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Entertainment Magazine: Tucson: Sabino Canyon
History of Sabino Canyon
By Kim LaSota
Entertainment Magazine
Sabino Canyon is to be enjoyed by all who visit. The desert, creeks, falls; mountain ridges, and riparian woodland areas make up this recreation area.
"Sabino Canyon is an ecological gem, where the average visitor can get first rate exposure to the unique Sonoran Desert." This, said Craig Anderson, former Sabino Canyon shuttle driver, is the greatest thing about the area.
The canyon itself has been around for about six million years- the work of years of erosion caused by runoff from the Santa Catalinas. The erosion· continues today, though the canyon may not look like it is changing.
Sabino was first visited as a picnic area in about 1885. The New Deal in the 1930's provided money to work on Sabino's availability as a recreation area. The stone bridges and picnic tables that exist today are originally from that era.
According to Sarah Davis, Forest Service interpretive staff o[ficer, Sabino Canyon is a place for both active and passive activities.
People with all types of interests utilize Sabino Canyon Recreation Area. Hiking, biking, power walking, evening runs, picnics, guided nature tours, and bird watching are only some of the activities that happen in the canyon. People who don't have much time or the physical ability to walk into the canyon or those who just want a relaxing view may take r advantage of the shuttle.
Sabino offers an opportunity for large group activities. "It's an area where on any given day a person may stumble across a movie set," said John Able of the Forest Service.
In fact, "Tombstone" and "Geronimo" were both filmed there in July 1993. One scene in "Geronimo" included 200 extras (local people) in a battle scene, said Able. Last October, "Posse" with Mario Van Peebles was filmed at the canyon.
"Sabino Canyon is under so many pressures," said Lazaroff who formed a group called the Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists - a group dedicated to the preservation and study of Sabino.
"As the city grows to Sabino's borders, so many people want to have it become a city park. " Tucsonans shoul d resi st thi s move and continue walking out of the city into the canyon, and enjoying nature.
The canyon is part of the Coronado National Forest and includes the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area. Overnight camping ana backpacking is allowed in the wilderness area, but not in the canyon itself.
Reprinted from Entertainment Magazine, October 1993
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Enjoy Sabino Canyon safely throughout the year.
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