New trail map will help you find wildlife in the White Mountains

With the weather getting warmer and kids getting out of school soon, maybe it’s a good time to plan a family vacation to enjoy wildlife viewing in the White Mountains. The Arizona Game and Fish Department has a new field guide called “White Mountains Wildlife Trails” to help you map out a fun trip to enjoy nature in eastern Arizona.

The department is offering everyone a copy of the free, new guide, which comes complete with a map and descriptions of several prime areas where you can see a variety of animals.

“The guide will help people to streamline wildlife-viewing trips in the Pinetop, Springerville and Alpine areas,” says Bruce Sitko, public information officer at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Pinetop office. “Families and friends will be able to plan out what types of wildlife they want to see, which areas they want to visit, and how to most quickly and effectively get from one area to another.”

The guide gives directions to local wildlife-viewing spots and information about how to best navigate through them. Some sites have hiking trails, while others are driving loops of longer mileage. The guide also tells you what types of facilities, such as restrooms, campsites, picnic areas and parking, are available at each location. In addition, the guide offers a comprehensive description of what types of animals you’re likely to find in each spot, from elk or Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep to hawks, wild turkeys and songbirds.

“We want to make wildlife viewing as enjoyable as possible,” says Sitko. “Making the planning easier and faster will help people get out the door more quickly, so they can the most of their wildlife-viewing time.”

The new guide is now available for free at all seven Arizona Game and Fish Department offices, located in Pinetop, Flagstaff, Kingman, Mesa, Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma. Office addresses and contact phone numbers can be found at the department’s Web site azgfd.gov. Click on “Inside AZGFD” and then “Agency Directory.” You can also call (928) 367-4281 for more information about the trail guide.

The new guide is paid for by the Arizona Game and Fish Department Heritage Fund, which is lottery ticket sale money used for conservation purposes, including educating our children about wildlife, protecting endangered species and creating more opportunities for outdoor recreation. The new trail guide includes tips for responsible wildlife viewing.