Chiricahua National Monument
Travel Blog 375: Cranes and Coatimundi
Whitewater Draw State Wildlife Area
Twice during our stay at Naco, we got up early and drove the 30 minutes to Whitewater Draw State Wildlife Area where the largest population of sandhill cranes (15 to 20 thousand) in Arizona winters from roughly early December till mid-March. It was like a small version of Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. Great to see the cranes, plus there were plenty of ducks, other waterfowl, and more, including a good-looking vermillion flycatcher. During our windy, chilling second trip, I followed around a female northern harrier who was hunting sparrows without a lot of success.
Tombstone
Yes, the famous town of Tombstone is about as touristy as it gets, but still worthy of a visit. A few downtown blocks are roped off to allow ample foot traffic and give space for a series of gunfights that go live every hour.
Big Day Trip
Our first stop was the Chiricahua Desert Museum, an impressive place that had at least a dozen live venomous snakes on display. From there we checked out Rusty’s RV Ranch to scope out staying there in the future—great place if you like being remote! Next, was the tiny town of Portal which is the gateway to one of the most famous birding spots in North America.
We had an enjoyable drive through the Coronado National Forest, meandering through Cave Creek Canyon taking a nice hike to Cathedral Vista. Our journey eventually led to the Chiricahua National Monument, where we were fortunate to see and photograph several coatimundi and spot Arizona white-tailed deer and Mexican jays. We ended our visit to the Monument with the eight-mile Bonita Canyon Drive weaving through spectacular rock formations.
San Bernardino NWR
Another morning we took a dirt road to the quite-isolated San Bernardino NWR. No visitor center, no drives, just a locked gate and miles of desert vistas
Tucson
Knowing we needed some coach work done, I had selected an RV park in Tucson, fairly near to the RV dealership. During our stay we had the chance to visit both sides of the Saguaro National Park and take a few hikes. Worth the effort. Here are some shots of a curve-billed thrasher and a gilded flicker.
All fun on this end!
Twice during our stay at Naco, we got up early and drove the 30 minutes to Whitewater Draw State Wildlife Area where the largest population of sandhill cranes (15 to 20 thousand) in Arizona winters from roughly early December till mid-March. It was like a small version of Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. Great to see the cranes, plus there were plenty of ducks, other waterfowl, and more, including a good-looking vermillion flycatcher. During our windy, chilling second trip, I followed around a female northern harrier who was hunting sparrows without a lot of success.
Tombstone
Yes, the famous town of Tombstone is about as touristy as it gets, but still worthy of a visit. A few downtown blocks are roped off to allow ample foot traffic and give space for a series of gunfights that go live every hour.
Big Day Trip
Our first stop was the Chiricahua Desert Museum, an impressive place that had at least a dozen live venomous snakes on display. From there we checked out Rusty’s RV Ranch to scope out staying there in the future—great place if you like being remote! Next, was the tiny town of Portal which is the gateway to one of the most famous birding spots in North America.
We had an enjoyable drive through the Coronado National Forest, meandering through Cave Creek Canyon taking a nice hike to Cathedral Vista. Our journey eventually led to the Chiricahua National Monument, where we were fortunate to see and photograph several coatimundi and spot Arizona white-tailed deer and Mexican jays. We ended our visit to the Monument with the eight-mile Bonita Canyon Drive weaving through spectacular rock formations.
San Bernardino NWR
Another morning we took a dirt road to the quite-isolated San Bernardino NWR. No visitor center, no drives, just a locked gate and miles of desert vistas
Tucson
Knowing we needed some coach work done, I had selected an RV park in Tucson, fairly near to the RV dealership. During our stay we had the chance to visit both sides of the Saguaro National Park and take a few hikes. Worth the effort. Here are some shots of a curve-billed thrasher and a gilded flicker.
All fun on this end!