Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve
4.5
About
Sonoita Creek State Natural Area (SCSNA) is located in Santa Cruz County downstream from Patagonia Lake State Park along lower Sonoita Creek, a perennial tributary of the Santa Cruz River. Twenty miles of trails are available for hiking and eight miles of trails are shared with equestrians. A 1.5 mile hike of moderate difficulty called the “Overlook Trail” is close to Patagonia Lake State Park and is a great way to see 360 degrees of spectacular scenery. Most of the trails are more remote and the shortest round trip hike to the creek is three miles on the Sonoita Creek Trail. Sonoita Creek State Natural Area and Patagonia Lake State Park are designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. If you are a bird watcher you may hit the jackpot here. During spring migration, late January through early April, a guided bird walk of a few hours could bring over 60 species to your attention. The complete bird list is over 300 species.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
71 reviews
Excellent
51
Very good
17
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Dave48838
Greenville, MI658 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
This reserve has many acres following Sonoita Creek. It's attraction is the creek which flows year round (a rarity in this part of the world.) There are several paths which follow the creek, transverse a grassy field, and follow a railroad bed.
The open-air visitor center is very attractive and has knowledgeable volunteers. The bathrooms are great and there is opportunity to learn about the area. This is also a prime area for seeing birds, including humming birds.
My less than excellent rating is based on several things. The signage directing visitors to the entrance is meagre and the road is pretty bad. We wondered if we should keep going. Also, visitors should be aware that the gate closes at 4:00 - a bit early for vacationers. Finally, if you are from the East or places other than the desert, you might wonder what the excitement is all about. The reserve looks like something we might have in our back yards.
The open-air visitor center is very attractive and has knowledgeable volunteers. The bathrooms are great and there is opportunity to learn about the area. This is also a prime area for seeing birds, including humming birds.
My less than excellent rating is based on several things. The signage directing visitors to the entrance is meagre and the road is pretty bad. We wondered if we should keep going. Also, visitors should be aware that the gate closes at 4:00 - a bit early for vacationers. Finally, if you are from the East or places other than the desert, you might wonder what the excitement is all about. The reserve looks like something we might have in our back yards.
Written April 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jmes h
Prescott, AZ196 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
Located in Patagonia this Nature Concservancy site is special..
Noted for birding but great for just hiking also. I did 6 miles, 2.5 were in the lowlands, tree covered, flat and very serene. Signage for plants and benches to sit and reflect.
3.5 miles went up into the higher terrain,,no shade, rocky with elevation changes.
This is not a trail on a warm sunny day, take lots of water.
The two sections are really two very different hikes.
Volunteers at the visitor center were very helpful. $6 for visitors, well worth it...
Not to be missed in Patagonia.
Noted for birding but great for just hiking also. I did 6 miles, 2.5 were in the lowlands, tree covered, flat and very serene. Signage for plants and benches to sit and reflect.
3.5 miles went up into the higher terrain,,no shade, rocky with elevation changes.
This is not a trail on a warm sunny day, take lots of water.
The two sections are really two very different hikes.
Volunteers at the visitor center were very helpful. $6 for visitors, well worth it...
Not to be missed in Patagonia.
Written December 2, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bob L
Calgary, Canada727 contributions
Nov 2017 • Solo
The Nature Conservancy Patagonia - Sonoita Creek Preserve lies about one mile south of Patagonia. There is a small visitor centre there staffed by volunteers. There are a number of trails which loop around this relatively small property. Many species of birds visit the area and there are several animals on the property including a species of white tailed deer. The time of year may not have been the best as I did not see a lot of birds but it was still very good. There is a small charge of $6 to use the trails, but if you are a member of the Nature Conservancy it is only $3.
Written November 15, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jhurd6
Sierra Vista, AZ314 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
This was the first time we went there and absolutely loved it. Volunteers were very friendly and helpful as to what hike to take. There are several short, and you can combine them to make them longer, which we did. It is great for birding and wildlife. The creek was running, and it was so pretty and relaxing. We saw lots of wildlife we saw four deer, a squirrel, javelina and nine wild turkeys. Lots of benches to sit and relax and look for birds. It is very level, so very easy.
Written March 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fotobug
Iowa518 contributions
Jan 2017 • Friends
There is a cost if you are not a Nature Conservancy Member ($6) but it goes for a good cause. There are numerous trails that run along the creek or in the open or wooded areas. Very peaceful. We were there on a cold January day and didn't see too much but still enjoyed the walks and saw a few birds of note - ruby-crowned kinglet, black phoebe and vermilion flycatcher - and some fun, sassy, gray squirrels. The little trail map they give out helps a lot and the trails are marked at intersections. There is also a nice collection of bird books available to identify what you see! A new 1-mile trail goes to the Paton House down the road. Plan carefully: they are closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Written January 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larry P
Fargo, ND681 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
We hiked here twice and discovered that once we got very far on the Sonoita Creek Trail that it was easy to lose the trail unless we kept our eyes open for the cairns. This was especially true when we crossed the Creek and were looking for the Coal Mine Springs Trail (it is to the left). When we were trying to find the Railroad Trail from the Vista Trail, we could not see any cairns, but did eventually find our way. .
Written January 8, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LaurettaYoung
Portland, OR582 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
This gem is worth the trip if you want to see the local birds. We were delighted to see our first Vermillion Flycatchers in great abundance. The trails are well marked and go through a variety of habitats. Our other most exciting birding find were Gray Hawks which reportedly nest on the preserve. At the visitor center are several hummingbird feeders where one can watch them arrive from shaded seats. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. The flush toilets were clean. I liked this location better than the Paton House a few miles down the road which has some different birds since it is a yard ( like lots of sparrows in a brush pile). So that is worth a short visit but the hummingbird viewing at this Nature Conservancy site is better--- more shade, easier to see the feeders and helpful staff along with "facilities" like water and toilets and bird books.
Written April 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mindy and Roger A
Janesville, WI564 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
This Preserve is definitely worth a few hours to explore. The site is staffed by volunteers who are knowledgeable regarding bird species, animals and plants found at this site. For birders, this is a definite place to visit. The day we were there several birders were to be found checking out birds. Of particular interest, a rare species of Robin with distinct coloring (don't remember the common name).
There are 3 to 4 miles of trails, including inter-connecting trails for those with limited time or ability. All the trails are "Easy" to walk. During our walk about the various trails, we saw a number of Javalina, including a very young one following the mother. They actually gave us some great "photo ops". We also saw a Couti ( not certain of the spelling). This animal looks somewhat like a large raccoon with a long bushy tail. Also saw a couple of squirrels.
There is also a trail that runs along Sonoita-Patagonia creek. Actually the stream flow started at the upper end of the preserve and appeared to gain flow as it crossed the preserve area. This trail section meanders adjacent to the creek. There are some enormous Cottonwood Trees found throughout most of the trail sections. One of the Cottonwood Trees is considered to be at least 130 years old, which is a much longer life for a Cottonwood than normal. These trees are a site to behold!
There is a small, but very nice visitor center at the parking area. Bathrooms are also found a the visitor center. Bring along food for a picnic. There are picnic tables at the visitor center as well a scattered picnic tables along the trails, especially along the stream trail.
The Preserve is open for visitors Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. It is closed at 4:00 PM. The cost is $3.00/person for Nature Conservancy members and $6.00/person for non-members. The cost is well worth it considering the variety of birds as well as animals found here. The enormous Cottonwood Trees are spectacular. The money also goes for a good cause to help protect special sites like this for generations to come.
There are 3 to 4 miles of trails, including inter-connecting trails for those with limited time or ability. All the trails are "Easy" to walk. During our walk about the various trails, we saw a number of Javalina, including a very young one following the mother. They actually gave us some great "photo ops". We also saw a Couti ( not certain of the spelling). This animal looks somewhat like a large raccoon with a long bushy tail. Also saw a couple of squirrels.
There is also a trail that runs along Sonoita-Patagonia creek. Actually the stream flow started at the upper end of the preserve and appeared to gain flow as it crossed the preserve area. This trail section meanders adjacent to the creek. There are some enormous Cottonwood Trees found throughout most of the trail sections. One of the Cottonwood Trees is considered to be at least 130 years old, which is a much longer life for a Cottonwood than normal. These trees are a site to behold!
There is a small, but very nice visitor center at the parking area. Bathrooms are also found a the visitor center. Bring along food for a picnic. There are picnic tables at the visitor center as well a scattered picnic tables along the trails, especially along the stream trail.
The Preserve is open for visitors Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. It is closed at 4:00 PM. The cost is $3.00/person for Nature Conservancy members and $6.00/person for non-members. The cost is well worth it considering the variety of birds as well as animals found here. The enormous Cottonwood Trees are spectacular. The money also goes for a good cause to help protect special sites like this for generations to come.
Written February 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keith K
Rapid City, SD330 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
Large preserve along one of the few year-long flowing creek. Beautiful riparian area and open meadows that draw birds and hold a variety of wildlife. Nice visitor center with information on latest bird sightings.
Written January 6, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Avelave
Lexington, KY283 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
We spent a beautiful day here. We saw deer, turkeys, a Cooper hawk, hummingbirds and beautiful mountain views. There are several trails. None especially long but interesting. a separate trail on the other side of the road has a vista spot and we walked up to it but didn't have time to do the entire trail which is longer. There probably weren't many birds due to the time of year for our visit but it is a lovely place and we had a beautiful day to visit. We brought our lunch and ate on the patio at the visitor center. The staff there was very helpful. You could also eat lunch in Patagonia. We also stopped at the Paton home for bird watching.
Written January 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Have any Elegant Trogans been spotted this year? Is this a reasonable day trip from Tucson?
Written March 5, 2017
This would be a great day trip from Tucson. As to the Elegant Trogans I can't say. Never heard of them!
Written March 6, 2017
ArizonaStateParks
Phoenix, Arizona
Jean,
If you're not planning to tent or RV camp at the park, then the Stage Stop Inn in nearby Patagonia is a nice place. It's only a 15-min. drive from the beautiful waters of Patagonia Lake SP. Wherever you end up, I hope you enjoy your visit!
Arizona State Parks
Written December 30, 2016
I can't tell you all the birds. but if you go to their web site they list them for you.
Written December 4, 2016
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