Sabino Canyon Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Sabino Canyon
The canyon in 2002
Sabino Canyon Location in Arizona
Geography
Location	Santa Catalina Mountains, Arizona, United States
Topo map	Sabino Canyon, AZ
Rivers	Sabino Creek

Sabino Canyon is a beautiful and important canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest. It's just north of Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. Sabino Canyon is a super popular spot for people to explore and have fun. It's a great place to walk, hike, or even ride a bike.

Even though it's close to the desert, you'll find cool waterfalls along Sabino Creek, with small bridges built over them. Lots of animals live here, like deer, javelinas (they look like wild pigs!), skunks, tortoises, rattlesnakes, and even mountain lions.

The Story of Sabino Canyon
- How the Canyon Was Formed
- Big Changes and New Buildings
Exploring Sabino Canyon by Shuttle
- The Sabino Canyon Shuttle Service
When the Water Rises: Flooding in the Canyon
- How Floods Affect the Canyon
Helping Sabino Canyon Stay Beautiful
- Friends of Sabino Canyon
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The Story of Sabino Canyon

How the Canyon Was Formed

The amazing story of Sabino Canyon began over 12 million years ago! That's when the Santa Catalina Mountains started to form. Around 5 million years ago, the mountains stopped growing around the Tucson valley.

The kinds of plants we see today first appeared between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago. Some of the very first people to live in Sabino Canyon were the Native American Hohokam people.

Big Changes and New Buildings

In 1887, a huge earthquake in Sonora, Mexico, shook the area. This earthquake caused giant rocks to break off the canyon walls and fall into the valley below.

In 1905, the new U.S. Forest Service started to take care of Sabino Canyon. Later, during the Great Depression, special government programs like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Emergency Relief Administration (ERA) helped build things. They built Sabino Dam and nine bridges over Sabino Creek. Their goal was to build a road all the way to the top of Mount Lemmon. The road goes about 4.5 miles into the canyon, but it was never finished because the land became too steep.

Exploring Sabino Canyon by Shuttle

The Sabino Canyon Shuttle Service

The first shuttle service in Sabino Canyon started in October 1978. After that, regular cars were not allowed in the canyon. This meant visitors could only reach Upper Sabino Canyon by walking, biking, or taking the shuttle.

Sabino Canyon Tours began in May 1985. They help visitors experience the beautiful views of the canyon. The shuttle service was stopped for a short time in 2018 but started again in March 2019. Now, they use quiet electric shuttle buses.

When the Water Rises: Flooding in the Canyon

How Floods Affect the Canyon

Sometimes, heavy thunderstorms can cause floods in Sabino Canyon. On July 31, 2006, a big flood washed out a bridge at Rattlesnake Creek. This meant the shuttle could only go part of the way into the canyon.

Many other parts of the road also got damaged by the flood. There was a lot of mud and debris scattered everywhere. Luckily, the shuttle service was fully fixed, and the tram can now complete all nine stops again.

Helping Sabino Canyon Stay Beautiful

Friends of Sabino Canyon

It costs a lot to take care of Sabino Canyon, especially with over a million visitors each year. Government money hasn't always been enough. That's why a group called Friends of Sabino Canyon was started in 1993. This non-profit group helps raise extra money to keep Sabino Canyon special.

Friends of Sabino Canyon has given almost $500,000 for projects in the canyon. This money has helped fix trails after the Aspen Fire. It has also paid for a water well, cool exhibits at the visitor center, and new entrance areas. They even support research on animals like bats, amphibians, and reptiles. They also helped restore old buildings and stone work from the Great Depression era.

To raise money, Friends of Sabino Canyon holds an outdoor holiday concert called "Music in the Canyon" every year. People who donate a lot of money are honored with special hand-painted tiles at the canyon's entrance. These tiles show different Southwestern designs.