Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
swipe their hind feet backward to create two parallel furrows at the edge of their
turf, and then, in case you're too dense to take that clue, they spray urine on top of
the mounds at the end of each furrow. What they're trying to say is: “Keep Out!”
WHILE YOU'RE IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA
Besides preserving wildlife, Arizona has a folklore preserve. It was started by Dolan
Ellis, Arizona's official state balladeer and an original member of the New Christy
Minstrels. The mission of this unique place is to preserve useful and fascinating
stories, songs, and legends of successful (and not-so-successful) Arizona moments
for future generations. Each Saturday and Sunday, the preserve offers a delight-
ful program of acoustic and folk entertainment at a beautiful theater along Ram-
sey Creek.
Arizona Folklore Preserve, 56 Folklore Trail, Hereford, AZ 85615,
520-378-6165, www.arizonafolklore.com.
Letting average citizens track wild animals suits Susan Morse just fine. A renowned
tracker from Vermont and one of three original organizers of the Arizona mountain lion track
count, Morse believes that if laymen get involved in tracking wildlife, it creates momentum
for influencing the political process. The mountain lion track count, for example, gives Sky
Island Alliance a leg up when campaigning against urban development, misplaced highways,
Border Patrol fences, and other things that aren't amenable to your average mountain lion.
The term “sky islands,” in case you're wondering, describes isolated mountain ranges
separated by valleys of grassland or, in the case of Arizona and Mexico, a “sea of desert.”
The 40 ranges of Arizona's Sky Island System are among the most unusual ecosystems in
North America. They're home to four or possibly five species of native wildcats.
The Fort Huachuca Military Reservation, where the actual count takes place, has been
around since 1877, when the cavalry set up camp to protect travelers in the San Pedro Valley
from raiding Apache. In 1886, it was headquarters for the military campaign against Geron-
