Oracle State Park

Historic place in Pinal County, Arizona

Oracle State Park

Location of Oracle State Park in Arizona

Location| Pinal, Arizona, United States
Coordinates| 32°36′28″N 110°43′59″W﻿ / ﻿32.60778°N 110.73306°W﻿ / 32.60778; -110.73306Coordinates: 32°36′28″N 110°43′59″W﻿ / ﻿32.60778°N 110.73306°W﻿ / 32.60778; -110.73306
Area| 3,948 acres (15.98 km2)
Established| 1976
Governing body| Arizona State Parks

United States historic place

Kannally Ranch

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

The Kannally Ranch house

Location| Mt. Lemmon Hwy, E of Oracle
Nearest city| Oracle, Arizona
Coordinates| 32°36′35″N 110°44′1″W﻿ / ﻿32.60972°N 110.73361°W﻿ / 32.60972; -110.73361
Area| Less than one acre
Built| 1929
Architectural style| Spanish Colonial Revival
NRHP reference No.| 96000307
Added to NRHP| March 28, 1996

Oracle State Park is a state park of Arizona, US, preserving 3,948 acres (1,598 ha) in the northeastern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is named after the nearby town of Oracle. Oracle State Park serves as a wildlife refuge, and is open during the winter from 9am – 5pm, and during the summer from 8am - 4pm.[1] In October 2011 Arizona State Parks agreed to reopen Oracle on a limited basis with a $40,000 budget if the park's Friends group can raise $21,000 in additional funds.[2] The park has more than 15 miles (24 km) of hiking trails, including 7 miles (11 km) of the Arizona Trail.[3]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Flora and fauna
* 2.1 Plants
* 2.2 Wildlife
* 3 Kannally Ranch House
* 4 Center for Environmental Education
* 5 References
* 6 External links

## History[edit]

Starting in 1902, the area that is now the park was owned and operated as a cattle ranch by Neal Kannally and his family. At its largest, the ranch encompassed 50,000 acres, most of which was eventually sold off to mining companies. The remaining property was occupied until Neal's last remaining sibling, Lucile, bequeathed it to the Defenders of Wildlife organization in 1976,[4] and ten years later, the land was donated to the state of Arizona to create a wildlife refuge.[3]

## Flora and fauna[edit]

### Plants[edit]

The most common plants in Oracle State Park are prickly pear and cholla cactus, scrub oak, mesquite, many wildflowers, and the occasional piñon and juniper. A solitary saguaro cactus is located in the park. The original ranch house, which was converted to be the park headquarters, has some cypress trees nearby.

### Wildlife[edit]

Bird species include red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, prairie falcons, black-throated sparrows, Gambel's quail, cactus wrens, pyrrhuloxia, northern mockingbirds, northern flickers, common poorwills, northern cardinals, and great horned owls. Many mammals inhabit the park, such as ringtails, javalinas, cougars, rock squirrels, desert cottontails, black-tailed jackrabbits, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. Reptiles and amphibians found in the area include the western box turtles, Arizona alligator lizards, Colorado River toads, bull snakes, and western diamondback rattlesnakes.[3]

## Kannally Ranch House[edit]

The Kannally Ranch House is a historic house museum with original art and historic photos. The four-level adobe home was constructed between 1929 and 1933, features Mediterranean and Moorish architectural influences and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The ranch house is open for self guided tours during park hours.

## Center for Environmental Education[edit]

The purpose of the park is to "protect the designated wildlife refuge and act as an environmental learning center."[1] Before closure the park offered natural history and environmental education programs for school and adult groups, including trail walks, workshops, presentations and special events.

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Arizona State Parks. "Oracle State Park".
2. ^ "Oracle State Park could open part-time in February 2012". The Explorer. Tucson, Ariz. 2011-10-05.
3. ^ a b c Laine, Don & Barbara (1998). New Mexico & Arizona State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide. The Mountaineers. pp. 236–237. ISBN 0-89886-559-X.
4. ^ Kreutz, Doug (August 13, 2006). "Kannally House at Oracle park a Mediterranean oasis". Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, Arizona.

## External links[edit]

* Oracle State Park
* Friends of Oracle State Park

Portals:

Arizona Museums NRHP

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Protected areas of Arizona

Federal|

| National Parks|

* Grand Canyon
* Petrified Forest
* Saguaro

|

National Historical Parks,
Historic Sites and Memorials|

* Tumacácori NHP
* Fort Bowie NHS
* Hubbell Trading Post NHS
* Coronado NMem

National Monuments|

National Park Service
Canyon de Chelly
Casa Grande Ruins
Chiricahua
Hohokam Pima
Montezuma Castle
Navajo
Organ Pipe Cactus
Pipe Spring
Sunset Crater
Tonto
Tuzigoot
Walnut Canyon
Wupatki

Bureau of Land Management
Agua Fria
Grand Canyon-Parashant
Ironwood Forest
Sonoran Desert
Vermilion Cliffs

National Conservation Areas|

* Gila Box Riparian
* Las Cienegas
* San Pedro Riparian

National Recreation Areas|

* Glen Canyon
* Lake Mead

National Trails|

* Arizona National Scenic Trail
* Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
* Old Spanish National Historic Trail

National Forests|

* Apache–Sitgreaves
* Coconino
* Elden Pueblo
* Honanki Heritage Site
* Palatki Heritage Site
* V Bar V Heritage Site
* Coronado
* Kaibab
* Prescott
* Tonto

National Wildlife Refuges|

* Bill Williams River
* Buenos Aires
* Cabeza Prieta
* Cibola
* Havasu
* Imperial
* Kofa
* Leslie Canyon
* San Bernardino

Wilderness Areas|

See List of Arizona Wilderness Areas

Wild and Scenic Rivers|

* Fossil Creek
* Verde River

State|

| State Parks|

* Alamo Lake
* Boyce Thompson Arboretum
* Buckskin Mountain
* Catalina
* Cattail Cove
* Dead Horse Ranch
* Fool Hollow Lake
* Fort Verde
* Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial
* Homolovi
* Jerome
* Kartchner Caverns
* Lake Havasu
* Lost Dutchman
* Lyman Lake
* McFarland
* Oracle
* Patagonia Lake
* Picacho Peak
* Red Rock
* Riordan Mansion
* River Island
* Roper Lake
* San Rafael
* Slide Rock
* Sonoita Creek
* Tombstone Courthouse
* Tonto Natural Bridge
* Tubac Presidio
* Verde River Greenway
* Yuma Quartermaster Depot
* Yuma Territorial Prison

|

Wildlife areas|

* Becker Lake
* Cluff Ranch
* Luna Lake
* Mittry Lake
* Powers Butte
* Santa Rita
* White Mountain Grasslands
* Willcox Playa

Municipal|

| Nature parks|

* Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreation Area
* South Mountain Park
* Papago Park

|

Other|

| National Natural Landmarks|

See List of National Natural Landmarks in Arizona

|

National Historic Landmarks|

See List of National Historic Landmarks in Arizona

Historic Places|

See National Register of Historic Places listings in Arizona

Arizona State Parks (web)
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