You'll find a variety of unusual and interesting things awaiting discovery in the many trails in Arizona - and Mt. Lemmon, elevation 9,159 feet (and also the highest point in the Santa Clara Mountains) is no exception. At the peak of this colossal mountain is the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory, a science learning center with the largest public-use telescope in the Southwest. But this mountain, in particular, holds some other sites that aren't as widely known - or accessible. Come along as we explore the Mt. Lemmon plane crash site of 1957.

Somewhere on the side of this mountain lies the wreckage of a plane crash in Arizona from around 1957.

What's more, there's a trail you can take to see the wreckage from the unfortunate incident.

You're in for a big treat as you the drive up the Catalina Highway (a.k.a. Mount Lemmon Highway).

It is from this vantage point that you will enjoy the picturesque sights along the long and winding road.

Soon after you pass the Bear Wallow Campground, you'll arrive at a right turn onto North Butterfly Road, which is, more or less, a parking lot for the trailhead.

You should see a sign for the Butterfly Trail at the turn onto North Butterfly Road.

Park, and grab plenty of water, before you hit the trail.

It is a moderate length trail at 5.25 miles one-way, and the wreckage is found at approximately the three mile mark.

On the way to the wreckage, you'll be impressed by the views peeking though the treetops.

The views over this expanse of Arizona is just beautiful.

Also, be forewarned... this plane crash hike in Arizona is all UPHILL on the way back, so save some willpower and some water, because you'll need it.

Soon after a fork off the main trail...

...you'll start to see bits and pieces (some small, some large) of the downed plane.

It's been here for 61 years and is in remarkable condition.

This is especially true considering the elements it must endure on Mt. Lemmon throughout the year.

If you want to avoid the worst of the uphill climbing on the way back, you can bring two cars and park one at the other end of the trail.

Check out this an AllTrails map showing the trail and the location of the second trailhead.

The Butterfly Trail Head is located on North Butterfly Road, just off the Catalina Highway (a.k.a. Mount Lemmon Road) 40 miles to the northeast of Tucson. Follow this Google map to the trailhead, and get a detailed hiking map of the Butterfly and Sunset Trail on that you can also download on AllTrails+ for offline use.

Have you done this plane crash hike in Arizona? If so, what was your favorite part? Do you know of other plane wreckage found in the mountains of the Grand Canyon State? We'd love to read about your experiences in the comments section below!

If you’re still in the mood for more Arizona adventures, take a look at this video about the the beautiful town of Sedona: