Section one of my Sky Island traverse and biodiversity project is happening in the beautiful and rugged Tortolita Mountains. And with under one week to my start date, I figured now was the perfect time to share a bit about this range and what makes it special.
The full length of the Tortilita range’s south slopes from my position looking north.
I am so excited to explore this range, as it’s the nearest to my home and one of the places I hike, make photography and recreate the most. This is also a Sky Island I see daily, as it’s so close. To me, the Tortolitas are such a perfect example of what folks think of when they think of mountains in the Sonoran Desert. They’re very rugged, full of saguaro cacti and the wildlife is everywhere!
Due to the terrain and flora of the range, it’s also the Sky Island I am most uncomfortable with. It’s low elevation means it gets brutal hot. And with that, wildlife I am not used to at all thrives. Creatures like rattlesnakes and javelina; scorpions and bats!
The water sources are far and few. And I pretty much have no clue what to expect. Cheers to adventure! I assume this range will blow my mind.
The geology of the Tortolita Mountains is influenced by the broader tectonic processes occurring in the southwestern United States, particularly within the Basin and Range Province. This province is characterized by its extensional tectonics, where the Earth's crust is being pulled apart, leading to the formation of elongated mountain ranges, separated by elongated valleys known as grabens.
The Basin and Range Province is a result of the interaction between the North American Plate and the Pacific Plate. As the two plates interact, the western edge of the North American Plate is being stretched, causing it to crack and fracture. This stretching leads to the formation of normal faults, where one block of the Earth's crust drops down relative to the other along a steeply inclined fault plane.
In the case of the Tortolita Mountains, they are situated along one of these normal faults, known as the Tortolita Fault. The fault has experienced significant displacement over millions of years, with the block on the east side of the fault dropping down relative to the block on the west side. This movement has uplifted the Tortolita Mountains on the west side of the fault, creating the rugged landscape we see today.
The faulting and uplift associated with the Tortolita Fault have also influenced the drainage patterns in the region, with streams and rivers carving deep canyons and valleys as they flow across the fault zone. In general, the geology of the Tortolita Mountains is a product of the interplay between tectonic forces, erosion, and sedimentation over millions of years, resulting in the distinctive landscape we get to experience today.
The Tortolita Mountains serve as a hotspot for biodiversity within the Sonoran Desert, harboring a diverse range of plant species due to variations in elevation, soil types, and microclimates. This diversity is evident in the presence of various plant communities, like desert scrub, oak woodland, and riparian habitats along seasonal washes and streams.
While not as well-studied as some other Sky Island ranges, the Tortolitas likely host several plant species that are endemic to the region, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. These endemic species may have evolved unique adaptations to the specific environmental conditions found in the Tortolita Mountains, further contributing to the range's distinctiveness.
The wildlife is as biodiverse as the plant life in the Tortolitas. The Tortolitas are habitat to several federally endangered species including the lesser long-nosed bat and the cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl; along with several federal species of concern including the Allen’s big-eared bat, the Arizona shrew, Swainson’s hawk, Western burrowing owl and lowland leopard frog.
Some of the other species that call this range home are:
Mammals: Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) Coyote (Canis latrans) Mountain Lion (Puma concolor) Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) Bobcat (Lynx rufus) Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
Birds: Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida) Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii) Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi) Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium gnoma) Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)
A western diamondback rattlesnake heading into his creosote bush.
Reptiles: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) Sonoran Desert Tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum) Coachwhip Snake (Masticophis flagellum) Sonoran Coralsnake (Micruroides euryxanthus) Sonoran Whipsnake (Masticophis bilineatus) Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) Regal Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma solare) Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake (Lampropeltis pyromelana) Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans) Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister) Sonoran Desert Toad (Incilius alvarius)
Invertebrates: Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis spp.) Desert Tarantulas (Aphonopelma varieties) Giant Desert Centipede (Scolopendra heros) Western Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus hesperus) Tailless Whipscorpion (Phrynus marginemaculatus) Giant Desert hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis) Western Hercules Beetle (Dynastes grantii) Arizona Unicorn Mantis (Phyllovates chlorophaea) Giant Sonoran Desert Centipede (Scolopendra polymorpha) Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus) Hairy Desert Scorpion (Hadrurus spadix)
This is in no way a comprehensive list, so as you can imagine, the biodiversity is just magnificent and something to be amazed by. The conservation of this range and the protection of these varied habitats is important. There are few places on earth this rich and unique where wildlife is concerned.
Conservation efforts in the Tortolita Mountains:
Tortolita Preserve: The Tortolita Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Tortolita Mountains, has been instrumental in advocating for the establishment of a Tortolita Preserve. This preserve protects critical habitat and wildlife corridors while providing opportunities for low-impact recreation. Their work includes acquiring land through conservation easements and working with government agencies to designate the preserve.
Invasive Species Management: Conservation groups and Marana Parks & Rec land managers actively monitor and control invasive plant species, such as buffel grass, in the Tortolita Mountains to prevent them from outcompeting native vegetation. Efforts include manual removal, herbicide application, and revegetation projects to restore native plant communities and enhance habitat for wildlife.
Trail Stewardship: Marana Parks & Rec, and the Tortolita Alliance work to maintain and improve trails in the range while minimizing environmental impacts. Employees and volunteers participate in trail maintenance projects such as erosion control, trail clearing, and signage installation to ensure sustainable recreational access while protecting sensitive habitats. I want to add a more personal note here to really compliment the trail stewardship that happens in these mountains. Dedicated folks like Kim and Matthew with Marana P&R care deeply for this range and are amazing naturalists as well as stewards.
Wildlife Connectivity: Wildlife corridors are essential for maintaining genetic diversity and enabling species to move between fragmented habitats in the Tortolita Mountains. Conservation groups collaborate with landowners and agencies to identify and protect key wildlife corridors through land acquisition, habitat restoration, and wildlife monitoring efforts.
Cultural Resource Protection: The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office works with land managers to identify and protect cultural resources in the Tortolita Mountains, including archaeological sites and historic structures. Measures such as site monitoring, fencing, and interpretive signage help preserve cultural heritage while allowing for responsible visitation and education.
Fire Management: Due to the risk of wildfires in the desert environment, fire management strategies are implemented to reduce the threat to human communities and natural resources in the Tortolita Mountains. This includes prescribed burns, fuel reduction projects, and public education campaigns to promote fire safety and awareness.
Water Resource Conservation: Riparian areas in the Tortolita Mountains are valuable habitats for wildlife and serve as corridors for plant dispersal. Conservation efforts focus on protecting these riparian zones from degradation due to erosion, invasive species, and human impacts through habitat restoration projects and water conservation initiatives.
By implementing specific conservation strategies, folks of all kinds in the Tortolita Mountains are working together to safeguard the range's natural and cultural heritage for future generations.
Marana Parks & Rec does an absolutely amazing job of getting folks excited and interested in the nature of the Tortolita Mountains. Most weeks you can find Kim, Matthew or Jay leading hikes while they educate and teach Leave No Trace.
Cultural history of the Tortolita Mountains
I’m not super knowledgeable in this realm, but I’ve been working to educate myself on the cultural history of Arizona in general. So this is not extensive and it’s likely not perfect. But it definitely is something that needs to be touched on in order to understand the magnificence of these mountains.
The Hohokam culture was a prehistoric Native American civilization that thrived in the Sonoran Desert region of present-day Arizona from approximately 200 to 1450 AD. The term "Hohokam" comes from the O'odham language, meaning "those who have gone" or "all used up," reflecting the modern-day Tohono O'odham people's perspective on the abandoned ruins left by their ancestors.
The Hohokam established a network of settlements across the Sonoran Desert, including the Tortolita Mountains and surrounding areas. These settlements ranged from small homesteads to large villages, some of which were fortified with defensive walls.
One of the most distinctive features of the Hohokam culture was their extensive canal systems, which allowed them to harness water from rivers and seasonal streams to irrigate their fields. The Hohokam constructed hundreds of miles of canals, some of which are still visible in the landscape today. These canals facilitated agricultural productivity and supported the growth of complex societies in the arid environment of the Sonoran Desert.
The Hohokam were skilled artisans known for their distinctive pottery styles. Hohokam pottery is characterized by intricate designs painted in red-on-buff or black-on-red pigments, often featuring geometric patterns, animal motifs, and stylized human figures.
Petroglyphs are images carved or pecked into rock surfaces using stone tools. They are typically found on exposed rock faces, boulders, and cliff walls and can be found throughout the Tortolita Mountains.
Some petroglyphs in the Tortolita Mountains.
As always, I will be mindfully implementing Leave No Trace practices in the Tortolita range. It’s truly a special Sky Island and by doing my part to sustain its wild beauty, I should have good luck with wildlife and be able to get to know these mountains in a much deeper sense.
If you’ve got any questions about Section One of my Sky Island Traverse, drop em in the comment section!