To the Bat Cave! (Or Bridge...)
Tucson is undoubtedly a special place, but not all of its beauty is of the obvious variety. Sometimes, you have to look a little below the surface to uncover hidden treasures.
Take, for example, our bat visitors! Believe it or not, this photo was taken right on our patio. Like many residents of Tucson, we have several hummingbird feeders out to attract and sustain our little fast-flying, feathered friends. Several summers ago, we began to notice that each morning, our hummingbird feeders would be completely empty-- every last one of them. As voracious as our hummingbird friends were, we knew that something else had to be taking advantage of our nectar buffet. Armed with first our trusty wildlife camera, we set out to uncover the mystery. It was official: we had bats.
Thankfully, our family is rather fond of bats. The many species of bats in the Tucson area serve an important role in keeping the insect population in check, pollinating many important plant species, and providing endless warm-weather entertainment as they swoop down to sip water from the pool. Two species in particular are primarily nectar-drinkers and can be found visiting Tucson area hummingbird feeders in late summer and early fall. They are noticeably larger than the more common Mexican free-tailed bats that can be seen flitting about in the Tucson skies.
While this isn't the best time of year right now to view bats in Tucson (the majority have migrated to warmer abodes in Mexico for the winter), it's never too early to start planning for their return. If you're looking for a sure-fire opportunity to view large number of bats in all of their natural glory-- well, Tucson has that, too! It turns out that bats like Tucson's climate and accommodations just as much as we do. The more urban bats just happen to prefer to hang out on (or rather under) bridges. There are four bridges in particular that have the perfect architecture to support bat colonization in large numbers: East Broadway over the Pantano Wash, North Campbell Avenue over the Rillito, East Tanque Verde over the Rillito, and the Ina Road bridge at the Santa Cruz River. The best viewing time is right before/at sunset when bats leave their roost to eat, and bat numbers are highest between April and October. (Be aware, if you or your pets do encounter a bat in an odd place-- such as the ground-- during the daytime, it is best to leave it alone and call animal control. This isn't common and the bat is most likely sick-- it could even be carrying rabies).
What to do while we're waiting for the bats to return? The caves around Tucson offer a great opportunity to see some of the more natural roosting spaces of bats and view some of the area's most interesting geological formations. Why go underground when Tucson has so many amazing things to see above ground? Well, honestly, because you can!
Just east of Tucson, you can find Colossal Cave, which boasts a year round temperature inside the cave of 70˚F. Although that alone qualifies it a destination during the summer months, the park has so much more to offer. With many different guided tour options, from your standard version to a flashlight tours to even a toddler-time choice, you can pick your comfort level before you go exploring (do be aware that the cave path's 300+ steps may not be for everyone). Colossal Cave is a dry cave, which means that it is no longer growing through water dripping and forming mineral deposits. The cave itself has a rich and varied history, ranging from serving to shelter native people in the area to tales of it serving as a hideaway for bandits. The area is also home to La Posta Quemada Ranch, which offers camping and picnic amenities, horseback riding, a even petting zoo. There is also a gift shop and a cafe at Colossal Cave if you are looking for a bite to eat. Colossal Cave is on the National Historic Register--the CCC helped build the access through and into the cave. Visit https://colossalcave.com for the most current tour and attraction information.
Head a little farther east, outside of town, and it is not far to Kartchner Caverns State Park. Camping and picnic spots are also available at Kartchner Caverns, and you can visit their amazing Discovery Center, gift shop, and cafe while you are there, as well. The real attraction, though, is the cave. There are different tours to choose from, but the two most common tours are the Rotunda/Throne Tour and the Big Room Tour. Here's where the bats really come back into play again: the Big Room Tour is only open mid-October to mid-April, and only to visitors 7 years or older. These restrictions are in place to protect the bats who return to this section of the cave each year to raise their young. Kartchner Caverns is a living cave-- it is still growing through the movement of water through the rock and the formation of mineral deposits. Because of this, there are significantly more restrictions in place in order to protect the cave and its formations as it continues to slowly grow and change. The reward is amazing, though! The cave is breathtaking and the amount of care that has gone into its preservation is fascinating. It is also handicapped accessible. Visit https://azstateparks.com/kartchner for more information on the history and conservation efforts of this special cave, as well as for tour times and information.
So, there you have it! Whether you look underground or to the creatures in the sky, there's no limit to what you can experience around the Old Pueblo.
Take, for example, our bat visitors! Believe it or not, this photo was taken right on our patio. Like many residents of Tucson, we have several hummingbird feeders out to attract and sustain our little fast-flying, feathered friends. Several summers ago, we began to notice that each morning, our hummingbird feeders would be completely empty-- every last one of them. As voracious as our hummingbird friends were, we knew that something else had to be taking advantage of our nectar buffet. Armed with first our trusty wildlife camera, we set out to uncover the mystery. It was official: we had bats.
Thankfully, our family is rather fond of bats. The many species of bats in the Tucson area serve an important role in keeping the insect population in check, pollinating many important plant species, and providing endless warm-weather entertainment as they swoop down to sip water from the pool. Two species in particular are primarily nectar-drinkers and can be found visiting Tucson area hummingbird feeders in late summer and early fall. They are noticeably larger than the more common Mexican free-tailed bats that can be seen flitting about in the Tucson skies.
While this isn't the best time of year right now to view bats in Tucson (the majority have migrated to warmer abodes in Mexico for the winter), it's never too early to start planning for their return. If you're looking for a sure-fire opportunity to view large number of bats in all of their natural glory-- well, Tucson has that, too! It turns out that bats like Tucson's climate and accommodations just as much as we do. The more urban bats just happen to prefer to hang out on (or rather under) bridges. There are four bridges in particular that have the perfect architecture to support bat colonization in large numbers: East Broadway over the Pantano Wash, North Campbell Avenue over the Rillito, East Tanque Verde over the Rillito, and the Ina Road bridge at the Santa Cruz River. The best viewing time is right before/at sunset when bats leave their roost to eat, and bat numbers are highest between April and October. (Be aware, if you or your pets do encounter a bat in an odd place-- such as the ground-- during the daytime, it is best to leave it alone and call animal control. This isn't common and the bat is most likely sick-- it could even be carrying rabies).
What to do while we're waiting for the bats to return? The caves around Tucson offer a great opportunity to see some of the more natural roosting spaces of bats and view some of the area's most interesting geological formations. Why go underground when Tucson has so many amazing things to see above ground? Well, honestly, because you can!
Just east of Tucson, you can find Colossal Cave, which boasts a year round temperature inside the cave of 70˚F. Although that alone qualifies it a destination during the summer months, the park has so much more to offer. With many different guided tour options, from your standard version to a flashlight tours to even a toddler-time choice, you can pick your comfort level before you go exploring (do be aware that the cave path's 300+ steps may not be for everyone). Colossal Cave is a dry cave, which means that it is no longer growing through water dripping and forming mineral deposits. The cave itself has a rich and varied history, ranging from serving to shelter native people in the area to tales of it serving as a hideaway for bandits. The area is also home to La Posta Quemada Ranch, which offers camping and picnic amenities, horseback riding, a even petting zoo. There is also a gift shop and a cafe at Colossal Cave if you are looking for a bite to eat. Colossal Cave is on the National Historic Register--the CCC helped build the access through and into the cave. Visit https://colossalcave.com for the most current tour and attraction information.
Head a little farther east, outside of town, and it is not far to Kartchner Caverns State Park. Camping and picnic spots are also available at Kartchner Caverns, and you can visit their amazing Discovery Center, gift shop, and cafe while you are there, as well. The real attraction, though, is the cave. There are different tours to choose from, but the two most common tours are the Rotunda/Throne Tour and the Big Room Tour. Here's where the bats really come back into play again: the Big Room Tour is only open mid-October to mid-April, and only to visitors 7 years or older. These restrictions are in place to protect the bats who return to this section of the cave each year to raise their young. Kartchner Caverns is a living cave-- it is still growing through the movement of water through the rock and the formation of mineral deposits. Because of this, there are significantly more restrictions in place in order to protect the cave and its formations as it continues to slowly grow and change. The reward is amazing, though! The cave is breathtaking and the amount of care that has gone into its preservation is fascinating. It is also handicapped accessible. Visit https://azstateparks.com/kartchner for more information on the history and conservation efforts of this special cave, as well as for tour times and information.
So, there you have it! Whether you look underground or to the creatures in the sky, there's no limit to what you can experience around the Old Pueblo.
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