Nature Attractions

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum delights visitors with their exhibits of wildlife in natural settings and fasscinating educational programs. The Museum has achieved a worldwide reputation as an institution committed to researching and protecting the land, plants, and the animals of the Sonoran Desert region.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a zoo, natural history museum and botanical garden, all in one place! Exhibits re-create the natural beauty of the Tucson desert so realistically you find yourself eye-to-eye with mountain lions, prairie dogs, Gila monsters, and more. Within the Museum grounds, you will see more than 300 animal species and 1,200 kinds of plants. There are almost 2 miles of paths traversing 21 acres of beautiful desert.

Mt. Lemmon is a rare jewel in the Arizona desert. Jutting up 9,000 feet above sea level in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, this magnificent mountain stands among towering pines and lush vegetation. The desert floor can be viewed below. Located just an hour's drive from Tucson, visitors can enjoy a day of hiking, mountain bike riding, bird watching or just relaxing in the cooler weather.

Sabino Canyon is a popular recreation area at the north edge of Tucson in the Santa Catalina foothills. People who travel to Tucson will encounter the Sonoran Desert and be able to view the several species of native wildlife and desert landscapes. The Bajada Loop Trail is located at the Visitors Center and is a nature trail which provides a way to get acquainted with the cactus that have adapted to our desert climate.

Narrated educational tours are offered daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm in an open aired tram which goes up the 3.8 miles into the canyon.

Tohono Chul Park is Arizona's center where nature, art, and culture connect. Travelers can enjoy the nature trail through our gardens and tour the exhibits in a renovated historic home. Breakfast, lunch, or afternoon tea are served in the Tea Room. Shop in the Greenhouse and Museum Shops. Tohono Chul Park is a Tucson Arizona treasure: a privately-funded, not-for-profit nature preserve offering life-long learning opportunities.

Because of the diversity of the community, exhibits are developed to create a balance between artistic, historic and cultural themes. Their exhibits are designed to appeal to a broad audience, often incorporating the contributions of children, seniors and various ethnic groups.

Tucson Botanical Gardens is located on five acres and hosts 16 specialty gardens including a historical garden, an herb garden, a butterfly garden, a cactus and succulent garden, and much more. Tucson's Botanical Garden's consists of over 4,200 individual plants. They offer many design ideas appropriate to the scale of most of Tucson's residential gardens. Come visit this urban oasis and discover the variety of plants that thrive in southern Arizona.