The Hassayampa River normally runs underground, but just outside downtown it shows off its crystalline shimmer. Currently managed by the Nature Conservancy, this is one of the few riparian habitats remaining in Arizona and a great place for birders to look for the 280 or so feathered resident and migrating species. The 770-acre preserve is on the west side of Hwy 60, three miles south of town. Trails close 30 minutes before the preserve.
At press time the preserve was moving forward with plans to become part of the Vulture Mountains Recreation Area.
