In the last century, the Altar Valley was an open grassland teeming with large herds of pronghorn. Aplomado falcons swooped down on rodent prey and masked bobwhite quail calls filled the early morning summer air. Mexican wolves, black bear, and an occasional jaguar roamed the grassland, traveling between mountain ranges.

As settlements sprang up in the Altar Valley in the 1860s, the delicate balance of the ecosystem was changed. Overgrazing left the ground bare, exposing it to torrential summer rains that quickly eroded the soil. With the grass gone and natural fires suppressed, mesquite gained a foothold. The grassland could no longer support masked bobwhite quail or aplomado falcon. Pronghorn, wolves, bear, and jaguar were hunted or trapped out.

Lehmann's lovegrass, an African grass, was introduced in the 1970s to help stop erosion. While the grass did hold the soil down and was drought resistant, it was a poor substitute for the diverse native grasses it replaced. An ecosystem without its natural diversity is a bleak landscape for many wild creatures.

Try some of the over 100 miles of back roads open to vehicles, horses, and mountain bikes. Be prepared with maps, spare tire, and water for a back country experience without signed, maintained roads.

Take a guided tour of Brown Canyon; you?ll find excellent birding and a 47-foot natural bridge hidden in the upper canyon. This sycamore and live oak mountain canyon is open for guided tours only so make a reservation now!