Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness

Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness is a 19,410-acre protected area in southeastern Arizona centered on an 11-mile gorge where Aravaipa Creek flows year-round for 20 miles, an unusual source of permanent water in this region. Named from an Apache term meaning “laughing waters,” it is valued especially for its ecology. The creek and surrounding riparian corridor support seven native desert fish species in Arizona, including threatened spikedace and loach minnow, as well as more than 200 bird species and a wide range of larger wildlife. Joined by The Nature Conservancy’s adjacent preserve, it protects one of Arizona’s most distinctive desert canyon landscapes and habitats.

Arizona · United States