Aravaipa Farms
A Bed & Breakfast Country Inn

Roll up your pants legs and hike and wade through the clear and cool Aravaipa creek that runs through Carol's property.

For more serious hikers, the Arizona Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nature Conservancy manage the Aravaipa Wilderness Preserve located three miles up the creek from the Inn. The BLM allow 30 people a day to hike the 12 miles of canyon from one end of the preserve to the other. Be prepared to spend most of the day slogging up the middle of the creek, or crossing repeatedly from one bank to the other. Other canyons intersecting with the Aravaipa contain rare and beautiful ferns and other plants in varying microclimates throughout the canyon tributaries. Because only 30 people are allowed into the Aravaipa Wilderness Preserve a day, the BLM requires reservations be made three months in advance. Please call the BLM in Safford, Arizona (520) 348-4400 and make reservations for a permit prior to your stay. http://www.az.blm.gov or http://www.azcentral.com or http://www.bpbasecamp.com

Bird Watching

For amateur and serious "birders", Aravaipa is a birdwatchers paradise attracting over 400 species of birds, earning the designation by the American Bird Conservancy as the best birding in the country. The great blue heron has several colonies living along the Aravaipa year round and can be seen almost daily. Rare raptors such as Mississippi kites and a variety of hawks including the Zone-tailed, Gray and Black hawks are seen at various times throughout the year. Numerous colorful migrating birds stop at the Aravaipa on their way to their ultimate destinations including bright red Cardinals. Hummingbirds dart in and out all day long feeding on the nectar of the saguaros and flowering desert plants. The Inn provides plenty of reasons for birds to visit with Carol's whimsical bird houses made from the creek's natural materials are everywhere and hummingbird feeders beckoning these little creatures to visit.

Wildlife Watching

You can simply sit outside your patio and watch abundant wildlife and many endangered species. The main house contains the book "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert" a publication from the Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum, describing all the biodiversity and astonishing creatures you will find in Aravaipa and nearby San Pedro river. There are a hundred butterfly species, 93 mammals, and 47 amphibians and reptiles. the greatest diversity of vertebrates in the U.S. and the second highest land-mammal diversity in the world. Common creatures you may see include:

• During the summer, dusk brings out the Sonoran Desert Toads from underground burrows to feed on insects and beetles. They are harmless comical characters and come in all sizes hopping across the patios. Because their habitat is protected in the Aravaipa, they can live 20 years and achieve quite some size.
• You may encounter a rock that moves in the Aravaipa Creek, it most likely is a Sonoran Mud Turtle and during the desert rainy season (July-Sept), the Desert Tortoises can be seen lumbering across the landscape in early mornings.
• Lizards, Lizards and more lizards of every variety, color and shape can be found in Aravaipa. Most are harmless and seen everywhere on the property.
• The coyote is without a doubt the most famous desert animal, the very symbol of the west and roams the Aravaipa countryside. He's intelligent and hardy, you may see a coyote on your drive to the Inn.
• If there is prickly pear cactus, and Aravaipa has lots of it, you will find herds of javalina and their young.
• Desert Cottontails, jackrabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks will be seen on every walk or hike you make as they go about their own business feeding on seeds and caring for their young.

Seasonal Farm Activities

Organic Apricots, Peaches, you pick or we pick, last week of May and all of June

• Apricots: $1.50 a pound
• Peaches: $1.00 a pound
• Asian Pears, end of August and all of September: $1.00 a pound
• Pecans and Lemons the month of December: $1.25 a pound
• Fresh farm Eggs any time of year: $3 per dozen.

Aravaipa Farms is a working orchard farm where we make jams and jellies in our kitchen at different times of the year. Vist during the harvest and jam seasons and watch the activities or partake in a jam making class.

We will cater a Cooking Class luncheon for a minimum of (8) eight people on Wednesdays only. $35 per person. Reservations only. Call and book a fun Wednesday with DONNY our wonderful chef.

• Jan - March : Meyer lemons come into season and the canning kitchen is busy making Meyer lemon marmalade and the Inn is serving delicious Meyer lemon pies.
• May : Apricots are being picked from the orchard and kicks off the official jam making season.
• June - August : Visit during peach season and you will see the busiest time at the jam kitchen as thousands of pounds of organic peaches are harvested, stirred in copper pots and made into jam. Peach pies, peach cobblers and peach ice cream frequent the Inn's dessert menus.
• Sept - October: Crisp, sweet Asian pears are in season and harvested to make jams and chutneys. You will find crisp pear slices used in the Inn's fresh salads.

Other areas of interest

Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum - 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, Arizona 85743, 520-883-1380. A quick trip West of Tucson is the Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum which has introduced more people to the flora, fauna and habitats of this unique region than any other medium of environmental education. http://www.desertmuseum.org

Biosphere 2: An experiment in self sufficiency, the biosphere was the world's largest test tube designed as a prototype space colony. Its mission has now come down to earth and focuses on the planet's ecosystems, tackling problems like global warming and how to feed an exploding population. Biosphere 2 is located 30 miles south of Aravaipa on Highway 77 at mile marker 96.5. The center is open to the public everyday. Guided tours of the Biosphere 2 cover 3/4 mile and depart hourly. Prices are $12.95. Call 1-800-828-2462 or visit http://www.bio2.com

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