Cave Creek Canyon

The Cave Creek Canyon is an area with elevations of 5,000-feet and is often 10 to 20 degrees cooler than the rest of the Tucson area. Visitors and residents can enjoy cool, comfortable winters and beautiful fall colors. Spring and summer are warm and sometimes uncomfortable, but the canyon is still a destination for nature lovers and hikers alike. The canyon is located about 3 hours from Tucson and from El Paso. Surrounded by the Chiricahua Mountains, the canyon features a huge variety of reptiles, mammals, plants, and birds. There are accommodations right in the canyon park and visitors are also welcome to camp. Mammals in the area include bobcats, black bear, chipmunks, fox, packrates, deer, mountain lions, rabbits, and raccoons. You can also see a wide variety of bird species, vultures, butterflies, and reptiles. The canyon welcomes visitors all year long, but during the winter months there may be snow at higher elevations. The highest population of birds is present during the spring and the plants and flowers are in bloom all summer long. If you are looking for a unique camping or hiking destination in the Tucson area, the Cave Creek Canyon is a great destination for those in the Portal area.