Allen's Hummingbird

Hiking to Agua Caliente Saddle can be accomplished via several routes. You can access from Josephine Saddle and the Old Baldy Trail, or from the west side about a mile from the Elephant Head parking lot. The west access is much steeper, and requires a hiker to be in excellent condition as the trail is difficult and rocky.Another option at Josephine Saddle is the Agua Caliente Trail. This bears to the right once you reach Josephine. The walk to Agua Caliente is not steep, as it follows contours without huge elevation changes. The trail takes you through a pocket of aspens, one of the few in this range.View the list »
Many people hike to Mt. Wrightson, but if a 10-plus mile hike is not for you, hiking at least to Josephine Saddle will have you deep in the forest. Many side trails fork at Josephine, giving you a number of opportunities other than making the trek to the top. Gardener Canyon Trail, Josephine Canyon Trail, and Temporal Gulch trail tie in at Josephine Saddle.

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The Allen’s Hummingbird, is a small species of hummer, and one of the many hummingbird visitor’s to Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson. This hummer has iridescent green feathers on its back, with a white head and chest, and rusty colored sides. The throat is a glittering copper-red. The stomach, rear and tail are also rust in color. Their beak is straight and black.

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This hummingbird enjoys a varied diet of nectar from flowers, insects, spiders and sap from trees. When in a courting mood, the male displays beautiful acrobatics in mid-air, swooping back and forth in 25 foot arcs. They will also dive up to 100 feet as part of the show.

There aren’t very many hummers that are aggressive, but this one is very territorial, and will run off other birds from its nesting site, including much larger birds.

Hiking in the Santa Ritas offers many opportunities to view wildlife including hummingbirds. While many of the trails are steep, the best part about these mountains as you do not have to go far to find some peace and quiet.

Reference: The Nature of Madera Canyon by Douglas W. Moore, Friends of Madera, 1999; whatbird.com

View the list
  • Many people hike to Mt. Wrightson, but if a 10-plus mile hike is not for you, hiking at least to Josephine Saddle will have you deep in the forest. Many side trails fork at Josephine, giving you a number of opportunities other than making the trek to the top. Gardener Canyon Trail, Josephine Canyon Trail, and Temporal Gulch trail tie in at Josephine Saddle.
  • Another option at Josephine Saddle is the Agua Caliente Trail. This bears to the right once you reach Josephine. The walk to Agua Caliente is not steep, as it follows contours without huge elevation changes. The trail takes you through a pocket of aspens, one of the few in this range.
  • Hiking to Agua Caliente Saddle can be accomplished via several routes. You can access from Josephine Saddle and the Old Baldy Trail, or from the west side about a mile from the Elephant Head parking lot. The west access is much steeper, and requires a hiker to be in excellent condition as the trail is difficult and rocky.
View the list

, Santa Rita Mountains Outdoor Recreation Examiner

Ms. Strader is 40-year resident of Southern Arizona. She began her Forest Service career as a fire fighter in the Santa Rita Mountains which was the beginning of her dedication to learning as much as she could about the mountains she used to protect. ...

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