Archive All Issues July 2013

CIBOLA

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The word "cibola" was first used by Fray Marcos de Niza in 1539 to describe a cluster of villages occupied by the Zuni Indian people. A year later, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, the Spanish conquistador, went in search of the Seven Cities of Cibola. He never found them - or their alleged piles of gold - but, almost 500 years later, our photographer discovered the mother lode of Mother Nature at a place with the same name.

Featured in the July 2013 Issue of Arizona Highways

At dawn, heavy fog cloaks cattail-ringed Cibola Lake, part of the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge in Southwestern Arizona. The lake is one of several in the refuge that are fed by the lower Colorado River, helping plants and wildlife survive in an environment that can reach 120 degrees in the summer.
At dawn, heavy fog cloaks cattail-ringed Cibola Lake, part of the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge in Southwestern Arizona. The lake is one of several in the refuge that are fed by the lower Colorado River, helping plants and wildlife survive in an environment that can reach 120 degrees in the summer.

camera: nikon d3x; shutter: 1/10 sec; aperture: f/16; iso: 100; focal length: 195 mm

A PORTFOLIO BY JACK DYKINGA

CIBOLA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

The Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is located along the lower Colorado River, between Yuma, Arizona, and Blythe, California. Approximately two-thirds of its 16,627 acres are in Arizona. The rest are in California. The refuge was established in 1964 to mitigate the loss of fish and wildlife habitat to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's water salvage and channelization projects along the Colorado River. Today, Cibola is home to many wildlife species, including more than 288 species of birds. On the long list are Gambel's quail, roadrunners, mourning doves, white-winged doves, phainopepla, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, snow geese, vermilion flycatchers, grosbeaks, bald eagles, Southwestern willow flycatchers, Yuma clapper rails, western grebes, Clark's grebes, barn owls, burrowing owls, kestrels, white-faced libises... and the list goes on. In addition to birds, the refuge is home to desert tortoises, mule deer, bobcats and coyotes.

DIRECTIONS: From Blythe, California, which is located just west of Quartzsite, Arizona, go west on Interstate 10 for approximately 3 miles to State Route 78 (Neighbours Boulevard). Go south on SR 78 for 12 miles to the Cibola Bridge. After crossing the bridge, continue south for 3.5 miles to the visitors center.

INFORMATION: Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, 928-857-3253 or www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/ CibolaNWR