Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008 - (Page 64)

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE & NATURE Photography clockwise: Bird watchers at Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve by Peter Noebels Bird watchers at Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area by Josh Schachter MORE BIRDING HOT SPOTS Apache Station Wildlife Area Located near Willcox Playa off U.S. Hwy. 191, these wetlands provide a favorite roosting spot for sandhill cranes. C SO. AZ MAP Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 2021 N. Kinney Rd., 30 minutes west of downtown Tucson. Neighboring pristine Saguaro National Park’s west unit, this world-famous living museum features a birder’s haven of aviaries. Call 883-1380. yF WEST OF TUCSON MAP Catalina State Park Six miles north of Ina Rd. on Oracle Rd., 30 minutes from central Tucson. Birding trails in a desert habitat. $6/car. Call 628-5798. y 1$ N-25 Colossal Cave Mountain Park 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail, east Tucson. Check the El Bosquecito picnic area. The park’s La Posta Quemada Ranch is open to the public. Call 647-7275. y 2) SO. AZ MAP Garden Canyon At Fort Huachuca off AZ Hwy. 90. Moderate hiking trails get you up close and personal with a wide array of native and migratory birds. Call 800-288-3861. Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area/Bonita Creek & Gila River Both sites are in Gila Box Riparian Conservation Area, off AZ Hwy. 70, 12 miles northeast of Safford, AZ. Bonita Creek offers a treetop viewing deck. For adventurous birders, the Gila River site is accessible by foot, horseback, or raft. Bureau of Land Management, 928-348-4400. 3% SO. AZ MAP Mt. Lemmon Take Catalina Hwy. northeast from Tanque Verde Rd. One hour from northeast Tucson. Travel from the desert floor to pine-covered mountain peaks and new birding opportunities. $5/vehicle. y 4* SO. AZ MAP Sabino Canyon Recreation Area 5900 N. Sabino Canyon Rd., east Tucson. The stream here, which is one of the few continuous sources of water in the area, attracts all kinds of birds and other wildlife. Call 749-2861. $5/vehicle. y 6$ T-17 San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge Off AZ Hwy. 80, east of Douglas, AZ, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Gray hawks, tanagers, blue grosbeaks, and hummingbirds thrive in this area. Call 520-364-2104. 6& SO. AZ MAP BIRD WATCHING A WINGED PARADISE Located along the migratory path between Canada and Mexico, Southern Arizona is one of the best bird-watching areas in the United States. A wide variety of species can be observed all year long, and hummingbirds are especially plentiful. Several communities host birding festivals during peak migration times (see Events, p. 12). Map codes and coordinates correspond to Tucson City Map unless otherwise noted. RIPARIAN VIEWING LAS CIENEGAS NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA 258-7200, off AZ Hwy. 83, near Sonoita, AZ. Free. Allow 2–4 hours. RAMSEY CANYON PRESERVE 520-378-2785, off AZ Hwy. 92 at Ramsey Canyon Road, near Sierra Vista, AZ. Feb.–Oct. 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Nov.–Jan. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Tuesday & Wednesday. $5/adult, children 16 and under free. Guided tour 9 a.m. Mar.–Oct. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. This conservation area includes 120 square miles of grassland and riparian woodland, featuring several marshes (cienegas) that are good for bird watching. It is also the site of an historic cattle ranch now maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. 4$ SO. AZ MAP PATAGONIA-SONOITA CREEK PRESERVE 520-394-2400, off AZ Hwy. 82, east through Patagonia, AZ. $5, Nature Conservancy members $3, under 16 free. Oct.–Mar. 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; Apr.–Sept. 6:30 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Monday & Tuesday. Guided tours Sat. 9 a.m. Allow 2–4 hours. Owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, this 300-acre site is renowned for scenic beauty and excellent birding opportunities, particularly for hummingbirds. Also on-site are visitor and education centers and a bookstore. 6) SO. AZ MAP SAN PEDRO RIPARIAN NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA 520-438-6400, off AZ Hwy. 90, near Sierra Vista, AZ. Free. $2/person nightly for camping. Visitor center, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Allow 2–4 hours. Stately groves of cottonwoods and dense willows stand along Sonoita Creek. Owned by The Nature Conservancy, this preserve supports more than 275 bird species. One of the best spots in the country to see the rare gray hawk. 5^ SO. AZ MAP 64 TUCSON OFFICIAL DESTINATION GUIDE Stretching from the Mexican border north for 36 miles, this strip of land along the San Pedro River is one the largest and most varied areas open to birders. In late summer, many migrating birds add to the mix of local nesters. 6* SO. AZ MAP More Southern Arizona excursions can be found online at www.visitTucson.org/daytrips. WWW.VISITTUCSON.ORG http://www.visitTucson.org/daytrips http://www.visittucson.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008

Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008 Contents Welcome to Tucson Maps & Transportation Accommodations Culinary Heritage & Culture Outdoor Adventure & Nature Golf Attractions & the Arts Shopping Newcomers & Services Index

Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008

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