Sabino Canyon Recreation Area

Sabino Canyon Recreation Area on the northeast side of Tucson offers spectacular views of the Arizona Upland subdivision of the Sonoran desert with abundant opportunities for birding, hiking, and photography.  Sabino Canyon is dominated by saguaro forest and riparian woodlands along Sabino Creek.  The stunning cliffs in Sabino Canyon offer nesting and roosting sites for raptors.  The area is home to a wide range of wildlife in addition to birds, such as bobcats, rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and Gila Monsters.

Site Information

Region: Tucson and Southern

County: Pima

Directions: The Visitor Center entrance is on the right shortly after the traffic light at Sunrise. Overflow parking is also on the right, past the Visitor Center entrance.

Latitude: 32.309972
Longitude: -110.823878

Operational Hours: Open all year, 24 hours a day

Admission or Fees: $8.00 for day passes. Interagency recreation passes and annual passes accepted.

Best time to visit: November - March offers the coolest temperatures.

Habitats: Desert, Stream or river

Know Before You Go

Pets are not allowed. Weekends can be crowded. Tickets for concessioner operated trams available. Be alert for flash floods during the summer monsoon season (late June- early September).

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

Speciality: Canyon Wren, Desert Purple Martin, Gilded Flicker, Lucy’s Warbler

Charismatic: Black-throated Sparrow, Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Gambel’s Quail, Gila Woodpecker, Verdin

Contact Information

USDA
Coronado National Forest - Santa Catalina Ranger District
5700 N. Sabino Canyon Rd
Tucson, AZ 85750

Phone: 520-749-8700

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coronado/recarea/?recid=75425

Email:

Additional Resources

Learn more about birds reported at this location at eBird:
https://ebird.org/hotspot/L129072

Additional Resources:
Coronado National Forest
Visit Tucson
Agua Caliente Park
Saguaro National Park
Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Image Gallery

1 thought on “Sabino Canyon Recreation Area”

Comments are closed.