White Canyon Wilderness
Superior, Arizona

Introduction

Battle Axe Mountain adds a dramatic exclamation to this rugged and lush Sonoran Desert area south of Superior, Arizona. Other names of features inspired by the ruggedness: The Spine, The Rincon, and Copper Butte. The intrepid hiker can follow Walnut Canyon south to the Gila River, or turn up-canyon at White Canyon itself for spectacular vistas. A selection of scenary shots are at Flickr,

Reach White Canyon by driving nine miles south on SR-177, then turn west on Battle Axe Rd. for four miles. Size: 5,800 acres.


View Larger Map. Green trekker symbol is location of trailhead into White Canyon Wilderness. The pink balloon at lower left indicates location of Box Canyon. Blue balloon at top is Boyce Thompson Arboretum. Gas, food and supplies are available at Superior.

On 30 March 2014, six members of the Arizona Native Plant Society conducted a survey of plants and other biota. More than 130 plant species were identified in bloom. With their generous help I was able to greatly expand the lists here.

View of Battle Axe near trail entrance to White Canyon Wilderness.

View of Battle Axe near trail entrance to White Canyon Wilderness.

White Canyon Wilderness.

The geology of White Canyon consists largely of readily erodible volcanic rhyolite and tuff. Huge blocks of the relatively soft rock have fallen into the deep canyon passages. Above, there are numerous caves, grottos and precipitous ledges.

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Birds

Common species listed first:
Seasonal occurrence: (S)ummer, (F)all, (W)inter, (Sp)ring. Tom Lazelle kept the list during the field trip on 30 March 2014.

  1. Cactus Wren -- Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus -- S,F,W,Sp --
  2. Black-throated Sparrow -- Amphispiza bilineata -- S,F,W,Sp
  3. Rock Wren -- Salpinctes obsoletus -- S,F,W,Sp
  4. Verdin -- Auriparus flaviceps -- S,F,W,Sp
  5. Costa's Hummingbird -- Sp,S
  6. House Finch -- Carpodacus mexicanus -- S,F,W,Sp
  7. Phainopepla -- Phainopepla nitens -- F,W,Sp --
  8. Gambel's Quail -- Callipepla gambelii -- S,F,W,Sp --
  9. Gila Woodpecker -- Melanerpes uropygialis -- S,F,W,Sp --
  10. Lesser Goldfinch -- -- S,F,W,Sp
  11. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher -- Polioptila melanura -- S,F,W,Sp --
  12. Bell's Vireo -- Sp,S
  13. White-crowned Sparrow -- W,Sp
  14. White-throated Swift -- Sp,S,F
  15. Gilded Flicker -- Colaptes chrysoides -- S,F,W,Sp --
  16. Lucy's Warbler -- Sp,S
  17. Curve-billed Thrasher -- Toxostoma curvirostre -- S,F,W,Sp
  18. Loggerhead Shrike -- S,F,W,Sp
  19. Turkey Vulture -- Sp,S,F
  20. Common Raven -- Corvus corax
  21. Red-tailed Hawk --S,F,W,Sp
  22. Ash-throated Flycatcher -- Myiarchus cinerascens -- Sp,S --
  23. Northern Cardinal -- S,F,W,Sp
  24. White-winged Dove -- Zenaida asiatica -- Sp,S --
  25. American Kestrel -- Falco sparverius -- S,F,W,Sp
  26. Mourning Dove -- S,F,W,Sp
  27. Common Raven -- Corvus corax -- W,Sp
  28. Canyon Towhee -- Pipilo fuscus -- S,F,W,Sp --
  29. Ladder-backed Woodpecker -- S,F,W,Sp --
  30. Canyon Wren -- S,F,W,Sp
  31. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -- W,Sp
  32. Golden Eagle -- S,F,W,Sp - at dusk a pair was soaring majestically above a high bluff overlooking the valley below.
Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Picoides scalaris, photo © by Michael Plagens

Ladder-backed Woodpecker are more often heard than seen.

Reptiles and Amphibians

More are to be expected during the warmer months; these were seen on 30 March 2014. Follow the image-links for more information.

Ornate Tree Lizard

Ornate Tree Lizard

Red-spotted Toad

Red-spotted Toad

Greater Earless Lizard

Greater Earless Lizard

Photo © by Michael Plagens

Side-blotched Lizard

Butterflies

These were all seen on 30 March 2014. Follow the image-links for more information.

  1. Checkered White -- Pieris protodice
  2. Variable Checkerspot -- Euphydryas chalcedona
  3. Mourning Cloak -- Nymphalis antiopa
  4. Dainty Sulfur -- Nathalis iole
  5. Sleepy Sulphur -- Eurema nicippe
  6. Sara Orangetip -- Anthocharis sara
  7. Pipevine Swallowtail -- Battus philenor
  8. Marine Blue -- Leptotes marina
  9. Ilavia Hairstreak -- Satyrium ilavia !!
  10. Snout Butterfly -- Libytheana carinenta
  11. Queen -- Danaus gilipus
  12. Leilia Hackberry Butterfly -- Asterocampa leilia

Dragonflies

  1. Common Whitetail -- Plathemis lydia
  2. Filigree Skimmer -- Pseudoleon superbus
  3. Flame Skimmer -- Libellula saturata
Checkered White

Checkered White

Photo © by Michael Plagens

Red-Rock Skimmer

Mammals

These were also seen on 30 March 2014. Follow the image-links for more information.

Rock Squirrel

Rock Squirrel

Cliff Chipmunk

Cliff Chipmunk

Shrubs and Trees

This list a collaboration of six members of the Phoenix Chapter of the Arizona Native Plant Society.

  1. Desert Honeysuckle -- Anisacanthus thurberi
  2. Justicia longii
  3. Sugar Berry -- Rhus ovata
  4. Janusia Vine -- Janusia gracilis
  5. Arizona Swallowwort -- Cynanchum arizonicum
  6. Milkweed Vine -- Sarcostemma cyanchoides
  7. Sotol -- Dasylirion wheeleri
  8. Brownfoot -- Acourtia wrightii
  9. Canyon Ragweed -- Ambrosia ambrosioides
  10. Triangle-leaf Bursage -- Ambrosia deltoidea
  11. Seep Baccharis -- Baccharis salicifolia
  12. Burrobrush -- Hymenoclea salsola
  13. Desert Broom -- Baccharis sarothroides
  14. Sweet Bush -- Bebbia juncea
  15. Coulter's Brickell Bush -- Brickelia coulteri
  16. Brittlebush -- Encelia farinosa
  17. Turpentine Bush -- Ericameria laricifolia
  18. Broom Snakeweed -- Gutierrezia sarothrae
  19. Alkali Goldenbush -- Isocoma acradenia
  20. Gila Rock Daisy -- Perityle gilensis
  21. Odora -- Porophyllum gracile
  22. Sand Wash Groundsel -- Senecio flaccidus
  23. Trixis -- Trixis californica
  24. Spiny Haplopappus;Lacy Tansy Aster -- Machaeranthera pinnatifida
  25. Desert Willow -- Chilopsis linearis
  26. Perennial Rock Cress -- Arabis perennans
  27. Buckhorn Cholla -- Cylindropuntia acanthocarpa
  28. Chain-fruit Cholla -- Cylindropuntia fulgida
  29. Desert Christmas Cactus -- Cylindropuntia leptocaulis
  30. Saguaro Cactus -- Carnegiea gigantea
  31. Pink-flower Hedgehog -- Echninocereus fendleri
  32. Compass Barrel -- Ferocactus cylindraceus
  33. Graham's Pincushion Cactus -- Mammillaria grahamii
  34. Engelmann Prickly-Pear -- Opuntia engelmannii
  35. Desert Hackberry -- Celtis ehrenbergiana
  36. Netleaf Hackberry -- Celtis laevigata reticulata
  37. Canotia -- Canotia holacantha
  38. Bigroot -- Marah gilensis
  39. Catclaw Acacia -- Acacia greggii
  40. Fairy Duster -- Calliandra eriophylla
  41. Desert Rock Pea -- Lotus rigidus
  42. Parry Dalea -- Marina parryi
  43. Blue Palo Verde -- Parkinsonia florida
  44. Velvet Mesquite -- Prosopis velutina
  45. Desert Senna -- Senna covesii
  46. Scrub Live Oak -- Quercus turbinella
  47. Coachwhip -- Fouquieria splendens
  48. Arizona Walnut -- Juglans major
  49. Little-leaf Ratany -- Krameria erecta
  50. Desert Lavender -- Hyptis emoryi
  51. Desert Rose Mallow -- Hibiscus coulteri
  52. Indian Mallow -- Abutilon incanum
  53. Desert Globe Mallow -- Sphaeralcia ambigua
  54. Twinberry -- Menodora scabra
  55. Skeleton Weed -- Eriogonum deflexum
  56. Flat-topped Buckwheat -- Eriogonum fasciculatum
  57. Wright's Buckwheat -- Eriogonum wrightii
  58. Virgin's Bower -- Clematis drummondii
  59. Graythorn -- Ziziphus obtusifolia
  60. Fremont Cottonwood -- Populus fremontii
  61. Goodding's Willow -- Salix gooddingii
  62. Desert Mistletoe -- Phoradendron californicum
  63. Hop Bush -- Dodonea viscosa
  64. Jojoba -- Simmondsia chinensis
  65. Sacred Datura -- Datura wrightii
  66. Wolfberry -- Lycium exsertum
  67. Tree Tobacco -- Nicotiana glauca
  68. Desert Tobacco -- Nicotiana obtusifolia
  69. Tamarisk -- Tamarix pentandra
  70. Oreganillo -- Aloysia wrightiii
  71. Creosote Bush -- Larrea tridentata
brownfoot in dormant state

Dead leaves of Brownfoot remain attached for many months after the start of drought.

Bright hedgehog cactus blooms

The beautiful subspecies is E. fendleri bonkerae..

Skeleton Weed has all its leaves at ground level

Skeleton Weed, Eriogonum deflexum, is a widespread plant in the Sonoran Desert.


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Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 30 January 2008,
Updated 24 June 2014.