Aqua Caliente Park Nature Walk

‘I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.’ — John Burroughs

On a beautiful, sunny, 80 degree day at the end of March, I decided to go for a little nature walk and do some nature photography around the ponds and grounds of Roy P. Drachman Aqua Caliente Park (ACP). If you haven’t been, what a local gem this park is, tucked into the Northeast corner of Tucson. ACP is a 101-acre park that was a former working ranch with an orchard, which offers large grass areas, picnic spots with grills and tables, paved walking paths, hiking trails, restrooms, drinking water and reservable spots. The Ranch House has wonderful historical exhibits and furnishings along with an attached gallery presenting various art exhibits throughout the year.

Moreover, what’s so unique about ACP is its perennial warm spring and many California Fan and Date palms that provide vital shelter for western yellow bats, great horned owls, raccoons and other wildlife.

With all of our rains the past few months, 5 ponds were observable with such wildlife as red-eared slider turtles, mallards, great egrets, neotropic cormorants, and ring-necked ducks. Phainopepla, crackles, vermillion flycatchers, Abert’s towhees along with various sparrows and finches were also visible.

Abundant wildflowers really put on a display including desert chicory, globe mallow, pink fairy-duster, golden marguerite, parry’s beardtongue (penstemon), chuparosa, hairy-seed bahia, and bladderpod, to name a few.

Post and Photos by Deb Petrich, Cohort 1