Friends of Madera Canyon

The mission of the Friends of Madera Canyon is "to serve as stewards of Madera Canyon and to keep it open for the enjoyment and education of visitors". The Friends help maintain access to the Canyon, serve as a steward of its animal and plant life, and its overall ecosystem. And the Friends offer school-based and public education programs on the history and ecology of the Canyon.

For over 30 years the Friends of Madera Canyon have worked to sustain the natural resources of Madera Canyon while enhancing public understanding of its flora, fauna, geology and history. The Friends are key to keeping the Canyon open for nearly a half-million visitors each year. Located 30 miles south of Tucson, Madera Canyon is gateway to the 25,000-acre Mount Wrightson Wilderness Area in the Santa Rita Mountains, one of southeast Arizona's sky islands, rising over 9,000-feet above the surrounding Sonoran Desert. The area is one of the most biologically diverse regions in the United States and home to one of America's prime birding areas.