A single lever mower deck height-of-cut control (101) provides a hand control (101) connected to a depth stop cam (105) that is movable to a plurality of cutting height positions. A push button switch (132) on the hand control (101) may be actuated to extend a hydraulic lift mechanism against a lift arm (112, 114) to raise the mower deck. The mower deck descends while the push button switch (132) is not actuated until the lift arm (112, 114) engages the depth stop cam (105) at a specified cutting height position.