Dove Mountain

Dove Mountain is a new (1998), well-planned community in the foothills of the Tortolita Mountains, in the Sonora desert. It is located in Marana, Arizona, approximately 40 minutes north of Tucson. There are over 60 miles (97 km) of hiking and biking trails in Dove Mountain and the surrounding Preserves, many with trailheads suitable for stargazing. Elevations range from 2,700 to 4,300 feet (0.8 km to 1.3 km). It was named after the mountain range; Tortolita is Spanish for little turtle dove. An EarthSky reader told us: “The county and city are part of the Dark Skies Project so there are no streetlights and the residential lighting is limited. The only commercial property is the Ritz Carlton, which is secluded with limited lighting. There is U.S. Forest Service land nearby at the Tortolita Mountains so there is lots of undeveloped, open space.”