This watershed book takes us behind the picture-postcard views and into the landscape, where we can understand, appreciate, and enjoy the natural history of the spectacular Santa Catalina Mountains. Its vividly illustrated chapters and nine picture guides (featuring native flora and fauna) paint a rich portrait of this famous range. In clear, everyday language the authors explain just what the Sky Islands are, telling the story of when and how they came to be — their deep geologic and biotic history. They also describe ten stops along the Mt. Lemmon Highway where visitors can easily see and understand the eight major biomes found in this range. Hundreds of photos, a dozen maps and figures, and more than two dozen stand-alone profiles highlight special places, people, or elements of the Catalinas and Sky Island Region. If you've ever thought "What are those rocks and trees?" or wondered about which animals you might see in the distinctive habitats at successive elevations, what that strange many-bladed plant might be, or where the trails lead, this is the book for you. If you're curious about who or what has shaped life on the slopes of the Catalinas, this is the book for you. A Natural History of the Santa Catalinas is a one-stop, in-depth resource, organized to allow inquiry at many levels, written for the student of natural history and the curious amateur alike. The book includes a glossary, suggested readings, and lists of the common and notable plants and animals of the Santa Catalina Mountains.