Sycamore Reservoir is a small lake up in Bear Canyon on Mount Lemmon that was originally a water source for an abandoned prison camp. Nowadays, the lake is great for recreation, complete with a sandy shore, a dam, and beautiful trees along the banks. When full, the dam provides a beautiful little waterfall, fed from both Bear and Sabino Canyons. The foilage from the trees are especially striking during the autumn months, although this trail could be hiked any time in the fall, winter, or spring.

The reservoir can be accessed by a lightly trafficked hike through the surrounding Arizona desert. The trail starts off of the old prison camp, which is itself just a short drive from the Catalina Highway. It will lead you down the Arizona Trail from the south end of the parking lot. After two miles, the Molino Basin trail transitions to the Sycamore Reservoir trail at Shreve Saddle (marked with a sign). Along the Sycamore Reservoir trail, a side path to the left will lead you to the dam and reservoir. The main trail will continue until a junction that splits into the East Fork Trail and the Palisades trail.

Make sure to bring plenty of outside water on the hike, as water from the dam is not potable, and requires purification. There are bathrooms at the parking lot, but they may be closed seasonally. There is no running water at the lot.