On Wednesday, we drove northwest to Hassayampa River Preserve, just outside of Wickenburg. It is owned and operated by the Arizona chapter of the Nature Conservancy - it is one of six they have in Arizona. "Hassa" means upside down and "yampa" means river. This river has a large watershed draining the mountains south of Prescott - but most of it runs underground, some 90+ miles, with only about six miles above ground here. This creates a beautiful oasis of green in the middle of the desert.
We began at the Visitor Center which had a bunch of hummingbirds buzzing about the garden and feeders.
There were some amazingly huge palm trees - unlike in urban Phoenix, the dead leaves from prior years are not trimmed off so they make a cover of leaves making the base of the tree look like it is seven or eight feet in diameter.
They had benches throughout the preserve so that you can sit quietly and view what is happening around you in this beautiful riparian area.
Except for the climb up to Lyte's Lookout, the trails are all easy to explore, mostly flat and rarely narrow.
There is a lake in the middle of the preserve, and a lot of good information about the importance of protecting this area from what can happen if too much water is sent out of the watershed to provide for people who choose to live in the desert in Phoenix-Tucson metro area.
We also learned about barbed wire and how to use it in a way that protects wildlife yet keeps cattle and other livestock where the rancher wants them.
We came across several varieties of lizards.
These trails were all among the trees except for the one that climbs up to Lyte's Lookout.
The trail rises quickly and you can easily see the difference between desert and the green riparian area here on the Hassayampa River.
Once at the lookout, they have large panoramic signs identifying the mountains you can see in the distance.
It is amazing how this small amount of water in this small river (really only a large stream) can create such a lush green environment.
We stopped back at the Visitors Center and confirmed that one of the animals we had seen was a gray fox. We also learned more about the other preserves in Arizona and plan to visit them in the future.
We began at the Visitor Center which had a bunch of hummingbirds buzzing about the garden and feeders.
We spent about 30 minutes learning about the 280 species of birds in the park, as well as other fauna and flora. We also learned more about the Nature Conservancy and their mission.
There were some amazingly huge palm trees - unlike in urban Phoenix, the dead leaves from prior years are not trimmed off so they make a cover of leaves making the base of the tree look like it is seven or eight feet in diameter.
They had benches throughout the preserve so that you can sit quietly and view what is happening around you in this beautiful riparian area.
Except for the climb up to Lyte's Lookout, the trails are all easy to explore, mostly flat and rarely narrow.
There is a lake in the middle of the preserve, and a lot of good information about the importance of protecting this area from what can happen if too much water is sent out of the watershed to provide for people who choose to live in the desert in Phoenix-Tucson metro area.
We also learned about barbed wire and how to use it in a way that protects wildlife yet keeps cattle and other livestock where the rancher wants them.
We came across several varieties of lizards.
These trails were all among the trees except for the one that climbs up to Lyte's Lookout.
The trail rises quickly and you can easily see the difference between desert and the green riparian area here on the Hassayampa River.
Once at the lookout, they have large panoramic signs identifying the mountains you can see in the distance.
It is amazing how this small amount of water in this small river (really only a large stream) can create such a lush green environment.
We stopped back at the Visitors Center and confirmed that one of the animals we had seen was a gray fox. We also learned more about the other preserves in Arizona and plan to visit them in the future.
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