Rusty’s RV Ranch in NM and The Chiricahua Mts in Arizona…

We left Sierra Vista AZ and drove a mostly two-lane road barely into New Mexico for our next destination, Rusty’s RV Ranch. We’ve stayed there before and knew that the sites are huge and mostly level. Most sites have great views of the magnificent Chiricahua Mountains. Our site also had a view of the pond.

The pond is home to two black swans and two porcupines from South Africa. They are penned in and are fun to watch. The pond and the park have lots of trees and as such this is a pretty good place to birdwatch without leaving the park. Stargazing is great also since it is a dark sky park (meaning no outside lights allowed at night). One can easily see the Milky Way in all its glory. The park is also home to many captive birds from all over the world.

We stopped here to enjoy the nearby Chiricahua Mountains and the extensive birding opportunities offered. We birded each and every day during our stay. We also did a few day hikes and a few scenic drives in the mountains. At the end of each day, we were able to enjoy the large hot tub in the park.

The most well-known birding spot in the Chiricahua's is the South Fork of Cave Creek. We visited this spot several times to try to find the elusive Elegant Trogon which is a unique species of bird found only in this part of Southeastern Arizona.

There is a nice hiking trail that runs along Cave Creek,











and we enjoyed hiking up this heavily forested creek in search of the Trogon. While we enjoyed a great little hike, we were unable to locate the Trogon even though we were able to hear one off in the distance. We did see a lot of interesting birds on the hike and knew we would keep coming back to see if we could see a Trogon during our stay.

Fortunately for us we discovered several people who live in the area who invite birders to sit in their yards to watch birds. These homeowners put out various feeders to attract a wide variety of birds. We were so excited to see many other birds at these places only seen in SE AZ. How cool is that!

Taking advantage of such places, we were able to see to see a The Blue-throated Mountain-gem which is the largest nesting hummingbird in the U.S and it weighs about three times more than a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. You can actually hear these birds flexing their wings anytime you are near one.

Southern Arizona is really a great place to enjoy the great outdoors, whether it be hiking, birding or stargazing. It is certainly off the beaten path as there are no real services nearby but if you love the outdoors this should make its way on your list.

Ramsey Canyon, the San Pedro Riparian NCA and a side trip to Bisbee AZ…

Ramsey Canyon is home to the Ramsey Canyon Preserve which is run by the Nature Conservancy. This beautiful canyon in southeastern Arizona is known as a hotspot for birdwatchers. It also is home to lots of trails that access the National Forest that is adjacent to the preserve.

The canyon is situated in the Huachuca Mountains, which provides a cooler climate than the surrounding desert regions. We not only enjoyed birdwatching in this canyon but we also took on a popular trail called the Hamburg Trail. This trail is a 2.5-mile round trip hike that goes to the top of Hamburg Peak and back.

The trail is rated as moderate to difficult, with steep switchbacks and rocky terrain. And let us tell you this is an accurate description. The trail seemingly goes straight up for an extended period which made us breath heavily all the way to the top.

However, this cardio rich hike ends at the top of the peak. From here we were able to enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. During our hike we were also treated to lots of birds both in the wild and on the various feeders scattered throughout the preserve.

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Another place we visited was the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area. The area contains 57,000 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The conservation area is known for its diverse wildlife and vegetation and as such we enjoyed hiking and birding some of their trails.

We even spotted one elusive creature we would just as soon never see. A large 5-plus foot diamondback rattlesnake was also enjoying the river as we spotted it getting a drink from the rivers edge. This was a big one that had been living in this riparian zone for some time. We gave it plenty of room and as we left we warned several other hikers of its location.

The San Pedro River is the centerpiece of the conservation area and provides a migratory corridor for many bird species. The banks of the river are also home to towering Arizona cypress trees which are nice as they provide shade for us hikers trying to escape the heat. It really is a nice place to hike in a riparian zone and check out the birds there.

Lastly, before leaving this area and moving over to New Mexico we had to pay one last visit to Bisbee, the quaint mining town about an hours drive away from us. We have visited this town before but always love walking around this cool but very hilly tow. With one last cold beer from the brewery we bring our stay in Sierra Vista to a close.