Papa and I were up early this morning, to hike up Tumacoc Hill, about 3 miles round trip, with a 700' rise in elevation.
"Tumamoc Hill is an 860-acre ecological reserve at the edge of downtown Tucson, Arizona, owned and operated by the University of Arizona College of Science in partnership with Pima County. A large swath of beautiful Sonoran Desert in the heart of a city with over 100 years of intensive ecological science; a site of community gathering; conservation; art; archaeology; history. Tumamoc is an active research center where multiple approaches come together to better understand the Sonoran Desert and arid environments. With over 2,500 years of human use, over 100 years of science, and more visitation today than at any time of its history – Tumamoc Hill is a living laboratory, a refuge for exercise, health, and reflection."
"Tumamoc Hill is an 860-acre ecological reserve at the edge of downtown Tucson, Arizona, owned and operated by the University of Arizona College of Science in partnership with Pima County. A large swath of beautiful Sonoran Desert in the heart of a city with over 100 years of intensive ecological science; a site of community gathering; conservation; art; archaeology; history. Tumamoc is an active research center where multiple approaches come together to better understand the Sonoran Desert and arid environments. With over 2,500 years of human use, over 100 years of science, and more visitation today than at any time of its history – Tumamoc Hill is a living laboratory, a refuge for exercise, health, and reflection."
"The chief botanist of the Department of Agriculture, in 1903, convinced the Carnegie Institute to fund the creation of a Desert Laboratory near Tucson. The goal was to study desert adaptations of plants in hopes of increasing agricultural output of the desert. This research continued until the 1940's, during which time the scientists were instrumental in the development of the field of ecology in the United States. They began publishing a journal, Plant World, which later became the major journal Ecology." The Carnegie Institute erected three buildings between 1906-1914 to support the research. The Desert Laboratory was named a National Historic Landmark in 1975. The University of Arizona has ongoing research on the site today.
"Tumacoc Hill and the surrounding area was the home to the ancient Hohokam people. It is the site of the earliest known trincheras village, consisting of 160 foundations of round stone structures. Over 460 petroglyphs and a prehistoric garden beside the hill provides evidence of some of the earliest known food gardening in North America."
Besides all the history and research that has happened on Tumacoc Hill, it has spectacular views of Tucson, in every direction. We enjoyed our hike.
