Oracle State Park


Oracle State Park is a state park of Arizona, USA, preserving in the northeastern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is named after the nearby town of Oracle. Oracle State Park serves as a wildlife refuge, and is open every day from 9am - 5pm. In October 2011 Arizona State Parks agreed to reopen Oracle on a limited basis with a $40,000 budget if the park's Friends group can raise $21,000 in additional funds. The park has more than of hiking trails, including of the Arizona Trail.

History

For 75 years a ranching family owned the property that now comprises Oracle State Park. The family gave the property to the Defenders of Wildlife organization in 1976, and ten years later, the land was donated to the state of Arizona to create a preserve.

Flora and fauna

Plants

The most common plants in Oracle State Park are prickly pear and cholla cactus, scrub oak, mesquite, many wildflowers, and the occasional piñon and juniper. A solitary saguaro cactus is located in the park. The original ranch house, which was converted to be the park headquarters, has some cypress trees nearby.

Wildlife

Bird species include red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, prairie falcons, black-throated sparrows, Gambel's quail, cactus wrens, pyrrhuloxia, northern mockingbirds, northern flickers, common poorwills, northern cardinals, and great horned owls. Many mammals inhabit the park, such as ringtails, javalinas, cougars, rock squirrels, desert cottontails, black-tailed jackrabbits, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. Reptiles and amphibians found in the area include the western box turtles, Arizona alligator lizards, Colorado River toads, bull snakes, and western diamondback rattlesnakes.

Kannally Ranch House

The Kannally Ranch House is a historic house museum with original art and historic photos. The four-level adobe home was constructed between 1929 and 1933, features Mediterranean and Moorish architectural influences and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Center for Environmental Education

The purpose of the park is to "protect the designated wildlife refuge and act as an environmental learning center." Before closure the park offered natural history and environmental education programs for school and adult groups, including trail walks, workshops, presentations and special events.