Locations >

Peppersauce Canyon

Peppersauce Canyon is a fantastic place to bird in Pinal County. It has the advantage of location in the far south part of the county where it can draw in birds from further south, elevation at 4700 feet where it attracts higher elevation birds, and riparian areas where creeks and a pipe drip attract many birds during drought.

I will assume that your GPS can get you to the town of Oracle located North of Mt. Lemmon. Whether you come in on Highway 77 from the east or west, you need to access East American Avenue. From E American Ave, you look for E Mt. Lemmon Highway. This paved road takes you past Oracle State Park and directly to Peppersauce Campground located in the canyon. Only the last 2 miles is unpaved, but it is still a pretty good road to the campground. Parking in the campground requires you to pay a day use fee so I recommend parking up Rice Peak Rd. There are several dirt areas to park, some campsites, in the first 0.2 miles. Traveling any further up this road requires a high clearance and probably 4-wheel drive vehicle.

The campground is an excellent place to bird. It has fully mature Sycamores, AZ Walnuts, and White Oaks with plenty of mid-story Hackberry, Acacia, and Mesquite for birds to utilize. When you arrive you will likely be greeted by a family of Acorn Woodpeckers or a rafter of Wild Turkeys. The small-area campground is rarely full based on my 10 visits, but I imagine it gets pretty busy during the Spring. The dirt road that accesses the campground also accesses the Rite of Passage School. This part of the canyon is closed to all except those with permits to enter.

When I bird here, I circle the campground twice, once in early morning and once late morning. In between, I hike (or drive if the road is not too rutted from rains) up to the water drip 0.9 miles up Rice Peak Rd. This area is the hotspot of bird activity during droughts and normal dry periods in AZ. During these times, birds regularly come in for drinks. During rains and extensive periods after heavy rains, the creek runs. During these times the water drip area is not as productive because the birds are more spread out. I have only hiked another 0.1 mi further up Rice Peak Rd.

My biggest find at Peppersauce was the Sulfur-bellied Flycatcher that was not only a new record for Peppersauce, but surprisingly a Pinal County record.