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Locations Directory |
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| At the center of Flagstaff's
industrial district, the Rio de Flag is a
riparian oasis providing habitat for
migratory birds, elk and deer, foxes, and
various other wildlife. This stretch of the
Rio is just upstream of
Picture Canyon, another treasured
community resource, and is a current
priority for the Flagstaff Area Stream Team
collaborative and City of Flagstaff. Land
acquisition and stream restoration is
planned and partially funded by grants.
The long-term
vision for Reaches
80-100 is to restore
channel and bank
conditions and
hydrology, remove
and manage noxious
weeds, encourage
native plant growth,
improve wildlife
habitat, remove
garbage, encourage
responsible
recreation through a
planned FUTS route
and development of a
wildlife viewing
area, and ensure
long-term protection
of the area through
land donations and
acquisition. |
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Volunteers
cleaned over 8 tons on trash
from Wildcat Reach on Make a
Difference Day, 2011.
They
removed invasive weeds, planted
native trees like this
cottonwood, and inventoried the
area's archaeological sites.
Future efforts will restore this
section of the Rio de Flag to
high quality wildlife habitat. |
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Waterfowl are expected to become more
common
visitors at Wildcat Reach as the pond
and stream
channel are restored to wetland
habitat.
Click on the link to hear
some bird calls. |
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Locations Directory |
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Helpful
Tips
About This Location |
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Amenities |
None. |
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Lat/Long
(WGS 84) |
35.2241
-111.5677 |
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Access info |
Currently
there are no designated trails
to the site. Future FUTS
alignment is expected. |
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Contact |
City of
Flagstaff, (928) 774-5281. |
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Description:
This area of the Rio de Flag
includes a number of unique
features including diverse
topography, potential for
wetland, riparian and upland
vegetative diversity including
small clumps of oak, basalt
outcrops, and archaeological
sites, and affords habitat for a
range of wildlife. The area has
been altered by intensive human
use including various industrial
activities, dumping,
unauthorized recreation
(paintball "targets" erected in
the stream course), bank
alteration, and significant
invasion by noxious weeds. The
project is still in the planning
stage but restoration and
watchable wildlife site
development has begun. |
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Getting There:
This stretch of the Rio is
tucked behind the Flagstaff
Mall. From town, take Route 66
east toward the mall, exiting
right onto E. Santa Fe before
reaching Highway 89. Currently,
visitors can park along E. Santa
Fe Road, between Test Drive and
El Paso Roads, and walk down a
short dirt road (somewhat steep)
to the Rio. When runoff, rain,
or snowmelt swells the Rio,
access to the pond and north end
of the site becomes difficult.
The future addition of a FUTS
trail segment will allow easy
access for wildlife watchers, so
stay tuned!
Visit the
City's website for
current information on the
Flagstaff's urban trail system. |
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