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Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Birding Around Las Vegas, Favorite Places Far Away
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Lower elevation grasslands below Madera Canyon (view SE)

Overview

The Santa Rita Mountains are an islands-in-the-sky mountain range in south-central Arizona that rise steeply from the desert to high peaks covered with dense forests. The change in elevation provides a variety of habitats, each with a different assemblage of birds. The high-elevation forests of Madera Canyon harbor species such as Elegant Trogons, Mexican Jays, Hepatic Tanagers, and other species typical of the mountains in Mexico. More than 240 species of birds have been seen here.

Link to Area Map or Madera Canyon Map.

Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Bog Springs Campground with Wild Turkeys

Description

The Santa Rita Mountains rise steeply from the sparsely vegetated surrounding desert to high peaks covered in dense forests of pine. Madera Canyon, located on the northwest side of the Santa Ritas, is a deep canyon heavily wooded with several species of oaks and alligator-junipers with and a grassy understory including yuccas and cactus. The bottom of the canyon has Arizona sycamore and cottonwood trees.

The best birding for Mexican species starts at elevations of about 5,000 feet, but the desert floor and the foothills provide interesting birding that should not be overlooked. We once saw a flock of about 25 Tropical Kingbirds on the power lines in downtown Continental. The winding road is narrow, so be sure to stop in safe places along Madera Canyon Road when birding the foothills.

Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Lodge (newer section)

Convenient places to bird in lower Madera Canyon include Bog Springs Campground, the three picnic areas (Whitehouse, Madera, and Madera Trailhead), and the Madera Canyon Nature Trail that runs along the stream in the bottom of the canyon. In addition, the front of the Santa Rita Lodge (located in the same area) are open to the public, as is Madera Kubo Lodge. These places put out seed and hummingbird feeders that attract many birds and squirrels.

For higher-elevation birds, drive (or hike) to the Mt. Wrightson Picnic Area and Trailhead (formerly Roundup Picnic Area) at the end of the road. Bird the picnic area and hike the trails to bird even higher elevations.

Madera Canyon is crowded on weekends from March through November, and it is said to be extremely crowded on the Easter and Mothers' Day weekends.

For most species, spring the best time to visit (April and May), but June and September are best for hummingbirds. Many species stay all year.

Madera Canyon
Shaded viewing area at Santa Rita Lodge bird feeders

Location

Madera Canyon is located in the Santa Rita Mountains between Tucson and Nogales, east of Interstate 19. From Interstate 19 near Green Valley, turn off the interstate at the Continental Road/Madera Canyon exit (Exit 63). Turn east to Continental and follow Madera Canyon Road for about 12 miles to the Madera Canyon Recreation Area. There is a fee station at the entrance to the recreation area, and the road ends a couple of miles higher in the canyon.

Hours

Always open (but it appears that they now have crowding restrictions).

Madera Canyon
Outdoor bench and bird feeders at Santa Rita Lodge

Fees

Day use is $8 per vehicle per day, $10 for a week, or $20 for an annual pass. Camping in Bog Springs is $20 extra.

Specialties

Elegant Trogons, Mexican Jays, Hepatic Tanagers, Yellow-eyed Junco, Varied Bunting, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Bridled Titmouse, Painted Redstart, and Arizona Woodpecker, and other species typical of Mexico. More than 240 species of birds (including more than 10 species of hummingbirds) have been seen here.

Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Santa Rita Creek

For More Information

Madera Canyon is on National Forest land, and the Coronado National Forest (520.281.2296) has information on the recreation area.

The Santa Rita Lodge (520.625.8746) has a nice website with photos of the birds and the area.

The Madera Kubo Lodge (520.625.2908) has a gift shop and rustic cabins in addition to bird feeders and a rushing brook. Prices are reasonable, but not inexpensive.

The Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory (SABO) has a nice Guide to Birding Hotspots.

Lower elevation grasslands along Madera Canyon Road. Don't overlook birding at lower elevations on your way to Madera Canyon.

Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Grassland habitat with agave on hillsides below Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Lower elevation grasslands below Madera Canyon (view SE)

Santa Rita Creek. Several parking areas provide access to trails and lots of birds along the creek.

Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Paved trail through oak woods below Santa Rita lodge
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Paved trail through woods below Santa Rita lodge
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Mixed oak woods below Santa Rita lodge
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Mixed oak woods below Santa Rita lodge
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Rocky canyon bottom in mixed woods
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Ponderosa Pine and Arizona Sycamore beyond the end of the road
Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Creek
Madera Canyon
Pine-Oak Woodlands

Bog Springs Campground a small campground with 12 sites that offer the sights and sounds of wild birds all day and all night.

Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campground Road
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campground entrance
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campground information board
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campground
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campground
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campground toilet and trailhead parking area
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campsite
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Campsite
Madera Canyon
Bog Spring Campground; Oak-grassland woodlands
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Grassy oak-woods habitat
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Oak trees with open understory
Madera Canyon
Coues White-tailed Deer
Madera Canyon
Bog Springs Trailhead sign
Madera Canyon
Birder on Bog Springs Trail
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Dutch John Trail: mixed pine-oak woods
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Dutch John Spring: a bit of water on the side of the mountain

Santa Rita Lodge has a large, public viewing area and lots of bird feeders, and a gift shop with hot and cold coffee.

Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Lodge sign along Madera Canyon Road
Madera Canyon
Original lodge building (view from Madera Canyon Road)
Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon Road at the Santa Rita Lodge bird feeders
Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Lodge bird feeder parking
Madera Canyon
Shaded bird viewing area and gift shop
Madera Canyon
Cafe Corner inside the gift shop
Madera Canyon
Birder in the shaded bird viewing area
Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Lodge bird feeders
Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Lodge bird feeders
Madera Canyon
Santa Rita Lodge bird feeders
Madera Canyon
Arizona Woodpecker at peanut butter feeder
Madera Canyon
Black-headed Grosbeak at seed feeder
Madera Canyon
Coatimundi looking for leftovers under seed feeders
Madera Canyon
Lady Broad-billed Hummingbird at nectar feeder
Madera Canyon
Arizona Gray Squirrel at the water features
Madera Canyon
Yellow-eyed Junco in a brushpile
Madera Canyon
Mexican Jay on a seed feeder
Madera Canyon
Bridled Titmouse at seed feeder
Madera Canyon
House Finches and Lesser Goldfinches at the thistle-seed feeder
Madera Canyon
Wild Turkeys under the seed feeders

Madera Kubo Lodge has a small, public viewing area and lots of bird feeders.

Madera Canyon
Madera Kubo Lodge sign
Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon Road approaching Madera Kubo Lodge
Madera Canyon
Madera Kubo Lodge parking
Madera CanyonMadera Kubo Lodge sign
Madera Canyon
Madera Kubo Lodge
Madera Canyon
Madera Kubo Lodge
Madera Canyon
Public viewing area at Madera Kubo Lodge
Madera Canyon
Seed and nectar feeders at Madera Kubo Lodge
Madera Canyon
White-throated Sparrow
Madera Canyon
Yellow-eyed Junco
Madera Canyon
Female Berylline Hummingbird
Madera Canyon
Male Rivoli's Hummingbird

Mt. Wrightson Trailhead. Parking, toilets, and miles of higher-elevation trails.

Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon Road approaching Mt. Wrightson Trailhead
Madera Canyon
Mt. Wrightson Trailhead sign
Madera Canyon
Madera Canyon Road forks -- stay right
Madera Canyon
Entering Mt. Wrightson Trailhead parking area
Madera Canyon
Mt. Wrightson Trailhead parking area
Madera Canyon
Mt. Wrightson Trailhead toilets
Madera Canyon
Mt. Wrightson Trailhead picnic area, on the right
Madera Canyon
High point on the road
Madera Canyon
View into the valley from the high point
Madera Canyon, Santa Rita Mountains, Arizona
Birder on one of the trails above Mt. Wrightson Trailhead

Happy birding! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240515

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