Page 92 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

90  ARIZ ONA TUCSON  91

Exploring Around Tucson West theme park was built as a Birdwatching in the Canyons of
set for a Western movie, Arizona,
Beyond the city center, metropolitan Tucson extends north to in 1939. Since then, Old Tucson Southern Arizona
the Santa Catalina Mountains, the foothills of which are the Studios has formed the backdrop The landscape of southern Arizona may
start of a scenic drive to the top of Mount Lemmon. To the for some of Hollywood’s most seem dry at first glance, but this high desert
west are the Tucson Mountains, which frame the western famous Westerns, such as environment gets about 11 in (280 mm) of
rain annually. This enables a surprising range
Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957)
portion of Saguaro National Park, the other half of which lies starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk of vegetation to flourish, from cacti to brightly
east of the city. To the south lies the beautiful mission church of Douglas, and Rio Bravo (1958) colored wildflowers in spring. In turn, this attracts
San Xavier del Bac (see pp92–3), which stands out from the flat, starring John Wayne. The popular an amazing variety of birds, and the area is one of
desert landscape of the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation. 1970s and 1980s TV series Little the top five birdwatching locations in the US.
House on the Prairie was also The verdant canyons between Tucson and the Broad-billed
filmed here. ¡Three Amigos! Mexican border offer the best birdwatching. Just hummingbird
Sights at a Glance Key (1986) and Tombstone (1993) off I-19, near Green Valley, Madera Canyon plays
host to some 400 bird species. As well as more
1 Saguaro National Park Downtown Tucson were also partly shot here. common varieties of hummingbirds, flycatchers, and warblers,
(East and West) Greater Tucson Vistas of tall saguaro cacti in Saguaro Main Street’s 1860s frontier many rare species such as the brown-crested flycatcher and
2 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Interstate National Park atmosphere provides an authentic the black-and-white warbler are often sighted here. Further
setting for perfor mers in period
3 Old Tucson Studios Major highway than 100 miles (160 km) of costume, who entertain visitors afield, Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains is the
4 San Xavier del Bac Mission Highway hiking trails here. Both sections with stunt shows, gunfights, country’s hummingbird capital with 14 varieties of these tiny
delicate creatures.
See pp92–3 of the park offer ranger-guided and stagecoach rides. Visitors
5 Pima Air and Space Museum Railroad walks during the winter season. can also try panning for gold.
6 Mount Lemmon and supersonic bombers. The E Biosphere 2
E Arizona-Sonora museum also runs the Titan 32540 S. Biosphere Road, Oracle, AZ
Desert Museum Missile Museum (open daily 85623. Tel (520) 838-6200. Open 9am–
Biosphere 2 2021 N. Kinney Rd. Tel (520) 883-2702. except Thanksgiving and Dec 4pm daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Dec
Phoenix Center Coronado 25. & 7 8 ∑ biosphere2.org
National Open Mar–Sep: 7:30am–5pm daily 25) located 20 minutes south of
Forest (Jun–Aug: to 10pm Sat); Oct–Feb: the city at Sahuarita. Biosphere 2 is a unique research
77
8:30am–5pm daily. & 7 facility that was set up in 1991.
Marana ∑ desertmuseum.org } Mount Lemmon Eight people were sealed within a
Oro Valley This natural history park covers Gunfight staged outside the mission at Old n (520) 749-8700. futuristic structure of glass and
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over 21 acres (8.5 ha) of desert, Tucson Studios Mount Lemmon is the highest white steel furnished with five of
Santa Cruz
Pusch Ridge and includes a botanical garden, peak in the Santa Catalina the Earth’s habitats: rainforest,
Wilderness
Cortaro zoo, and natural history museum. R San Xavier del Bac Mission Mountains, standing at 9,157 ft desert, savanna, marsh, and an
77 Sabino Canyon At the museum, displays show See pp92–3. (2,790 m). During the hot ocean with a living coral reef.
the history, geology, and flora
Over a period of two years the
summers the cooler air of the
Tucson and fauna of the Sonoran E Pima Air and Space mountains’ higher elevations effect of the people on the
Desert region. Outside, a 2-mile Museum attracts many visitors. A one- environment as well as the effect
Tanque Verde (3-km) walkway passes more 6000 E. Valencia Rd. Tel (520) 574-0462. hour scenic drive, beginning in on them of isolation in this “world,”
than 1,200 vari eties of plants, Open 9am–5pm daily (last adm 3pm). the Tucson city limits and con- were studied, with varying results.
South the setting for hummingbirds, Closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25. & 7 necting to the Mount Lemmon Today, Biosphere 2 is part of the
Tucson wildcats, and Mexican wolves. 8 call for times. ∑ pimaair.org Highway, takes you to the University of Arizona, and is a
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Some 9 miles (14.5 km) south- summit. There are 150 miles (240 research center with seven model
San Xavier 0 km 7 east of downtown Tucson, the km) of hiking trails here, while ecosystems which are used for
Indian 10 Pima Air and Space Museum a side road leads to the resort research by scientists. Projects
Reservation 19 19 0 miles 7 contains one of the largest village of Summerhaven, with include growing food on Mars,
Nogales Tombstone, Bisbee collections of aircraft in the shops and restaurants. At the consequences of rising carbon
world. Visitors are met with the top, the Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley dioxide levels in the oceans, and
Y Saguaro National Park Set up in 1994, the park comprises astonishing sight of more than lift operates for a small fee most impacts of El Nino on tropical rain
3693 S. Old Spanish Trail. Tel (520) 733- two tracts of land on the eastern 300 vintage aircraft set out in of the year (tel: (520) 576-1321). forests. Tours available daily.
5153. Open sunrise–sunset; visitor and western flanks of Tucson, ranks across the desert.
center: 9am– 5pm daily. Closed Dec which together cover more than One of many flowering cacti from the The VC-118 “Air Force 1” used
25. & (Loop Drive only). 7 142 sq miles (368 sq km). In the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum by presidents Kennedy and
∑ nps.gov/sagu western section, the 9-mile Johnson are displayed here as
Perhaps the most famous symbol (14.5-km) Bajada Loop Drive runs P Old Tucson Studios well as a replica of the Wright
of the American Southwest, the deep into the park on a dirt 201 S. Kinney Rd. Tel (520) 883-0100. brothers’ famous 1903 aircraft,
saguaro (pronounced sa-wah-ro) road, past hiking trails and picnic Open Jan: 10am–5pm daily: Feb–Apr: and bombers from World War II.
cactus is unique to the Sonoran areas. One of these trails leads to 10am–6pm daily; May, Nov, & Dec: Exhibits in five aircraft hangars
desert. The largest species of ancient Hohokam petroglyphs 10am–5pm Fri–Sun; Jun–Aug & Jul show military and aviation
cactus in the US, the saguaro has carved into the volcanic rock. 1–4: 10am–5pm Sat & Sun. Closed memorabilia, including a replica
a life span of up to 200 years. The eastern park has the oldest Sep–Oct, Thanksgiving, Dec 24 & 25. World War II barracks. The
Those that survive into old age saguaros, which can be seen & 7 ∑ oldtucson.com adjacent Davis-Monthan Air
may grow up to 50 ft (15 m) tall along the 8-mile (13-km) Cactus Modeled on an old Western Force Base displays more than
and weigh over 8 tons (7.3 kg). Forest Drive. There are also more town of the 1860s, this Wild 2,000 planes, including B-29s Space-age buildings of the Biosphere 2 Center, north of Tucson
For keys to symbols see back flap For hotels and restaurants see pp237–8 and pp249–51
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Date 12th July 2013
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