Scotia Canyon #127

This canyon got its name from the fact that two brothers from Nova Scotia once owned a ranch here. Since the head of Scotia Canyon is one of the lowest places in the Huachuca Range, it has served as a traditional travelway for as long as humans, or other animals for that matter, have tried to get from one side of these mountains to the other. Scotia Canyon is also blessed with plentiful water (in ponds, not for drinking) which brought ranchers to the area and provided another reason for travelers to pass this way. Much of the trail follows the course of Scotia Creek, which provides excellent birdwatching in a healthy and diverse riparian area. Elegant trogons are regularly seen here, as are a number of other interesting species of songbirds. If you have a sharp eye and proceed quietly, there is plenty of other watchable wildlife in the area as well, including coatimundi, javelina, and Coues white-tailed deer. Recently, the Scotia Canyon Trail was designated a segment of the Arizona Trail, which will eventually lead from the Mexican border to the Utah state line. As part of the process of that designation the trail has been extended all the way to Parker Canyon Lake, adding more areas of interest to an already diverse trip. If you come here to travel one more segment of the Arizona Trail, or to enjoy the Scotia Canyon Trail was designated a segment of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, which crosses the state from the Mexican border to the Utah state line.