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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

SE Arizona Trip plans (1 Viewer)

HantaYo

Well-known member
Working on trip plans to SE Arizona July 26-August 10. Lodging reservation have been made. Books of reference are the 2005 ABA guide and Finding Birds in SE Arizona. I am looking for suggestions or thoughts on the itinerary.

July 26, afternoon birding at Bosque del Apache NWR. Night in Truth of Consequences New Mexico.

July 27, Kartchner Caverns State Park (tour and birding) around noon, Paton's Yard and Patagonia Creek Preserve in evening. Night in Patagonia.

July 28, Patagonia Creek Preserve, Paton's Yard, Patagonia Rest Area, Patagonia Lake; afternoon, Sonoita Creek State Natural Area (if permit available), OR Calabasas Park OR Juan Bautista. Night at Madera Kubo B&B

July 29, Madera Canyon (hiking and birding). Night at Kubo B&B

July 30, Madera Canyon (hiking and birding). Night at Kubo B&B

July 31, Buenos Aires area: Pena Blanca Lake, California Gulch (would a Subaru Outback AWD have high enough clearance?), Avivaca Cienega, Arivaca Cree. Night at Kubo B&B.

August 1, Mount Lemmon all day. Night in Tucson.

August 2, Sabino Canyon morning, afternoon: Ague Calinte Park, Saguaro NP Ricon Unit; OR Colossal Cave (tour and birding) or Cienega Creek Nature Preserve. Night in Tucson.

August 3, Catalina State Parking morning, afternoon Peppersauce & Nugget Canyon. Night in Tucson.

August 4, Saguaro NP West Unit and Arizona Desert Museum in morning; afternoon Pima Canyon OR Lower San Pedro River valley. Evening at Beatty's Guest Ranch Huachuca Mtns.

August 5, Garden Canyon morning, afternoon Carr Canyon. Evening at Beatty's Guest Ranch.

August 6, Ramsey Canyon Preserve morning, afternoon Ash Canyon B&B and Coronado National Memorial. Night at Beatty's Guest Ranch.

August 7, morning at San Pedro House, Escapule Wash, Charleston Bridge and Fair Banks. Afternoon Rucker Canyon, Sulphur Draw, Big Thicket and Portal. Night at George Walker House, Paradise.

August 8, Silver Peak Loop starting at Paradise all day. Night at George Walker House.

August 9, Mountain Highway Transect all day. Night at George Walker House.

Head back to Colorado.

Thanks,
Jeff
 
Your Tucson itinerary looks complete enough. (I live in SE Tucson).

If you have any interest in astronomy and have the time for another day trip, I suggest a trip SW from Tucson out to Kitt Peak. It's about an hour's drive from SW Tucson to the base of Kitt Peak. Then there is the really beautiful drive up the mountain. There are periodic guided tours.

http://www.noao.edu/kpno/
http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpoutreach.html

Live cam shots from the top of Kitt Peak:

http://www.noao.edu/kpno/kpcam/
 
July 31, Buenos Aires area: Pena Blanca Lake, California Gulch (would a Subaru Outback AWD have high enough clearance?), Avivaca Cienega, Arivaca Cree. Night at Kubo B&B.

Clearance will really depend on whether we have a good monsoon season. Some years there is no to get into the Gulch as the water is way to high, other years it is pretty easy.

Your Sierra Vista area looks good, if a little crowded. I have trouble leaving a lot of your areas after an hour or two - and I live here! :-O
 
If you have any interest in astronomy and have the time for another day trip, I suggest a trip SW from Tucson out to Kitt Peak.

Kitt Peak was on my radar. I really wanted to go to Organ Pipe Cactus NM but it was just too far. I would of stopped at Kitt Peak on the way back. What do you think of Kitt Peak instead of Pima Canon, Lower Pedro River Valley? Looks out of the way to Beatty's Guest Ranch. Guess it depends how much time we spend at the Desert museum.

Clearance will really depend on whether we have a good monsoon season. Some years there is no to get into the Gulch as the water is way to high, other years it is pretty easy.

Your Sierra Vista area looks good, if a little crowded

There was some indications the road was not too rough (true 4x4). I'll get the weather in mind with California Gulch. Anything you think I should drop around Sierra Vista?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
Kitt Peak was on my radar. I really wanted to go to Organ Pipe Cactus NM but it was just too far. I would of stopped at Kitt Peak on the way back. What do you think of Kitt Peak instead of Pima Canon, Lower Pedro River Valley? Looks out of the way to Beatty's Guest Ranch. Guess it depends how much time we spend at the Desert museum.

Thanks,
Jeff
In my opinion, the Desert Museum is a half-day excursion. I assume they still have the small but beautiful hummingbird aviary.

Kitt Peak is marvelous if you get to the top in the late afternoon, spend some time at the top, then come down the mountain at dusk. They also have a night telescope viewing but you have to make reservations (it's described in one of those links I gave you). The mountain closes at dusk (lower valley gate).

Haven't yet been to Pima Canyon or the Lower Pedro River so I can't compare. Sorry.
 
Your itinerary looks great.

The road into California Gulch has been in excellent shape for several years and you can make it in any vehicle. Flooding can be a problem during the monsoon, but it doesn't really matter what vehicle you take in, it's more important to know that you should never attempt to cross rushing flood water, and if it starts to rain while you're there, you should leave right away.

Have a great time... see you around!
 
Kitt Peak is marvelous if you get to the top in the late afternoon,

Maybe I can squeeze in Kitt Peak. Or if the heat gets too great modify some of the other Tucson trips.

The road into California Gulch has been in excellent shape for several years and you can make it in any vehicle
Great news! I need to check if where we are staying has internet for current weather tracking. Hopefully Arizona gets (as well as Colorado) a very wet monsoon.

Thanks,
Jeff
 
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Enjoy yourself and post here afterwards! You'll probably see more things in southern AZ than I have in my 17 years here. :t:

Oh well, you know what they say: "New Yorkers don't go to the Statue of Liberty -- only tourists do."

I need to go see a few things before it's too late . . . . .
 
Or if the heat gets too great modify some of the other Tucson trips.
In Tucson (the Sonoran Desert) our highest temps are usually towards the end of June, just prior to the arrival of the summer rains, but the humidity is very low so it doesn't feel too bad. The nights cool off nicely. But after about the first week of July, the summer rainy season starts (monsoon) and the temps lower a bit but the humidity climbs so overall it is much more uncomfortable. But, the summer storms are marvelous, with beautiful lightning. (Tucson is the third best place in the world to view lightning, after some place in Florida and another in Australia.) For the end of July in Tucson you can plan on temps around 100 (give or take 5 degrees). The top of Kitt Peak and Mt. Lemmon will be 20-30 degrees cooler.
 
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Anything you think I should drop around Sierra Vista?

I hope you can get to it all, if I dropped anything it would be Carr Canyon and Coronado National Forest.
 
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hope you can get to it all, if I dropped anything it would be Carr Canyon and Coronado National Forest.

The ABA guide says "beautiful stretch of Forest"- hopefully the stretch did not burn in 2011- which perked my interest in Carr Canyon. Coronado National Memorial was a "if we have time". Likely we will just head back to Beatty's for birding around the ranch. I positioned the "must do birding" areas in the morning to make sure we could explore them in full. Or areas where you want to arrive early due to the crowds. Garden canyon might be a full day in itself - I sure hope the Owls cooperate. The did not oblige in the Pacific Northwest.

Whitewater Draw is great if you want to see thousands of Sandhill Cranes.

Hey those guys flew by my house back in March going NORTH :-O
 
The good thing about Carr Canyon is that you can drive to a high elevation and see species such as Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Greater Pewee, Red-faced Warbler, Olive Warbler, etc, close to the vehicle without a huge hike uphill. It's also good for night birding for the same reason.
 
Looks like a full schedule. I'm jealous. I would also rec following the rare bird report, we just had a Crescent-Chested Warbler last week...you never know.
 
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Join Date: Mar 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Fray View Post
Indeed... I just did it in my Saturn SL2 (less clearance than a Subaru) with no problems.
Thanks for the update. Will see what it is like during the monsoons. Thanks,
Jeff
 
Trip was a success. Laurens Halsey of Desert Harrier Birding was our guide for 5 days out of 16 days. Many thanks to Laurens expertise. Saw 178 species of which 27 were lifers. The Spotted Owls in Miller Canyon remained hidden from us but we will be back!
 
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