檚 an old stone shelter, perfect for sunset views.
Dogs are allowed, but they must be on a leash at all times. Clean up their poop! Also important to note: There are some tiny shards of broken glass in areas along the mountain.
A list of things not allowed: Glass containers, drones except in designated areas, fireworks and littering.
And if you choose to hike, remember, safety first! Bring water, protect yourself from the sun and check the weather beforehand. See more tips here.