Welcome
Visit a landscape of rippling grassland
flanked by mountains, and riparian zones rich in bird life. Buenos Aires
National Wildlife Refuge provides approximately 118,000 acres of habitat
for threatened and endangered plants and animals. The semidesert grassland
supports the reintroduction of masked bobwhite quail and pronghorns. Prescribed
and natural fires play a major role in maintaining and restoring the sea
of grass that once filled the Altar Valley. Riparian (wetland) areas along
Arivaca Cienega and Creek attract an abundance of birds. Brown Canyon
is nestled in the Baboquivari Mountains, where a sycamore-lined stream
meanders through oak woodland.
Hours
The refuge is open to public use 24
hours a day. Headquarters Visitor Center: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm seven days
a week. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). Headquarters
business office: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. Visitor center
is closed weekends June 1–August 15.
How
to Get There
Headquarters
and Visitor Center:
From Tucson, go west on Ajo Way (Highway 86) to Three Points. Travel 38
miles south of Three Points on Highway 286 to milepost 7.5. If traveling
on Interstate 19, take the Amado/Arivaca exit west, turn right at the
T, and then left at the Cow Palace onto Arivaca Road. Proceed west 35
miles on the Arivaca Road to Highway 286, and turn left at milepost 7.5.
Arivaca
Cienega Trail and Arivaca Creek Trail:
From Tucson take Highway 286 south from Three Points to milepost 12. Turn
left and drive east 12 miles to Arivaca. From Interstate 19, take the
Amado/Arivaca exit west, turn right at the T, then left at the Cow Palace
onto Arivaca Road. Then drive 23 miles to Arivaca. Arivaca Cienega Trail
is ¼ mile east of Arivaca; Arivaca Creek Trail is 2 miles west
of town.
Brown
Canyon Enviromental Education Center:
Brown Canyon is accessible by appointment only. From Tucson take
I-10 to I-19. Exit west onto Ajo Way/Hwy 86. Travel 21 miles to Robles
Junction/Three Points. Turn south (left) onto Highway 286. Go past milepost
21 to two mailboxes on the right. Turn at here and wait on the west side
of the cattle guard. You will be met by a staff member or a volunteer.
Official Statement Regarding Littering Citation at Buenos Aires NWR (pdf)
Refuge
Information Contact: Phone (520)
823-4251, ext. 116 E-mail: Bonnie_Swarbrick@fws.gov
Web site Technical Contact: Phone (520)
823-4251, ext. 122 E-mail: Anna_Hirales@fws.gov |