Heading towards Cave Creek Canyon 
A couple of the neighbours 
Tall flower spike at the road side 
Making use of the free telescope at Vista Point 
Few cattle remain on the open range and the deep grass is recovering 
Four-acre plots ensure the open feel of the desert is maintained, even within the village 
Practising traditional cowboy skills at the roping arena 
The maple trees along the South Fork Trail are beautiful in Autumn 
Setting off for a trail ride in Cave Creek Canyon 
Nestled in the foothills of the Chiricahua Mountains, at the mouth of Cave Creek Canyon in beautiful Portal, Arizona the Arizona Sky Village is located in one of the darkest deep-sky sites in North America.
It is a five-minute drive from Portal, one of the top birding destinations in North America. Tucson with its international airport is about two and a half hours away. Douglas, on the mexican border, is an hour away.
Located approximately 2½ hours southeast of Tucson, off the I-10 in beautiful Portal, Arizona, Arizona Sky Village enjoys an exceptional location with a comfortable year-round climate and easy accessibility to an abundance of activities.
Wide-angle satellite image. Note the line of mountains showing green that run from Mexico to Canada alongside the ASV. They form an important migratory route, bringing a wide variety of birds to Portal.
A closer satellite shot shows how close the ASV is to the continental divide. The wiggly yellow line follows the Rio Grande which can be seen flowing eastwards to the Gulf of Mexico.
The vertical line is the Arizona-New Mexico border. The horizontal line is the international border between the USA and Mexico; it is about an hour's drive from the ASV.
Notice how the ASV sits on the edge of the desert at the foot of the mountains. This gives birders the opportunity to see all the desert birds and the mountain birds within a small area, as well as the migratory species noted above. No wonder it is considered to be one of the best birding sites in North America.
Cave Creek takes rain water and melting snow into the desert where it refills the aquifers that supply the village with water. Green Witch's house is on the eastern side of the village with superb views straight into Cave Creek Canyon.
These images make the mountains look rather brown. In fact they are heavily wooded and very green.
For larger versions of these maps together with illumination and topographical overlays we recommend you visit the US website by following the link at the top of this page. There is also relevant information on our 'How to get there' page.