We’ve experienced the hospitality of the Santa Rita Lodge and can only say that rolling out of bed to catch the sunrise and view the first visitors at the feeders is a never-to-be-forgotten memory. You can bet we’re going back. Proctor Road Trailhead, Madera Canyon, Arizona For those who prefer a more natural setting, the Proctor Road Trailhead offers excellent bird-watching opportunities. The trail winds through diverse habitats, attracting a variety of hummingbirds. • Scenic Trail: The trail provides stunning views of the canyon and its wildlife. • Wildflowers: Seasonal wildflowers bloom along the trail, drawing in hummingbirds. • Birding Hotspot: Known among birders as a prime location for spotting rare hummingbird species. Bog Springs Campground, Madera Canyon, Arizona For those who enjoy camping, Bog Springs Campground offers a unique opportunity to see hummingbirds in their natural habitat. The campground is surrounded by lush vegetation that attracts these tiny birds. • Camping Facilities: Well-maintained campsites with basic amenities. • Natural Surroundings: The surrounding forest is a natural magnet for hummingbirds. • Nighttime Birding: Experience the magic of watching hummingbirds at dawn and dusk. Ramsey Canyon Preserve, Hereford, Arizona The Huachuca Mountains, home to Ramsey Canyon Preserve, rise from the desert of southeastern Arizona and catch cooler air that creates both arid and subtropical microclimates in close proximity. As a result, the preserve is remarkably biodiverse, playing host to numerous hummingbird species. Watch for: Ramsey Canyon attracts 15 species of hummingbirds, some of which only migrate this far north. It’s a well- known viewing site for Violet-crowned and Berylline hummingbirds. April through September is the best bird-watching time for hummingbird travel. Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Las Vegas, Nevada While the Mojave Desert is certainly hot, it’s also one of the most extraordinary hummingbird travel sites. This 1.6-million-acre wildlife refuge, the largest outside of Alaska, attracts 320 species of birds,
Lesser Goldfinch, credit Michael Whited
including a number of hummingbird species— more than any other birding destination in Nevada. Watch for: Costas hummingbirds, which thrive in arid climates, nest in the refuge during late winter and early spring. Black-chinned and Anna’s hummingbirds also flit among the sagebrush and wetland habitats at the refuge. Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos, New Mexico The Ancestral Pueblo people lived on the Pajarito Plateau in northern New Mexico until the mid-1500s, carving their homes into the volcanic tuff and farming atop the mesas in what is now Bandelier National Monument, a 33,000-acre park. It’s a favorite travel site among birders aiming to see not only hummingbirds but a wide diversity of birds more typical of western mountains, canyons and grasslands. Watch for: Broad-tailed and Black-chinned raise families in Bandelier National Monument. Calliope and Rufous hummingbirds flit among the monument’s cliffs, valleys, and streams. Davis Mountains State Park, Fort Davis, Texas Located in westernmost Texas, the Davis Mountains are a hummingbird travel heaven from July to October. With high elevation (5,000 feet) and levels of precipitation, the range is one of the Southwest’s sky
FLYING GEMS
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SPRING 2026 | 13
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