Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
Address:
150 Blue Haven Road
Patagonia, Arizona 85624
Phone:
(520) 394-2400
NileGuide Expert tip:
Best time for birding is March through September. Guided walks available every Saturday morning at 9am starting at the visitor's center.
Description:
The Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve protects one of the most fragile and unique habitats in Arizona. The preserve takes you into a rare forest of Fremont Cottonwoods and Goodding Willow trees, where you'll pass some of the oldest (around 130 years) and tallest (growing more than 100 feet tall) cottonwood trees in the country. This is one of the last places in Arizona where you can see this once-common forest habitat. The preserve is also home to rare wetlands where you may spot such rare plant species as the Santa Cruz striped agave and beehive cactus. This rare riparian (streamside) habitat is also a birder's paradise, playing host to more than 300 species of birds who nest, live, or migrate through the area. At the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve you can relax under a hundred year-old cottonwood tree, hike the walking trails, and learn about the natural history of this stunning area at the Visitor's Center. A must see-and-do while in Patagonia.
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