Guadalupe Canyon

Guadalupe Canyon is a canyon and valley in the southern portion of the Peloncillo Mountains Hidalgo County, New Mexico, Cochise County, Arizona and Agua Prieta Municipality, of Sonora. The waters of Guadalupe Canyon are tributary to the San Bernardino River joining it at its mouth at 31°13′33″N 109°16′10″W just below Dieciocho de Augusto, Sonora. Its source is at 31°28′08″N 109°02′21″W at an elevation of 6,160 feet on the south slope of Guadalupe Mountain (6,444 feet). It crosses the border into Mexico at 31°19′57″N 109°05′19″W at an elevation of 4,173 feet/ 1,272 meters.[1]

Guadalupe Canyon

In 1864, the Mormon Battalion marched through Guadalupe Canyon.[2] In 1881 the Guadalupe Canyon Massacre took place.[3]

Habitat
Adult male Broad-billed Hummingbird

The canyon is a wildlife corridor and provides habitat for violet-crowned hummingbirds and aplomado falcons.[4] Other birds in the area are the broad-billed hummingbird, northern beardless tyrannulet, summer tanager, thick-billed kingbird, Elf Owl, black-tailed gnatcatcher, varied bunting, and wild turkey.[5] The black-chinned hummingbird, and Costa's hummingbird also nest in the canyon.[6]

Guadalupe canyon is also a wildlife corridor for Mexican gray wolves, and endangered jaguars, whose range bridges between the borders of both countries.[7] Black bears, mountain lions, ocelots, and white-nosed coati also use the canyon as a corridor and hunting ground. The canyon area is a federally designated critical habitat for endangered wild feline.[8]

Trees in the riparian habitat areas within the canyon include oak, Arizona sycamore, willow, and Freemont Cottonwood.[5]

Hot springs

There are two hot spring zones in Guadalupe Canyon, Guadalupe Canyon Hot Springs and the Guadalupe Canyon Oasis. Primitive rock-lined soaking pools and waterfalls are found at both areas, however the latter is more developed and features a campground with flush toilets and hot showers.[9] The hot mineral springs were used by Native Americans for centuries before the arrival of early settlers and itinerant animal herders. Thermal springs in the American Southwest were used for thousands of years, per archaeological evidence of human use and settlement by Paleo-Indians.[10] There are numerous petroglyphs and ochre-pigmented rock art throughout the canyon.[9]

Controversy

In 2020, portions of the canyon's sides were dynamited to make way for the Trump wall, prompting heavy criticism. The 30-foot tall wall is constructed from metal bollard strips with 4-inch-wide openings; not large enough for mammals and certain reptiles, such as desert tortoises to pass through.[11][12][8]

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Guadalupe Canyon
  2. Mays, Kenneth (June 4, 2014). "Picturing history: Guadalupe Canyon". Deseret News. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  3. Tefertiller, Casey (1997). Wyatt Earp: The Life Behind the Legend. New York: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0-471-18967-7. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  4. Kapoor, Maya L.; Brocious, Ariana (October 30, 2020). "In Arizona, building a wall — and destroying a canyon". High Country News. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  5. "Important Bird Areas Guadalupe Canyon New Mexico". National Audubon Society. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  6. Baltosser, William H. (1989). "Nectar Availability and Habitat Selection by Hummingbirds in Guadalupe Canyon" (PDF). Wilson Bulletin. 101 (4): 559–578. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  7. "Footage shows Further Border Destruction in Arizona Wilderness". Defenders of Wildlife. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  8. Kapoor, Maya L.; Brocious, Ariana (October 30, 2020). "In Arizona, building a wall — and destroying a canyon". High Country News. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  9. Gersh-Young, Marjorie (2011). Hot Springs and Hot Pools in the Southwest. Santa Cruz, California: Aqua Thermal. pp. 227–228. ISBN 978-1-890880-09-5.
  10. "A History of Geothermal Energy in America". U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  11. "'Largest' mountaintop border-wall blast captured on video in Arizona wilderness". FOX21 News Colorado. October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  12. Miroff, Nick. "Trump administration in an all-out push to build border wall before election". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 24, 2020.

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