AZ-Palm+Canyon

Also see Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
 * =Birding in Arizona=

Yuma County
=Palm Canyon= Yuma, Arizona 85365 Palm Canyon webpage Kofa National Wildlife Refuge website Kofa National Wildlife Refuge brochure

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Palm Canyon (Yuma Co.)
Coordinates: 33.3605, -114.1061 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Palm Canyon
The Palm Canyon Trail is a moderately easy, half-mile trail that winds up toward the base of the canyon. This trail leads to a small sign on a slightly elevated area near the middle of the canyon. By looking upward in the narrow, north trending side canyon, you will see the palms clearly. For a short time, at mid-day, the trees are well lighted for pictures. Otherwise, the trees are shaded. Beyond the trail, there is the prospect of hiking further up into the canyon. This hike is much steeper and without a defined trail, but allows for up-close examination of the magnificent palms! From Palm Canyon web page

About Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
The two mountain ranges dominate the 665,400-acre refuge, of which more than 80 percent is designated as wilderness. Although these mountains are not especially high (the tallest peak is less than 5,000 feet), they are extremely rugged and provide excellent habitat for plant and animal species adapted to the harsh desert climate.

Able to store large quantities of water in their leaves, stems or roots, cacti thrive in the desert climate. Towering saguaro cacti reach up to 50 feet in height and are perhaps the most distinctive cacti found on the refuge. Closer to the ground, prickly pear, cholla, hedgehog, pincushion, and barrel cacti, as well as desert night-blooming cereus, thrive. Palm Canyon, located in western region of the refuge, is known for its native palms. California fan palms are probably remnants from when this area was wetter and cooler. Numbering less than 100, the trees are the only native palm species in Arizona.

Scanning the horizon, the desert can appear devoid of animal life. Yet upon closer inspection, it reveals burrows among bushes, rocks and on the open plains - homes to badgers, foxes, ground squirrels, pocket mice, and kangaroo rats. The vast desert environment is a host or home to numerous mammal species, the majority of which are nocturnal and forage at night while the temperatures are cooler.

Most desert mammals, particularly the smaller ones, have adapted to survive with little water and receive needed moisture from plant material. Water conservation is an absolute necessity to desert mammals like the ringtail and mountain lion. Larger animals like desert bighorn sheep and mule deer cope with extreme temperature during the day by staying within mountain caves and, in the case of the mule deer, finding respite under desert trees and overhanging banks. Bats, the only true flying mammals, find caves, crevices, and mines ideal places to roost and are rarely seen in the daylight.

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge supports numerous amphibians and reptiles. The elusive and venomous Gila monster is the largest land lizard native to the United States and might be spotted while driving or hiking on a cool morning on the refuge. The western diamondback rattlesnake, chuckwalla, desert horned lizard, desert iguana, and the red-spotted toad are also common refuge residents.

The refuge provides important habitat for a variety of birds. White-winged doves can be seen feeding on the saguaro’s red fruit while cactus wrens safely nest within the teddy bear cholla, taking advantage of the cactus’ sharp spines for protection. Visitors may catch a glimpse of northern flickers, canyon towhees, phainopeplas, or Gambel’s quails near water sources and, high above, turkey vultures or golden eagles can occasionally be seen soaring. From Kofa National Wildlife Refuge website

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media type="custom" key="29297151" || L607688 US US-AZ US-AZ-027 33.3605 -114.1061 Palm Canyon (Yuma Co.)