Friends of The San Pedro River

Friends of The San Pedro River We help protect the San Pedro River through public outreach.

Events this Weekend, October 3 and 4We have two free docent-led walks coming up this weekend:- Nature Walk at the San Pe...
09/28/2026

Events this Weekend, October 3 and 4

We have two free docent-led walks coming up this weekend:
- Nature Walk at the San Pedro House, Saturday, 10/3, at 9 am
- Butterfly Walk at the San Pedro House, Sunday, 10/4, at 10 am

Check the events we just posted for the details on these. Should be great weather - make plans to attend today.

October Events CalendarSeptember is coming to its end and that means it is time for our Friends of the San Pedro River s...
09/27/2026

October Events Calendar

September is coming to its end and that means it is time for our Friends of the San Pedro River schedule for docent-led walks. This lists the dates, times, and locations for each. All of these walks are free and open to all.

Want more information about? We will post Facebook events for each over the next few days. There you will find a description, directions, and pretty much anything you might need to know.

We are very proud of these walks. They are a unique local resource. Make plans to attend them today!

Jan Davids Art Exhibit Features the San Pedro RiverJan Talmadge Davids’ works of art portraying the natural world of the...
09/27/2026

Jan Davids Art Exhibit Features the San Pedro River

Jan Talmadge Davids’ works of art portraying the natural world of the San Pedro River are now on display at the Phoenix Art Museum. Having grown up in Benson, the river has been part of her life, including being an active volunteer with the Friends.

Jan was recently awarded the Lehman Emerging Artist award. As part of the award, her work will be on display at the Museum through next January.

Jan's focus is on the San Pedro River ecosystem and the impact of the changing climate. It includes sculptures of the endangered water umbel and eryngo and her most recent work, sculptures of the birds seen along the river.

Headed to Phoenix? We recommend a stop at the Art Museum. There are many great exhibits there, including Jan's. Here are some pictures.

Spotlight on Millville - Tour on October 17thMillville was home to two Tombstone era silver mills. Here you will also fi...
09/26/2026

Spotlight on Millville - Tour on October 17th

Millville was home to two Tombstone era silver mills. Here you will also find panels of ancient Native American petroglyphs. All of this is visible along the Millville and Petroglyph Discovery Trail. The trailhead and parking area are located on Charleston Road between Sierra Vista and Tombstone. The entrance is about a half mile east of the river, on the north side of the road. Look for the fire danger warning side along the road. It is open sunrise to sunset and it is free.

Attached is a map of the area and a few pictures. This is about a 2.5 miles walk, total, The trail is generally easy, but you do have to climb down a slope into and back out of a wash.

This is one of the great historic walks in our area. Get out and enjoy it. Mornings are lovely now that summer is finally coming to an end.

Last Week's Birding WalkFSPR birding docent Steve Tracey sent us this report on this week's bird watching walk he led at...
09/26/2026

Last Week's Birding Walk

FSPR birding docent Steve Tracey sent us this report on this week's bird watching walk he led at the San Pedro House. The fall migrations are now going on. Plan to attend one of our great, free walks soon!

"The weather was threatening this morning but the forecast promised improving conditions and that's exactly what we got for the San Pedro House birding walk. I suspect the threat of rain kept folks away as we had just 4 locals on the walk, but while the birders didn't show up, the birds did.

It was the best fall migration day we have had this year as we found several mixed flocks of migrants. Highlights included 7 warbler species (Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's, Black-throated Gray, Nashville, Orange-crowned, MacGillivray's, Lucy's) which surprisingly didn't include Northern Yellow Warbler for the first time since they arrived in spring. Also of note were 4 vireo species (Cassin's, Plumbeous, Western Warbling and Bell's). Especially unusual for the walk were four species of swallows (NRW, Tree, VG, and Barn). At almost any point in the walk you could look up and see swallows moving through. Just a really nice, birdy fall migration morning.

The Friends of the San Pedro River leads birding walks every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. For the next several months the walks start at 7:00a. The walks leave from the BLM’s San Pedro House south of State Route 90 just west of the San Pedro River. We walk about 4km and are out for about three hours. Bring your own binoculars, a hat and water.

The next San Pedro River birding walk is on Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00a."

Wilson's warbler

More shots from Green Kingfisher Pond in 2002Here are a few more pictures from the set taken at GKP in 2002, only a few ...
09/25/2026

More shots from Green Kingfisher Pond in 2002

Here are a few more pictures from the set taken at GKP in 2002, only a few years after the release of beavers into the river. You can see their impact. Beavers cut trees to access the cambium, the nutrient rich inner layer and new growth . They were denuding the pond to the point where mesh fences were erected around some of the trees. These mesh fences are still there, long after the beavers have gone.

Beavers in the house!Speaking of beavers, here is photo taken during the release of beavers into San Pedro in 1999. The ...
09/25/2026

Beavers in the house!

Speaking of beavers, here is photo taken during the release of beavers into San Pedro in 1999. The only name we have is Mike Fredlake, BLM wildlife manager and project lead, in the upper right. This success was a great success at first, with the population trailing off after a decade as conditions for habitat along the river deteriorated.

Your Pictures - Lynn Daniels-AndersonLynn sent us this picture with this caption: "Down by the river, right at the entra...
09/25/2026

Your Pictures - Lynn Daniels-Anderson

Lynn sent us this picture with this caption: "Down by the river, right at the entrance to the path that's closed due to mud. It's like this beauty was warning us to stay off the path." Nice, thank you Lynn.

Great idea! We could post snakes to warn people away from trail segments that are not up to spec. Might be hard to keep them there.

It's a fact that snakes will seek shade on hot, sunny days. Leads back to our general rule: never put your feet or hands (or butt, head, or any body part), anyplace you have not looked first! Roughly 80% of bites are on the hands, people working in brush, handling or moving snakes, etc.

Have pictures of the river, its inhabitants, or anything else you encounter in the SPRNCA? Send them to us via an email to [email protected]. We would love to share them here. Thanks!

Your Pictures - Steve CappsThis photo, taken in May, shows a great blue heron fledgling born and raised along the San Pe...
09/25/2026

Your Pictures - Steve Capps

This photo, taken in May, shows a great blue heron fledgling born and raised along the San Pedro near the House. These large wading birds have nests in the cottonwoods at intervals along the river. Many of these nests are used for years, perhaps by the same birds. You cam see their large tracks along the river. Another example of the importance of the riparian forest to avian life.

Thanks for the great photo, Steve!

Have pictures of the San Pedro River or anything in the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area? Please send them to us to share here. Attach them to an email sent to [email protected]. Thanks!

Address

9800 E. Highway 90
Sierra Vista, AZ
85635

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Sunday 9am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+15204592555

Website

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