Willcox Playa, National Natural Landmark dry lake in Cochise County, Arizona, United States
The Willcox Playa extends over 40 square miles with a flat surface that occasionally fills with water during rainfall events in the Sonoran Desert.
During the Pleistocene epoch, this area contained Lake Cochise, which reached a depth of 46 feet and covered 140 square miles of territory.
The playa serves as a crucial observation point for sandhill cranes migration, attracting thousands of birds during winter months to its protected grounds.
Visitors can access the site through state highways near Willcox, but parts of the area remain restricted due to military activities from Fort Huachuca.
The dry lake bed contains one of the highest concentrations of tiger beetles in the United States, including the endemic Willcox Nevada species.
Location: Cochise County
GPS coordinates: 32.14100,-109.84800
Latest update: May 11, 2025 09:33
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