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PICTURE
CANYON NATURAL and CULTURAL PRESERVE
Bridge over the Rio de Flag
On the industrial
side of the tracks a few miles east of Downtown Flagstaff, a tiny preserve set
between the unglamourous footprints of a wastewater plant and public works
facility interrupts the churn of municipal infrastructure with a surprising corridor
of green.
Deep water pond near wastewater treatment plant 
Mt. Elden (left) and Sheep Hill cindercone viewed from the trails
Picture
Canyon Natural and Culture Preserve protects a swath of rare habitats and human
history huddled around a perennially moist branch of the Rio de Flag watershed,
a natural stream system with headwaters at the base of the San Francisco Peaks and
Mount Elden that flows in ephemeral tendrils through Flagstaff.
Slimleaf lima bean blooms May - October 
Mountain tansy mustard bloom July - August
Named for panels of petroglyphs (rock art) etched into stone along one of the site’s three trails, the 478-acre parcel protects sensitive terrain, Native American heritage sites and wildlife habitats.
Along with
a 1.2-mile section of the 800+-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail that bisects it,
the preserve’s Tom Moody and Don Weaver trails provide easy walking tours that
tie in visits to a deep-water pond, historic railroad trestle, waterfall,
pithouse, petroglyphs and a crossing of the Rio de Flag waterway by way of a wooden
bridge. For longer hikes, the trails also connect with the 44-mile, city-circling Flagstaff Loop Trail. 
Pine-oak woodlands: one of several eco zones in the preserve 
Preserve trails link with the AZT and Flagstaff Loop
The
compact preserve on the drier, leeward (a.k.a. “rain shadow”) side of San
Francisco Mountain packs in an amazing snapshot of Northern Arizona’s biodiversity
in an ordinarily semi-arid environment.
Signs at the petroglyph site detail their significance 
Buffalo gourds bloom May-Aug along the Rio de Flag
Basalt
canyons, slopes and a variety of soil types create niches that foster myriad microclimate
zones including meadows, pine forests, floodplains, and riparian corridors rife
with willow and reeds. 
A perennially flowing segment of the Rio de Flag
The
preserve also serves native wildlife by providing a contiguous land bridge that
allows elk, deer, and other animals to circumvent urban areas and safely cross
between grasslands, forests, and wetlands.
Colorful layers of Sheep Hill cindercone
Prairie coneflower bloom Jun-Oct 
Tom Moody trail traces the Rio de Flag floodplain
Listed on the
National Register of Historic Places and designated as both a Northern Arizona
Audubon Bird Sanctuary and an Arizona Game & Fish Department Arizona
Watchable Wildlife Experience site, preserve visitors may spot waterfowl, large
mammals, raccoons and more than 200 species of year-round and migratory birds. 
Rock art panels decorate basalt cliffs
A map kiosk
and brochures available at the trailhead give information about the site’s
archeology, wildlife, and history to enrich the hike through this living
sanctuary and outdoor classroom. 
A waterfall trickles through a basalt canyon
LENGTH:
Tom Moody Trail: 3.9-mile circumference loop
Don Weaver Trail: 0.7-mile
Arizona Trail: 1.2 miles
RATING: easy
ELEVATION: 6,587 – 6,849 feet
GETTING THERE:
From Downtown Flagstaff, go 4 miles east on Historic Route 66, turn left on El Paso Flagstaff Road and continue 1 mile to the trailhead on the right.
INFO:
https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/2881/Picture-Canyon-Natural-Cultural-Preserve
