Cabeza Prieta
National Wildlife Refuge

View the refuge brochure information and map HERE (requires Flash)

2012 Motorized Vehicle Regulations

Click here for a recent report prepared by Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge regarding off-highway use by the public on the refuge (May 2011 - April 2012).

Cabeza Prieta Pronghorn to be released in reintroduction program.

A joint effort is underway to release Sonoran pronghorn into historic ranges in
southwest Arizona, including one area which has not seen a wild population of the native
species in over 100 years.

Read the News Release

Welcome to Cabeza Prieta NWR
Sonoran Desert Wilderness

Boundless desert surrounds you in Cabeza Prieta, the third largest national wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states. Here, seven rugged mountain ranges cast shadows over barren valleys once swept by lava. Saguaros loom in stark profile above the baked earth. A 56-mile, shared border with Sonora, Mexico, might well be the loneliest international boundary on the continent.

Imagine the state of Rhode Island without any people and only one wagon track of a road. Cabeza Prieta NWR is that big, that wild and also incredibly hostile to those who need lots of water to live. Yet, within a landscape at once magnificent and harsh, life does persist, even thrives.

Temperatures may top 100 degrees F for 90 to 100 consecutive days from June to October. Summer thundershowers and winter soaking rains average about 3 inches on the western part of the Refuge and up to 9 inches on the eastside, 60 miles away. The winter and summer pattern of rainfall in the Sonoran desert stimulates the growth of more plant species than in most deserts.

You’ll find creosote and bursage flats, mesquite, palo verde, ironwood, ocotillo and an abundance of cacti, including cholla, and saguaro on the bajadas (alluvial fans of sand, silt, and gravel deposited by running water on the slopes of mountain ranges).

Endangered Sonoran pronghorn and lesser long-nosed bats call this parched land home, as do desert bighorns, lizards, rattlesnakes, and desert tortoises. Elf owls peer from holes carved in saguaros by Gila woodpeckers. Every plant and animal has adapted to an environment we would find uninhabitable. Far from a barren desert, Cabeza Prieta NWR harbors at least 391 plant species and more than 300 kinds of wildlife.

Cabeza Prieta Name

Cabeza Prieta, is Spanish for "dark head" and refers to a lava-topped granite peak in a remote mountain range in the western corner of the Refuge.

A Fragile Wilderness

Over 90 percent of the Refuge was designated as wilderness by Congress in the 1990 Arizona Wilderness Act. To help maintain the wilderness character of Cabeza Prieta NWR, no vehicle traffic is allowed except on designated public use roads. Vehicles may be parked up to 50 feet from the center of the roads in areas previously used by other vehicles. All other off-road travel is prohibited. Visitors should practice a "leave no trace" ethic, keeping in mind that the desert ecosystem is fragile, and tracks made by vehicles or people can remain for hundreds of years.

Wildlife
Lessons in Desert Life Skills

Sonoran wildlife have developed many mechanisms to survive the desert’s heat and survive for months without rain. Burrowing, nocturnal living, and astonishing water conservation techniques are just a few of the ways animals adapt to life here. The only water sources around are natural rock basins called tinajas that catch rainwater, a few artificial water storage areas, flowing washes after rains, and one intermittent seep. Never expect to find water available for your use.

Burrow Comfort

Almost three-quarters of all desert animals are burrowers. Desert tortoises, inhabiting the entire refuge, become dormant in burrows during the hottest and coldest times of the year, when temperatures fluctuate only two degrees F just 18 inches below the surface. Kangaroo rats, pocket mice, ground squirrels, snakes, and badgers all find underground shelters.

Bighorn sheep

Night Life

The sun sets. The desert cools and a host of animals stir. Ringtail cats prowl. Coyote, kit fox, and gray fox all hunt for pocket mice and kangaroo rats. Eleven species of bats navigate starry skies, far from city lights. The endangered lesser long-nosed bat feasts on saguaro flower nectar in spring and its fruit in summer, first pollinating then spreading the cactus seeds.

Outfitted for Heat

Light-colored fur helps mammals like mountain lions reflect, not 'soak' in the heat. The scales of lizards help them deflect heat too. Perhaps most incredible are the built-in water saving abilities of many desert animals. Collared peccaries, also known as javelina, can decrease water evaporation from their body by 68 percent. Some of Cabeza Prieta NWR’s bighorn sheep may go for weeks or months without visiting one of the Refuge’s water developments. The sheep draw some moisture from food and rainwater pooled in rocks, and can survive despite losing up to 30 percent of their body weight. When water is plentiful, the bighorns quickly recover.

Reptile Hot Spot

Cold-blooded reptiles like hot, dry climates. Lizards and snakes dash and slither throughout the Refuge. Side-blotched lizards turn up just about everywhere. Whiptail lizards brave the heat of the day in search of termites and other insects. Desert horned lizards hunt for ants in valleys and washes. Like something out of a science fiction movie, these lizards can defend themselves by squirting blood from their eye sockets.

At least 24 species of snakes live here, including six kinds of rattlesnakes. Three of those rattlesnake species are common: the sidewinder, recognized at once by its sideways locomotion and "horns" above its eyes; the western diamondback rattlesnake, largest of the bunch, living primarily in the lower hills; and the Mojave Green rattlesnake possesses the most toxic venom of our rattlesnakes and rarely rattles, even when disturbed.

Snakes would rather leave you alone, if you leave them alone. They play an important role as predators in the desert community. Before heading into the desert, pick up information on snake bite prevention from the Refuge office.

Birds Passing Through

Birds have a great advantage in being able to fly to find desert water. You'll find the best birdwatching from February to May and August to November during migrations. Look for warblers, swallows, flycatchers, and phoebes along vegetation-lined washes. Red-tailed hawks soar year-round. Coveys of Gambel’s quail make the Refuge their permanent home as well. Near Ajo, you’ll find good birdwatching habitats within easy walking distance from your vehicle on Charlie Bell Road near Little Tule Well and Daniel’s Arroyo and near the established campgrounds at Papago Well and Tule Well.

Lending a Hand for Wildlife

Refuge staff haul water to artificial catchments and guzzlers throughout Cabeza Prieta NWR to give desert bighorns and other wildlife a little bit more water than what nature provides.

The Refuge also takes the lead role in the recovery of the endangered Sonoran pronghorn. This endangered species ranges across the Sonoran desert in southwest Arizona and Sonora, Mexico in small, scattered bands.

The prehistoric Indians who survived here as hunters and gatherers knew how to reap the riches of the desert. They collected cactus fruit, desert annuals, and mesquite beans and hunted bighorn sheep and small game.

History
Striking it Rich?

Those who came later had a different vision of desert riches. In 1540, Melchoir Diaz made a name for himself as the first European to travel through the area, 90 years before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. A member of Coronado’s expedition, Diaz was searching for the lost city of Cibola, a legendary city of gold.

El Camino del Diablo, or "the Devil’s Highway," which crosses the Refuge. Jesuit Padre Eusebio Francisco Kino pioneered the route, which stretched from Caborca, Mexico to California, from 1699-1701. It earned its name from many travelers who died in route to the California gold fields. In the twentieth century, numerous prospectors combed the mountains in search of precious metals. The discovery of rich copper deposits led to the opening of the Ajo mines in 1916.

Things to do at the Refuge

A visitor center, short interpretive trail,and pupfish pond near the Refuge office offer an introduction to the ecology of the Sonoran desert. For the well prepared, the Refuge offers plentiful hiking, photography, wildlife observation, and primitive camping. Please do not linger near water holes. Wildlife depend on them for survival.

Pick up a Permit First

Before entering the Refuge, you must obtain a valid Refuge Entry Permit and sign a Military Hold Harmless Agreement. Free permits are available from the Refuge office or they can be sent through the mail.

Most of the Refuge falls within the air space of the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. Numerous low-flying aircraft cross the Refuge on their way to air-to-air bombing and gunnery ranges located to the north. Some military training exercises over the Refuge may require limitations on travel and even short periods of closure of the Refuge to the public. Military schedules are known in advance, so Refuge staff can help with your schedule.

See Tips for Watching Wildlife for suggestions
to make your visit more enjoyable.

Special Events

The Cabeza Prieta Natural History Association features free bi-weekly presentations from November to March on the natural history of the Refuge. Escorted tours of Child's Mountain are also offered by the Natural History Association. Check with Refuge staff for details and other special events and tours scheduled throughout the year.

Painted Lady butterfly on Desert Marigolds

Camping

You may select your own free campsite. Papago Well, Tule Well, and Christmas Pass camping areas have some facilities and are recommended for larger groups. State laws prohibit camping within 1/4 mile of water holes. Your presence at water holes prevents wildlife from quenching their thirst. No reservations are required.

Hunting

Cabeza Prieta NWR offers a limited desert bighorn sheep hunt each December under State permit. This high quality hunting experience in a desert wilderness setting requires long hikes just to arrive at the base of many of the mountain ranges. Hunters must carry in their own food and water. Please contact the Refuge for more specific information about the bighorn sheep hunt.

Safety

The military has used this area as a gunnery and bombing range since World War II. Many types of ordnance remain on the Refuge, some buried and some on the surface. You may encounter unexploded ordnance. If you do, please:

*Do not touch it.*
*Note its location.*
*Report it to Refuge staff.*

Plan Ahead for a Desert Trip

There are no facilities for gasoline, sanitation, or potable water on Cabeza Prieta NWR. Plan on bringing two gallons of water per day, per person. Wear a broad-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and pants for sun protection. Be prepared to carry out all trash and debris, including toilet paper and other non-biodegradable waste. Bring your own charcoal for fires and plan to use a firepan to protect the fragile soil.

You'll Need 4-wheel Drive

If you desire to travel on the Refuge, 4-wheel drive vehicles are required on all routes except Charlie Bell Road where 2-wheel drive high-clearance vehicles may be driven. Vehicles are restricted to public use roads and can be parked up to 50 feet of the center line of the roads in areas previously used by other vehicles. Visitors should refrain from travel during wet conditions due to possible damage to refuge roads. Driving in wet areas is prohibited. All vehicles and operators must be licensed for highway driving. Make sure you carry two spare tires and other spare mechanical parts in case of a breakdown.

Help Protect the Refuge

To protect the fragile desert ecosystem, we do not allow any of the following activities:

• Dumping of litter, sewage, or liquid waste on the Refuge.
• Firearms
• Prospecting, removal, or disturbance of sand, rock, gravel, or minerals.
• Rockhounding.
• Excavating or removing objects of antiquity, cultural artifacts, or paleontological artifacts.
• Trapping.
• Collecting, possessing, molesting, disturbing, injuring, destroying, removal, or transportation of any plant, or animal, or part of the natural flora and fauna on the Refuge is prohibited.
  (Exceptions to the above are legally taken game).
• To protect scarce desert wood, only charcoal campfires or propane cookstoves are permitted.
• Pets must be leashed and under control at all times. Owners should follow Leave No Trace concerning pet litter.

Visit the Leave No Trace website for more information about outdoor ethics.

Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in volunteering for Cabeza Prieta NWR? The following volunteer positions may be available:

• Ecological Data Assistants - mapmaking, photopoint data collection, etc.
• Recreation Impact Specialists - sign maintenance, road reclamation, etc.
• Refuge Research Assistant - set up office library and catalog system, organize slides, library research, etc.
• Visitor Contact Specialist - greets visitors, answers telephone, issues permits, etc.
• Maintenance Assistant - groundskeeping, clean-up, carpentry, vehicle maintenance, fence building
• Refuge Interpreter - teaches Leave No Trace techniques, leads nature hikes, performs school programs
• Also need volunteers for other special projects, including photography, computers, artwork, etc.

Volunteers are needed all year, and especially from November through April. Reservations and a mimimum of 32 hours per week required when housing is available. All required tools, equipment and vehicles will be provided. A small stipend may be available.

Please contact the Outdoor Recreation Specialist: Margot_Bissell or 520/387-6483 for more specific information about volunteering.