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