National Wildlife Refuges

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, 1939

Established in 1939, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 665,400 acres of pristine desert. The Refuge provides essential habitat for Desert Bighorn Sheep, the California Fan Palm, and other wildlife and plants.

Desert Bighorn Sheep are found chiefly in the two mountain ranges that dominate the refuge landscape - the Kofa and Castle Dome Mountains. Although these mountains are not especially high, they are extremely rugged and rise sharply from the surrounding desert plains, providing excellent bighorn sheep habitat.

80% of Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, 516,300 acres, is federally designated wilderness. Wilderness is protected to ensure that nature, not people is the primary influence on this quiet, scenic place. So much of Kofa is inaccessible.

Notable wildlife species found in the area include the desert tortoise, and desert kit fox. Approximately 800 to 1,000 bighorn sheep now live in the refuge and, in recent years, this herd has provided animals for transplanting throughout Arizona and neighboring states.

Birds that are likely to be seen at Kofa include American kestrel, white-winged dove, northern flicker, Say's phoebe, cactus wren, phainopepla, and orange-crowned warbler. Although with the exception of the warbler all are also found here at The Azure Gate.

The Kofa Mountain barberry (a rare plant found only in southwest Arizona) occurs on the refuge.

There are two roads into Kofa. One dead-ends around Castle Dome. The other crosses the mountain range and ends up on a dirt/gravel road that parallels the refuge. Both of these roads are extremely rugged and require 4x4 with high clearance. I have driven these roads a couple of times and hiked in Kofa as well. However, never a glimpse of those elusive Desert Bighorn Sheep.

Black Vulture

Castle Dome

Fire Barrel Cactus

Organ Pipe Cactus

Phainopepla

Turkey Vulture