As my previous review stated – I may come once a year – well I did but mainly because they had a free lecture of high interest to me. I didn’t think there would be so much activity – being near Easter - picnics and kids chasing Easter eggs. It is a smallish park with a few nature trails through old orchards and around ponds where you can see turtles, birds, rattlesnakes, etc. It is usually very busy with families having picnics on weekends or people who like to do watercolors in an open-air setting. Came here to listen to a short lecture by Dr. Nélida Barajas Acosta of the Intercultural Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO), about ‘Nature knows no borders, restoring transboundary connectivity and indigenous sovereignty’. Should I live nearby I would probably come here to enjoy the dark night skies.

Beautiful oasis (pun intended) in an otherwise fairly dry area. As you walk around you are reminded of the fragility of nature, us, the world. A destructive fire ripped through part of this park a few years ago and you can still see the many scars it left behind. On the other hand, it is uplifting to see how quickly it is recovering with new plants coming up. Some of them coming back naturally, others with human help.I walked all the paths I could find and it amounted to between 2 and 2.5 miles, not a very large park. One of the ponds was completely empty, another was very low, but the main one was full. Not sure if it is normal or not – just making a comment. I saw many more turtles than birds walking around. Some turtles were as big as one foot long, others only mere inches, all warming themselves in the sun after a small rain shower went through.Understandably, it shows this place has been used/occupied for over 5,500 years from hunter gatherers to several different owners up to when it became a park. Sadly, due to either drought or higher water usage from nearby population, the natural spring which used to generate 500 gallons per minute is now a mere trickle that needs to be supported by pumping well water into it. The 2022 lightning-started fire burned 225 palm trees and you can see their blackened trunks, a stark and distinctive presence in an otherwise green oasis. Forty percent of these trees were removed for safety reasons, leaving about 185 which are still monitored for signs of weakness.I think the park did an amazing job in their recovery efforts to bring the it back to ‘normal’. A difficult endeavor on any budget. If you want to visit the renovated 1870 ranch house it opens three hours later than the park hours and these hours change depending on the season, so check their website before visiting. Nice history and gallery. If you are visiting the area or living nearby, it is a nice place to visit. Once visited, however, I’m not sure I would come back too often but maybe once a year because there isn’t that much to see yet – let’s face it it’s free – you can’t go wrong with that. Enjoy!

Since I am not a fan of non-native plants, I really did not expect to like this park. But it is a truly pleasant experience, and I enjoyed seeing all the plants, trees, turtles, dragonflies and even the palm trees.

What an incredible place. A beautiful drive takes you to this immaculate shaded oasis, a small lake surrounded by palm trees. Lots of shaded seating areas, benches and a small dock. The visitor center has limited hours but contains an art gallery. Spotless restrooms were open, water station for filling bottles available. ADA. Pets are welcome on leash.

We just happened upon this remarkable park that is tucked away on the east side of Tucson. We happened to see it on a map as, being a county park, it does not advertise extensively.This is one of the best features of the area - with no admission fee. With plenty of paved parking, wide paved trails, and an open door to pets, the park is a winner.It's reason for being is amazing. Water from the snow slowly seeps into fissures in the mountains and emerges in springs which feed three large ponds. The water is full of wildlife and palms have been planted which result in the exotic feel of a desert oasis.This is also a nature preserve which carefully guards the ecosystem so visitors should be respectful. From Wed. until the end of the week, the original ranch house is open for tours. Information includes the settling of the area, the building and expansion of the house, and the history of local agriculture. The house also includes an art gallery. There are comfortable bathrooms, benches, picnic tables and water fountains to make your stay complete.