A nice little Sunday afternoon picnic would be nice to spend a cool summer day. The elevation is higher than the Tucson area so it is cooler and a lot quiter

My sister and I drove down to Madera Canyon to bird watch, with some hiking anticipated. We found the Santa Rita Lodge, a recommended place for spotting birds, and we did! There are different trails for hiking. I was amazed to see snow on the peak of Mt. Wrightson. Who would know you were in southern Arizona? We enjoyed our... More

If you want to experience the exhilarating beauty and grandeur of Yosemite Park appearing in the midst of Arizonan desert beauty, make plans to visit Madera Canyon just south of Tucson. Madera Canyon is a wonderful park with ample parking on several levels. There are a variety of different trails of varying difficulty, some leading to the summit of Mt.... More

We discovered this canyon by mistake, and were very happy to have done so! There are a few funky little buildings, some of which are B&Bs, and they fit right into the environment. It is really peaceful, and those using the place are very respectful of the wild life around them. Even just for a drive, it is worth a... More

Several good hiking trails. Wonderful bird watching. Directions well marked and the area seems user friendly.

This is the place for you if you are a birder. Probably few places in the world rival the diversity of bird life that Madera Canyon offers. It is also a great place to picnic in the summers as it is much cooler that the desert flooor.

Long drive from Tucson-had high expectations for birding on Easter Sunday. It was overrun with loud people who scared off all living creatures. We much preferred Sabino Canyon-much quieter and has a variety of well-marked trails.

People from other parts of the USA tend to assume that Arizona has two features: The Grand Canyon and featureless desert. The "sky islands" of the southeast tell a completely different story, and Madera Canyon is probably one of the best representatives of this ecosystem. Tree-covered hillsides with a running stream at 5-6000' elevation this near to the tropical life... More

This canyon has one road with a number of places to stop at. It's known, of course, for its birding, but also has a variety of other types of wildlife (bears, coatimundis, 4 types of skunks, deer, etc.). The hiking was really good and we appreciated a change from the desert scenery of the Southwest.