Coronado National Forest

Scattered across 12 "sky island" mountain ranges rising from the Sonoran Desert floor in southeastern Arizona, Coronado National Forest harbors extraordinary biodiversity where Mexican, Rocky Mountain, and Sonoran ecosystems converge across 1.78 million acres. Elevations range from desert grasslands at 3,000 feet to the summit of 10,720-foot Mount Graham in the Pinaleno Mountains, where relict spruce-fir forests shelter the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel. The forest's sky island geography -- isolated mountain ranges surrounded by desert lowlands -- creates a remarkable diversity of habitats that support over 400 bird species, making it one of the premier birding destinations in North America. Rare species such as the elegant trogon, Mexican spotted owl, jaguar, and ocelot find refuge in the forested canyons along the Mexican border, particularly in the Huachuca, Chiricahua, and Santa Rita mountains. The Chiricahua Wilderness features dramatic volcanic rock formations, while Madera Canyon in the Santa Ritas is world-famous among birders for its hummingbird diversity and neotropical species. Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains rises above Tucson, offering residents a dramatic ecological gradient from saguaro cactus to mixed conifer forest within a 30-mile drive, complete with the southernmost ski area in the United States.