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There’s an odd quirk of human behavior where we tend to take the things around us for granted. When I was about ten I read that a large percentage of New Yorkers had never been out to the Statue of Liberty (this was pre-9/11, obviously). I was flabbergasted—growing up in Arizona I couldn’t imagine being that close to one of this country’s most beloved symbols of democracy and choosing not to see it.

Well, time marched on and fifteen years later as I took my first glance at the vast chasm that is the Grand Canyon I realized that I was one of those people! One of the most photographed gorges in the world, in my own home state, and I was just getting around to visiting it… (To be entirely truthful, my folks took me to the canyon once when I was four—so I had been there before but does it really count if you can’t remember it?)

As you may have noticed, I relish digging deep into the history and curiosities of the places we visit. When we land in a spot Lance and I aspire to get the feel of the place, beyond the tourist traps (though those are endless sources of amusement), to learn the nuts and bolts of the town/city/region. Often times we choose our stops because we have friends or family in the area—insider information is invaluable! As a result of my insatiable curiosity we occasionally end up knowing more about an area than the folks that live there.

I know that I did not expend nearly that amount of time or energy on learning Tucson’s story all those years I lived here. It wasn’t until last year when we returned to the Old Pueblo for the winter that I assigned myself that research task. As a result Lance and I both learned quite a few new things about our “hometown.” This winter we are back in Tucson, avoiding the cold weather of the north country, and exploring other new facets of the area. Before I tell you about our latest find I thought I’d share this quote since I think it sums up my point quite nicely, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” (Marcel Proust)

Back in 2004 the residents of Pima County (including us) passed a measure allotting funds for the purchase and protection of open space and biologically sensitive habitats. As one of the fastest-growing regions in the country the Tucson area was losing half an acre per hour to sprawl. The very first purchase was Sweetwater Preserve, an almost-700-acre tract of pristine land in the Tucson Mountains. The land, once owned by a group of investors (including Tucson’s favorite songbird Linda Ronstadt), remains the largest undeveloped section left on the east side of the Tucsons. The hiking, biking, and equestrian trails out at the Preserve opened during the summer, with an official ribbon cutting this October.

The open space preserve took its name from the Sweetwater Wash, a major watershed and valuable riparian corridor, which flows through it. The wash eventually drains into the Santa Cruz River (as all waterways eventually do in the Tucson area) not far from where we are spending the winter. Biological surveys of the Preserve documented 110 avian, 5 amphibian, 40 reptilian, over 40 mammalian, and 610 plant species—including several that are threatened: the Gila Monster, Desert Tortoise, and Tiger Rattlesnake. Also seen in the Tucson Mountains, though not officially recognized as residing in the Preserve, are the Cactus Ferruginous Pygmy-owl and the Lesser Long-nosed Bat, both of which are on the federal endangered species list. (Technically, our Pygmy-owl was delisted in 2006 but the Arizona Game and Fish Department is attempting to get the bird re-listed.)

Perhaps the biggest surprise for Lance and I during our fact-gathering was that the Tucson Mountains are considered the “richest known parcel of bee real estate in the world” according to bee expert Stephen L. Buchmann. Buchmann estimates there are between 1,000 and 1,200 species of bees residing in the second smallest of Tucson’s mountain ranges. One might guess that the tiny Tucsons, with their highest point—Wasson Peak—topping out at a measly 4,687 feet, would offer a fairly homogenous environment. Defying logic, the range encompasses a surprising diversity of micro-habitats.

Not only does the Preserve protect valuable Sonoran Desert habitat but the land bears evidence of Tucson’s long and varied history. Trincheras, Spanish for fortifications, is a term archaeologists use to describe shallow, man-made terraces of rock, that line the slopes of the mountains. Dates for the creation of the trincheras range from A.D. 200 to 1350, depending on their location in the Tucsons. Archaeologists believe the Hohokam built the low rock walls in an effort to catch soil and rainfall for agricultural purposes. More evidence of the Hohokam is hinted at by small piles of broken lithics (flakes left behind during the knapping of stone tools) scattered throughout the Preserve; Lance and I stumbled across one such pile during our most recent hike.

Many years later another group climbed into the hills and began piling up more volcanic rocks. This time it was the Civilian Conservation Corps who built over 100 check dams on the various drainages. The dams were built in 1936 to control erosion and provide pools of water for the cattle the CCC was grazing in the Tucsons. Though long since silted in 52 of the check dams are protected within the confines of the Preserve.

With cattle come ranchers and by the 1940s many of the hard-working ranches in the Tucson area found a new and unlikely source of income: tourists. The Sun Circle Ranch in the Tucson Mountains invited paying guests to come out to Arizona and experience the “Old West.” Still remaining in the Preserve are some of the trails the ranch built for its horse-loving clientele. The old horse trails combined with newly created ones were designed in a series of loops that provide the outdoor enthusiast with over 10 miles of scenic desert choices.

Though we have been out there several times already we have yet to hike all the trails and have seen something new and different each time. This last time we were treated to a glimpse of Mule Deer, who nervously watched us watch them, a feeding American Kestrel, and a clever Red-tailed Hawk perched on the ridge across from the trail—waiting, we supposed, for us to flush out a Desert Cottontail which would make for a tasty meal.

One of the Preserve’s more stunning attributes is the sizable saguaro forest not far from the main entrance. Even after growing up surrounded by these large cactuses (I used to think the correct plural was cacti but I learn something new every day) their immense size and almost whimsical shapes never cease to amaze me. Near the center of this dense collection of saguaros is a rare cristate, or crested, specimen. Scientists still aren’t sure why a tiny portion of saguaros develop these unique tops though some think the deformities are the result of trauma. Thankfully, these special saguaros seem just as healthy as their neighbors.

As we hiked along admiring the tall cactuses we noticed that two of them sported arrows (the modern kind), perhaps accidentally placed there by bow and arrow hunters with bad aim or instead purposely shot at by some disturbed humans—we’ll never know. As we stood atop the ridge and gazed across the Tucson valley it was easy to understand why the area has attracted people for thousands of years. Hopefully, this beautiful Preserve will amaze future generations for many more.

Photos: View our photographs from Sweetwater Preserve.