Ft Huachuca – Garden Canyon
Garden Canyon is a five-mile long gorge on the Fort Huachuca Army Base and is one of the most beautiful canyons in the Huachuca Mountains. The fort is well managed for wildlife; you may see white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorns and javelinas. The Upper Picnic Area offers great, easy birding; Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Painted Redstart and Elegant Trogon are regular here in season. This scenic area contains some of the most diverse plant and animal life in the mountain range.
Established in 1877, the Fort was annexed in 1971 by the city of Sierra Vista and declared a national landmark in 1976. There are also petroglyphs up the canyon. The Garden Canyon Pictograph Site has 53 pictographs (painted rock art) from some of its earliest residents, as well as Apache pictographs from the 1700s.
Site Information
Region: Tucson and Southern
County: Cochise
Directions: From Sierra Vista and the intersection of Hwy. 90 and Hwy. 92, go west on Fry Blvd. about three miles to the Fort Huachuca main gate. Stop at the visitor center for a pass, then drive two miles on Squire Ave. Turn left onto Garden Canyon Rd. A single-lane dirt road takes you to the top of Garden Canyon, where a short walk and a climb up boardwalk steps lead to a good view of prehistoric rock paintings. The Upper Picnic Area in Garden Canyon provides excellent birding, and trailheads to other canyon areas are found here. The rough, steep Scheelite Canyon Trail begins about 0.7 miles past the Upper Picnic Area, and the steep, but more gentle Sawmill Canyon Trail at the end of Garden Canyon Road continues to climb through classic pine-oak woodland. The road to Garden Canyon is closed occasionally because of military maneuvers, and other canyons on the fort, including Huachuca and Blacktail, also offer excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. The road is unpaved above the picnic areas and is often severely eroded by rain and subsequent flooding. A 4-wheel drive or high clearance vehicle is recommend beyond this point, and the upper sections of the road may be closed to vehicles if conditions are particularly bad.
Latitude: 31.480746
Longitude: -110.337648
Operational Hours: Open regular business hours
Admission or Fees: Pass required
Best time to visit: Spring through late June is best but Fall also offers opportunities for viewing migrators.
Habitats: Grassland, Mixed Conifer-Aspen Forest, Pinyon-juniper Forest, Pine-oak Forest
Know Before You Go
Fort Huachuca is an active military installation, and visitors must stop at the Visitor Center prior to entering the gates. View information about accessing Fort Huachuca. International visitors should contact the City of Sierra Vista Public Information Office at least 3 weeks prior to visiting.
Safety First! Arizona has many beautiful places to explore and we’d like to help you make it a safe and enjoyable experience. Check out our recommendations for hiking precautions.
Species Highlights
Rare: Elegant Trogon
Speciality: Acorn Woodpecker, Grace’s Warbler, Mexican Jay, Montezuma’s Quail, Red-faced Warbler, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
Contact Information
U.S. Army Fort Huachuca
U.S. Army
Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613
Phone: 520-533-7373
Website: https://home.army.mil/huachuca/index.php
Additional Resources
Learn more about birds reported at this location at eBird:
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L8812892
