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Please note that the Museum will be closing at noon on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 for a staff appreciation event. (Art Institute classes are not affected by the closure.)

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Biological Survey of Ironwood Forest National Monument General Vegetation Vascular Flora Cacti Distribution and Status of Saguaros and Trees Natural History of the Desert Ironwood Tree (Olneya tesota) Rare Plant Inventory Exotic Plants Assessment Human Impacts Lesser Long-Nosed Bat Geologic Aspects of Ironwood Forest National Monument Avra Valley Gallery Aguirre Valley Images Pan Quemado Gallery Ragged Top Gallery Roskruge Mountains Gallery Samaniego Hills Gallery Sawtooth Mountains Gallery Silver Bell Mountains Gallery Waterman Mountains Gallery West Silver Bell Mountains Gallery Arizona Upland Gallery Lower Colorado River Valley Gallery Xeroriparian Habitats (Desert Washes) The Desert Ironweed Tree - Olneya tesota Cacti of IFNM Crucifixion Thorns of IFNM Gallery of Selected Noncactaceous Flora

CESD Homepage Adult Classes and Trips School & Youth Programs Teacher Resources Need-based Discount Application Community Outreach Digital Library Kids & Education Research & Conservation Natural History Tour of the Sonoran Desert Region Sonorensis magazine cover

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Sonorensis Docent Program Green Initiatives

Support Desert Museum Education!

A donation of any size will help sustain our educational efforts. Simply select- Education, Conservation, Science, Research for your designation.

Biological Survey of Ironwood Forest National Monument

Avra Valley gallery

Photographer: Mark Dimmitt


	Avra Valley within IFNM is mainly creosotebush flats with some mesquite washes. This valley is too high and cold to support the ironwood trees that commonly dominate low desert drainages. The desert pavement in the upper left image may be the easternmost example of this arid geological phenomenon.

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Biological Survey of Ironwood Forest National Monument General Vegetation Vascular Flora Cacti Distribution and Status of Saguaros and Trees Natural History of the Desert Ironwood Tree (Olneya tesota) Rare Plant Inventory Exotic Plants Assessment Human Impacts Lesser Long-Nosed Bat Geologic Aspects of Ironwood Forest National Monument Avra Valley Gallery Aguirre Valley Images Pan Quemado Gallery Ragged Top Gallery Roskruge Mountains Gallery Samaniego Hills Gallery Sawtooth Mountains Gallery Silver Bell Mountains Gallery Waterman Mountains Gallery West Silver Bell Mountains Gallery Arizona Upland Gallery Lower Colorado River Valley Gallery Xeroriparian Habitats (Desert Washes) The Desert Ironweed Tree - Olneya tesota Cacti of IFNM Crucifixion Thorns of IFNM Gallery of Selected Noncactaceous Flora

CESD Homepage Adult Classes and Trips School & Youth Programs Teacher Resources Need-based Discount Application Community Outreach Digital Library Kids & Education Research & Conservation Natural History Tour of the Sonoran Desert Region Sonorensis magazine cover

Sonorensis magazine cover

Sonorensis Docent Program Green Initiatives

Support Desert Museum Education!

A donation of any size will help sustain our educational efforts. Simply select- Education, Conservation, Science, Research for your designation.

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© 2026 Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2021 N. Kinney Rd., Tucson AZ 85743 U.S.A. 520.883.2702 · [email protected]

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