Whitewater Draw

First visit, not currently muddy, free entrance and lot less busy than if it were Wings over Willcox weekend, easy to self tour vs paying $50 pp for likely very informative tours during WOW and bussing hr+ from Willcox. About 15k birds today was told by avid visitor, as viewed from North Viewing Platform & another 15k @Cochise Lake in Willcox. Normally a lot more birds but due to a blockage in pipe that floods the playa the water is not as deep or widespread. Still worth visiting and saw plenty cranes take off at sunrise, just after 0700 and lasts about an hour with many staying put too, and saw a deer. About 6 other cars pulled in right after us 0645. Drive to right of toilets about 300ft for closest walk to levee loop. Toilets were stocked with tp and very clean btw. Was 17° at dawn, my fingers and toes were frozen after 40 mins and my phone actually shut down w/68% battery, due to the cold, a first, but no wind or mud, score! There are free scopes with seats, and benches along the approx 1 mi levee path loop, for easy viewing--bring blankets as they are metal and chill ya at day break!

You have to visit the Sandhill cranes during their journeys to and from migration. It is an incredible thing to see thousands of birds, and when they take off in groups of V-formations heading out with dozens of V's going into the sky, it is wonderful. Check the time of year to make sure you come during the migration times.This resting wildlife habitat is located in the middle of nowhere with only farmlands surrounding the area. It is close to Sierra Vista, Ft Huachuca and Tombstone. If you are in the area for the migration period, then you have to come and see. Mornings and evenings are the best times because you will be there when they take off, but even if you come while they are on the ground you will be amazed. There are also other migratory birds as well and finding and identifying them is also interesting.This is a rural site coming onto a dirt road with almost no amenities. There is a parking area, with what appears to be a limited dry camp location for birders. Then a couple of hundred feet away is the parking area for day use where you can then walk to the various water sites. You should see the birds as you pull in. There are two pit toilets, bring your own TP and hand sanitizer just in case. No food nearby, bring it in and take out your trash. If you live in Southern AZ it is worth the day trip. Me and wife came on a whim after hearing the birds were still there leaving Tucson around 1pm and we stayed until about 6pm after the cranes took flight. About an 90 minute drive one way depending on where you are in Tucson.

If you've ever wondered what 30,000 sandhill cranes look, sound, and smell like, the Whitewater Draw nesting area is the perfect chance to find out. This year, they're nesting in a pond that's about a half-mile from the parking area (not their usual spot, according to a local who told us where to find them), but once you start walking down the dirt trail, you can't miss their jibber-jabber sound in the distance. Great little side stop for birdwatching near Bisbee.

In the middle of nowhere is this amazing oasis. Went here on our adventure and saw the birds take flight. It was so crazy. I'd highly recommend this place. Who knew?

Go at dawn or sunset, November to March to see the cranes, amazing.I'm sure it's nice other times too. We once saw the full moon setting as the sun was coming up!

After the last of our holiday guests had left, we likewise decided to fly the coop and drive almost two hours to Whitewater Draw, a protected area known for attracting thousands of migrating sandhill cranes from October to February every year. The dirt road to the area was in surprisingly good shape, despite the heavy rains we'd been having, with only a few bumpy bits - we navigated it in our low-clearance Toyota Prius just fine. There is ample space for parking - with one lot dedicated to overnight camping (complete with two flushable toilets that were clean and well-stocked with toilet paper - maintained, as we later discovered, by a nice chatty lady who took pride in toilet maintenance).The day-use parking lot, which was closer to the cranes, was a bit smaller, with only room enough for less than a dozen cars, but we had no problems finding parking on a beautiful weekday early afternoon.The park is nothing spectacular in and of itself - basically a large area with muddy ponds formed by heavy rains, dotted with sad, colorless vegetation. The viewing area for the cranes is a raised, level dirt berm path in a circular-ish loop, that takes you within viewing distance of the cranes, as well as other waterfowl. However, being notoriously shy of humans, the sandhill cranes stayed a far distance from us and only those with zoom lenses can you capture the birds in any detail.On this sunny, warm day there were less than a dozen spectactors, and unlike the crowd at a Nicki Minaj concert or the second coming of Hannah Montana, I was happily the youngest visitor at Whitewater Draw, with some being pushed along in wheelchairs. (The path is level and wide enough for comfortable wheelchair access, though after a rain, this may not be the case.) Leashed, well-behaved dogs are also allowed on the trail, though I could see what a temptation it would be for Fido to bound into the muddy, inviting water and start chasing birds left and right.There are several benches for sitting and enjoying the sunshine, as you listen to the calls of the thousands of cranes and the almost propeller-blade flap flapping of their wings as they take off in flight. Some of the visitors were professional photographers and stay overnight to capture the money shot of hundreds or thousands of cranes taking off in the early morning light to feed. Besides the sandhill cranes, we also saw a number of birds we'd only seen on nature shows - pintails, shovelers,various sandpipers and even a snipe. We also learned from a guy with some serious camera equipment, who also participates in tagging various birds for migratory purposes - that this season - 2019/2020 is the most water Whitewater Draw has ever had. Also, based on the tagging, it's been discovered that some of the cranes have been known to migrate from as far as Alaska to Whitewater Draw every year. A pretty awe-inspiring fact, even if you're not a birder and just have an appreciation for the great outdoors.

If you like birds in the wild and you want to see thousands then this is where you need to plan to visit. Run and funded by the Arizona Game & Fish Department this is a bird wonderland located out in the middle of nowhere. In January and February the Sandhill Cranes flock here by the thousands to feed on the grass and feed that the Ranchers nearby cut during this time of year. The numbers are estimated at 20 to 30 thousand birds that come here. You have to drive back an unpaved road for a short way but, it's only a dusty gravel road. There is an ample parking lot. Just past the lot you will find a very easy flat trail that circles around the ponds and you can view the birds that are thick out in the fields. Make sure you bring you camera and binoculars.

This is a fabulous place to go to see the cranes in the winter! Go at dawn or sunset.we went once at dawn and watched the full moon set as the sun rose. Spectacular. Hundreds of cranes, easy walk.

They're still here! Thousands of sandhill cranes are wintering here in Sulphur Springs Valley before heading north for the summer. They're feeding on the local corn and enjoying the waters of the spring.This is by far our favorite place to see these beautiful birds...We've been coming here for years.Today was a gorgeous day with many of the cranes real close to the shore. A Great Horned Owl was up in the rafters of the barn. Lots of shorebirds and ducks enjoying the nearby ponds of water.This is a Southern Arizona treasure and if you love birds, you will love visiting this refuge. Pack a lunch and throw in some chairs along with your binoculars and camera with telephoto lens and you are set.

Amazing place in the middle of farm/ranch country to see all types of birds. Make sure you stop and get a snack or water/Gatorade since there is no store nearby. The trail around the main pond is about a quarter mile loop and is completely flat. I highly recommend bringing/wearing bug spray. I got attacked by mosquitos and left with seven nice bites on my face and hands.