Gates Pass

Just west of Tucson, Arizona, along the Speedway, is a popular sightseeing location known as Gates Pass. It is a well known and popular sunset viewing site and date hot spot featuring one of the best vantage points to watch the sun go down. Gates Pass provides areas for picnicking, hiking, wildlife observation, nature studies and camping. There is a visible trail head that winds around the mountains and natural desert vegetation of saguaro cacti, brush and other native cactus surrounds the location. Gates Pass is easy to find if traveling from Tucson. Where the Speedway ends on the west side of the city just past the North Camino de Oeste is where Gates Pass begins.

Driving along Gates Pass can be dangerous because of the narrow road that winds around the edge of a large mountain. There are only a few feet between the road and the drop off that extends to the valley below. The Gates Pass is not open to commercial trucks or large vehicles over 40 feet long due to the treacherous nature of the road. Bike riding, however, is very popular through the pass and early Saturday and Sunday mornings offer a great time to ride when traffic is light.