Willcox Playa

Willcox Playa is a large dry lake bed in the Sonoran Desert with a completely flat surface that occasionally accumulates water during heavy rains. The terrain spreads across open ground with minimal vegetation, creating a stark and exposed landscape.

During the Pleistocene era, this area held Lake Cochise, a substantial body of water that eventually dried up over thousands of years. The gradual evaporation of this ancient lake shaped the landscape into what visitors see today.

The playa serves as a winter stopover for sandhill cranes, with thousands of these tall birds gathering here to feed and rest. Local birdwatchers and nature observers regularly visit to watch these seasonal visitors in their natural habitat.

You can reach the site via state highways near the town of Willcox, with access points scattered around the perimeter. Some areas remain off-limits to visitors because of military operations in the region.

The dry lake bed is home to one of the densest populations of tiger beetles in the country, including a species found nowhere else. These small predatory insects have adapted to thrive on bare ground and sand, making them a remarkable feature of this habitat.

Location: Cochise County

GPS coordinates: 32.14100,-109.84800

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:41