Hike Arizona's Catalina State Park Birding Trail
Park Trails Near Tucson, Arizona Ideal for Birders and Photographers
Oct 24, 2008
The Birding Trail is one of eight trails in Catalina State Park, which lies in the Santa Catalina Mountain foothills just north of Tucson. Like the park’s Canyon Loop Trail, this is a relatively easy and short hike with plenty to see.
An Overview of the Birding Trail in Catalina State Park
This trail starts at the main trailhead parking lot, which is a mile and a half from the entrance station. It is approximately a mile and a half in length, with a couple of optional side trails, and the elevation change is only about fifty feet. It can be hiked at a leisurely pace in less than an hour.
The First Half of Catalina Park's Birding Trail
From the parking lot, cross the road and follow the main trail to the large Sutherland Wash. The wash normally will be dry except for the two desert rainy seasons, winter and late summer. A sign on the far side of the wash points toward the Birding Trail to the hiker’s right.
The trail remains level and rambles through a mesquite Bosque until it reaches a resting bench and a loop sign, giving hikers a choice to follow the trail either left or right. There are interpretive signs throughout the trail, and this first part of the trail offers more shade than the second half.
The Birding trail is well named, since many species are often found here. Including migrants, nearly 200 different birds are found in the park throughout the year. In winter, uncommon species are often found, like Lawrence’s Goldfinches, which feed on Amaranth seeds, or Rufous-backed Robins from Mexico, which feed on Hackberry. Warblers and other migrating birds are regular visitors during spring and fall.
The Second Half of Catalina Park's Birding Trail
If the choice is to hike to the left of the loop sign, the trail crosses a small wash. Just past this wash, there is a side trail to the left. Birders will want to take a few minutes to walk down this trail and along the smaller wash it leads to before returning to the main trail. There are Fremont Cottonwood, Velvet Ash and Chinaberry trees in this area, attracting many birds, including Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Gila and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers as well as Canyon and Green-tailed Towhees.
Returning to the main trail, a series of railroad tie steps climb a short hill, and the trail becomes exposed to full sun. The trail reaches its highest point, about 2,780 feet, where a bench gives the hiker an opportunity to rest. Another small side trail starts behind this bench, and nesting Great-horned Owls have been found along this section.
Just short of a mile, the trail leaves the ridge, descending some eighty steps back to a wash crossing. Hikers should avoid lush trailside Amaranth in the spring due to rattlesnakes. A shaded bench provides the hiker another rest stop before returning to the loop sign. From there, it is an easy quarter mile walk back to the parking lot.
A Checklist for Hiking in The Desert
- Plenty of water, at least one liter per hiker per mile
- Sunscreen and lip protector
- Hat and sunglasses
- Binoculars, birding guide and camera
- First aid kit and a signaling whistle
Catalina Park is one of 27 beautiful Arizona State Parks. It is over five thousand acres in size and is home to nearly five thousand saguaro cactus, as well as two hundred bird species. Eight trails offer a full range of hikes for any skill level. Like nearby Oracle State Park, the park’s proximity to Tucson makes it a perfect day hike destination for birders and photographers.
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