Tucson AZ, a hiking and birding paradise…

After our short stay in Benson AZ we headed west to Tucson AZ, a town we have always enjoyed. Once again we opted to stay at Rincon Country West RV Resort. Why? Well it is a Passport America park and even at $37.00 per night it is the least expensive option in Tucson.

Tucson has quite a bit of traffic congestion so staying closer to town was important so as to spend less time in the car and more doing ”things.” The weather during our stay was perfect with highs in the 70’s nearly everyday.

Tucson has several breweries that we love and is close to many hiking and birding opportunities. Our favorite spot to bird near Tucson is at the Sweetwater Wetlands Preserve. Sweetwater Wetlands Park is a popular destination for birdwatching and nature enthusiasts.

The park features a series of constructed wetlands designed to treat reclaimed water while providing habitat for a diverse range of wildlife, including numerous bird species. Habitats include ponds, marshes, and riparian areas. We visited this park many times during our stay.

This park along with Christopher Columbus Park are great for an urban hike around water. Ducks and birds associated with wetlands are abundant at these parks during the winter migration period. We were able to see many species including a close encounter with a Cooper’s hawk that landed in a tree right beside us.

There are also great places outside of town we visited as well. Saguaro National Park is a favorite. The park was originally designated as Saguaro National Monument in 1933 and later redesignated as a national park in 1994 to better protect its resources. The area called the Rincon Mountain District (east) has a great loop drive with access to many trailheads.

A new hike we found near Madera Canyon called the Florida Canyon Trail. Florida Canyon is a picturesque area located in the Santa Rita Mountains in southern Arizona, near the town of Green Valley, AZ. Florida Canyon is a moderate to challenging hike providing opportunities for birdwatching and enjoying the flora. The hike is steady and steep with lots of loose rock. It was one we would normally not do except the mountain views were exceptional.

We loved our stay in Tucson so much we stayed 5 days at one park (the limit for half priced camping) and 4 more days at another Passport America park Rincon Country East RV Resort. We were able to do more hikes and more birding while the weather was good.