NATURAL CHOICES

BOG HOLE WILDLIFE AREA

Tice Supplee, Audubon Arizona's director of bird conservation, has a special fondness for the San Rafael Valley, of which the Bog Hole Wildlife Area is a part. "I was first introduced to it when I arrived in Arizona in the early 1970s," she says. "A friend drove me to Patagonia, and we went up the road through Harshaw. We got to the top, and there were grasslands as far as the eye could see. I had no idea anything like that existed in Arizona." Bog Hole has a spring that attracts migrating birds, and Supplee's organization conducts surveys for chestnut-collared longspurs and McCown's longspurs, which breed farther north. The adjacent grassland harbors birds native to the area. The site is owned by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, and it's within the much larger San Rafael Grasslands Important Bird Area. Information: www.aziba.org

BUENOS AIRES NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

The 118,000-acre Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge sits on the site of a former cattle ranch, and it was founded as a habitat for the masked bobwhite, an endangered quail species. Captive breeding and releases of the quail occur there, but there's plenty more to see and do at the site, including more than 80 dispersed campsites, scenic roads and summer wildflowers. "It's a pretty remarkable place, as far as refuges go," says Josh Smith, a wildlife refuge specialist. "You can go just about anywhere and drive just about any of our roads." One highlight is a riparian corridor along Aravaipa Creek, where white-nosed coatis and mountain lions can sometimes be spotted. And in the southern part of the refuge is Pronghorn Drive, a 10-mile loop that offers views of its namesakes, rolling grasslands and nearby Baboquivari Peak. Information: 520-823-4251 or www.fws .gov/refuge/buenos_aires

PARKER CANYON LAKE

Sitting at an elevation of about 5,400 feet, Parker Canyon Lake provides a break from the triple-digit summer heat of Tucson and Phoenix. "It's kind of a different environment that's a nice escape from the desert," says Coronado National Forest spokeswoman Heidi Schewel. Those who navigate the winding road to reach the reservoir are rewarded with numerous recreation opportunities, including a 65-site campground, four-wheeldrive roads and hiking trails. The 132-acre lake is stocked with rainbow trout in the cooler months and channel catfish in summer, and visitors can take their own boat or rent one at the marina. "We get a wide variety of people," Schewel says, "just because there are so many things to do here."

Information: Sierra Vista Ranger District, 520-378-0311 or www.fs.usda.gov /coronado; Parker Canyon Lake Marina (rentals), 520-455-5847 or www.parkercanyonlake.com

PATAGONIA LAKE STATE PARK

Patagonia Lake State Park has 120 campsites, but about a dozen of them are pretty exclusive: You need a boat to reach them. Those looking for more accessible seclusion can find it at the park's fully furnished camping cabins, which were added in recent years. The lake itself is stocked with trout and also harbors largemouth bass, bluegills, catfish and crappies, and it hosts several fishing tournaments annually. "I've been told by some of the guys in the tournaments that this is one of the better spots in Arizona for fishing," says park manager Colt Alford. There's also a swimming area and opportunities for wildlife watching, and campers often use the park as a base for exploring nearby Madera Canyon and the area's many ghost towns.

Information: 520-287-6965 or www.azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake

PATAGONIA-SONOITA CREEK PRESERVE

"A lot of our visitors are here just for the hummingbirds," says Marty Lawrence, manager of The Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve. As many as 13 species of the tiny birds can be found at the 800-acre preserve - which was founded a half-century ago to protect a cottonwood-willow forest, a habitat that's increasingly rare in Arizona - along the surface flow of Sonoita Creek. Nearly 300 species of native and migrating birds have been documented at the site. They include the gray hawk, which is rarely spotted elsewhere in the United States. Visitors can spot them from the preserve's 3 miles of trails, which connect to other hiking routes in the Patagonia area.

Information: 520-394-2400 or www.nature.org/arizona

SAN RAFAEL STATE NATURAL AREA

Allan Clemans, an Arizona State Parks and Trails ranger who's stationed at San Rafael State Natural Area, calls the site the region's "last pristine piece of land that looks like it did 150 years ago." The 3,500-acre natural area is in the San Rafael Valley, home of the Santa Cruz River's headwaters and a population of tiger salamanders. Javelinas, bobcats and coyotes frequent the site, and scientists from the University of Arizona have set up cameras to look for jaguars. Also at the natural area is a 9,000-square-foot ranch house that was built in 1900 and used in Tom Horn, McLintock! and other films. The site is not yet open to the general public, but the state hopes to allow visitors in the near future. In the meantime, limited private use can be arranged by contacting Patagonia Lake State Park.

Information: www.azstateparks.com /san-rafael

SONOITA CREEK STATE NATURAL AREA

During the weekly guided bird walks at Sonoita Creek State Natural Area, it's possible to see dozens of different bird species, manager Colt Alford says. The abundant wildlife here is undisturbed by wheeled vehicles, which are not allowed in the natural area; entrance to the site is via Patagonia Lake State Park, and the number of daily visitors is limited to prevent environmental impact. More than 30 reptile and amphibian species, along with nearly 50 species of damselflies and dragonflies, can be spotted at the natural area. The 7-mile stretch of Sonoita Creek protected at the site is a lush riparian corridor that nourishes cottonwoods, willows and other trees.

Information: 520-287-2791 or www.azstateparks.com/sonoita-creek