Overview

The islands-in-the-sky of southeastern Arizona are the only place in the U.S. to find a bit of high-elevation Mexican pine-oak forest. As such, these mountains mark the northern limits of the breeding range for many species of Mexican birds. From the tropical hummingbirds and Elf Owls in the town of Portal; to the Elegant Trogons, Sulphur-bellied flycatchers, and Coatimundi in Upper Cave Creek; to the Mexican Chickadee, Yellow-eyed Juncos, and Red-faced Warblers in Rustlers Park, there is nowhere else like this in the United States.

Link to Overview Map, Portal Area Map, South Fork Map, or Rustler Park Map.

Description

The Chiricahuas are a rugged mountain range with a wide range of elevations and habitat types. Desert grasslands and desert (thorn) scrub are found at lower elevations (up to about 5,000 feet). Mexican pine-oak forests, with several species of evergreen oaks, several species of pine, and Arizona sycamore are found at middle elevations. Typical trees of the wooded canyons include Arizona Sycamore, Arizona Cypress, Apache Pine, Bigtooth Maple, Madrone, and Arizona Walnut. Alpine forests, with several species of pine (including tall ponderosa pine), alpine fir, and spruce trees are found at the highest elevations (to nearly 10,000 feet).

When I think of birding the Chiricahuas, I think of three areas: Portal, Cave Creek and South Fork, and Rustler Park.

Portal. Portal is the town at the base of the mountains on the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains. The people who live there have a good thing going, and some of them even share it with the rest of us. The backyard bird-feeding station at the Spofford House, located on the west end of town, used to be open to the public. This was the place to see tropical hummingbirds, orioles, tanagers, and sparrows, but since Sally Spofford's passing, the yards has been closed to the public. While this great resource is gone, don't hesitate to bird around town.

Cave Creek and South Fork. Cave Creek and the South Fork of Cave Creek are magical places in a madrean pine-oak forest. In the old days, the picnic area at the end of the South Fork Road was a campground where you could lie awake at night listening to little owls calling, and then wake up to the drumming of Strickland's Woodpecker. An easy trail runs up the canyon (south) from the end of the road. The trail crosses the mountains, but hiking the first mile or so puts you in some great birding habitat. This is the place to see Elegant Trogons. If you don't want to hike the trail, walk the road.

Rustler Park. Rustlers Park is a wildland fire station with a nice campground in a ponderosa pine forest. The campground is located near the crest of the mountains, and foot trails lead north and south from the campground along the crest. Birding around the fire station and houses can be quite productive. This is the place to look for high-elevation species such as Mexican Chickadee, Yellow-eyed Junco, Red-faced Warbler, Olive Warbler, Red Crossbill, and Band-tailed Pigeon.

Location

The Chiricahua Mountains are located in the southeastern corner of Arizona, south of Interstate-10 near the New Mexico border. The town of Portal is the gateway to the east side of the Chiricahua Mountains. From Interstate-10, which runs east-west across southern Arizona and New Mexico, turn south onto Highway 80 near Steins, New Mexico (exit 5). On Highway 80, drive south for about 30 miles to Highway 533 (about 3 miles north of Rodeo, New Mexico). Turn west (right) onto Highway 533, which becomes Portal Road at the Arizona state line, and head for the mountains. Portal is about 7 miles from the turnoff.

Portal is located at the base of the mountains in the mouth of Cave Canyon. To get into the mountains, drive through Portal on the main road, which soon becomes the only road. For information on current birding opportunities, inquire at the Portal Store (Portal is a small town) or at the U.S. Forest Service Ranger Station just beyond Portal (usually closed). Continue up the road along Cave Creek, watching for trogons and coati along the road.

A few miles west of Portal, turn left (south) on the South Fork Road to the South Fork Zoological and Botanical Area. The turn is just before Sunny Flat Campground (a great place to camp and watch wildlife). The 1.3-mile access road is good for birding, which is good because rain and snowmelt may make the road impassable for passenger cars. The loop at the end of the road is narrow and may be difficult for RVs or vehicles with trailers to navigate.

On the main road, continue west (about 2 miles past Sunny Flat Campground) to the Southwestern Research Station, a research facility of the American Museum of Natural History. Visitors are welcome to stop and watch hummingbirds at the feeders, but please don't bother the people working there.

Continuing up the main road, the pavement ends just beyond the research station. A narrow, graded dirt road with tight curves climbs steeply to Onion Saddle (this road is closed during winter and may not be suitable at all for large RVs or vehicles pulling trailers). At the saddle, the road forks; turn south (left) towards Rustler Park.

Hours

Always open.

Fees

$3.00 per vehicle per day. The money is used to maintain the campgrounds, picnic areas, and trails. The pay stations are self-serve, so be sure to bring small bills. The campgrounds cost $10 per night.

Specialties

Think Mexican species -- tropical hummingbirds, Sulphur-bellied flycatcher, Elegant Trogon, Mexican Chickadee, Yellow-eyed Junco, and Red-faced Warbler. The trogon is the main bird to look for here; its most common call is said to be an unmusical clucking "kwa, kwa, kwa, kwa," like a hen turkey or a calling frog.

Other interesting wildlife also occurs in the area. We got chased up onto our picnic table one night by a pack of wild javelina marauding through the campground, I got a picture of a Hog-nosed Skunk pounding its fists on the ground near the campground, we had a family of Coatimundi surround us in the woods, and there seemed to be a plethora of Striped Skunks in the campgrounds. Apache Fox Squirrel, big gray squirrels with bushy tails and red bellies, are common, and the trees seemed to be full of big Yarrow Spiny Lizards.

Special Information

The South Fork Zoological and Botanical Area is a day-use area, and using taped calls to attract birds is not permitted during the nesting season. Read signs in the area for current information.

For More Information

Information on camping, trails, and road conditions can be obtained from the US Forest Service, Douglas Ranger District; Douglas, AZ; 520-364-3468. Chiricahua National Monument, which is located on the west side of the Chiricahua Mountains in Willcox, AZ, also provides information on the area (520-824-3560).