Hassayampa River Preserve

Hassayampa River Preserve near Wickenburg, Arizona, protects a rare year-round flowing stretch of the mostly underground Hassayampa River, creating an oasis of riparian life in the Sonoran Desert. Its 770 acres include one of North America’s uncommon cottonwood-willow forests alongside desert plants, providing vital wildlife habitat in a region where much riparian land has been lost. The site also reflects changing human uses, from a stagecoach stop in the 1860s to Brill’s Ranch and the early guest ranch Garden of Allah. Since 1987, The Nature Conservancy has assembled and expanded the preserve, now noted especially for its rich birdlife and other desert wildlife.

Wickenburg, Arizona · United States