Noon Creek

The name Noon Creek (Map) comes from the fact that when pioneer settlers traveled this way on excursions into the Pinale¿¿o Mountains, this was usually as far as they were able to get via horse and wagon by lunch time of the first day. Noon Creek thus became a traditional lunch stop along the historic travel route into the Pinale¿¿os and it remains a popular spot today. The surroundings here are typical of mountain oak woodlands with junipers and scrub oaks standing as the tallest trees, while satin barked manzanita, saw-leafed sotol, and soaptree yucca form a picturesque understory. As you enjoy your favorite picnic dish in this setting, keep an eye out for some of the local residents. You may catch a glimpse of a spiny lizard or a raspy-voiced cactus wren, a bird well adapted to life in this dry, bristling environment. Watch for roadrunners as they dart among the underbrush always on the lookout for a slithery meal.