🏜️🐍🐦Off the Grid and Into the Wild: Exploring Rodeo, NM and Portal, AZ

Where in the Desert Am I?

As I neared the tiny town of Rodeo, New Mexico, the presence of other vehicles dwindled to the point where spotting black-tailed jackrabbits and kangaroo rats became more likely than seeing another car. Then again, with a population hovering somewhere between 30 and 40 residents, depending on who’s doing the counting, it’s no wonder the locals are more furred than four-wheeled.

A few buildings gradually came into view and, the next thing I knew, I was in “downtown” Rodeo, where a scattering of old storefronts held their ground against time and desert winds. On the main drag of Rodeo, I took a right turn and headed west towards the mountains.

A few minutes later, I passed a small green sign that simply said “Portal,” and just like that, I’d crossed from New Mexico into Arizona—no fanfare, no flashing lights, just a quiet shift into one of the wildest corners of the Southwest. I was exactly where I was supposed to be: at the doorstep of the Chiricahua Mountains. This stretch of southeastern Arizona is part of the Sky Island region, where isolated mountain ranges rise from the desert floor providing one of the most biodiverse patches of land in the country. It’s one of the richest birding areas in the country, with over 280 species, including some found nowhere else in the U.S., and it draws birders from around the world who come chasing rarities and a chance to add something extraordinary to their life lists.

This isn’t a place with fancy wine tastings or upscale boutique shops with names you can’t pronounce. This is a place for nature lovers, oddballs, and people like me who have an unhealthy interest in seeing Elegant Trogons and Blue-throated Mountain-gems, and then top it off with a selfie in front of a 15-foot-tall rattlesnake tail (yes, really). If that sounds like you, then Rodeo, New Mexico and Portal, Arizona should definitely be on your bucket list.

Curious? You’re in the right place. Let’s go.

Where the Cows Once Caught the Train: A Brief History of Rodeo, New Mexico

Founded in the early 1900s as a railroad town along the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad, Rodeo was once a vital cattle-shipping point for ranchers throughout Cochise County and southern Arizona. The name “Rodeo” comes from the Spanish word for “round-up,” and that’s exactly what happened here—a lot of rounding up of cattle before loading them onto trains.

As trains faded from fashion and cattle shipping moved to highways, the town of Rodeo slowly dwindled. But its roots in ranching and rugged independence are still visible today. You’ll find old corrals, historic buildings, and a quiet resilience that defines this desert outpost.

What Rodeo lost in freight traffic, it slowly gained in character. In recent decades, Rodeo has drawn in a small tribe of desert dwellers—artists, astronomers, herpetologists, and people who find comfort in open space and long silences.

Today, Rodeo still feels like a place time mostly forgot, but in a good way. It’s where you come not to be entertained, but to be reminded. Of slowness. Of grit. Of a time when people built lives on the edge of wilderness and called it home. And if you find yourself on the main drag with no cell signal, a pocket full of trail mix, and a kestrel perched on the fencepost ahead, well, you’re doing it right.

A Quiet Gateway to Wild Things: The Story of Portal, Arizona

Long before birders and campers found their way to the Sky Islands of southeastern Arizona, this rugged landscape was home to the Chiricahua Apache, a fiercely independent group known for their deep knowledge of the land and their ability to thrive in some of the Southwest’s most unforgiving terrain. Leaders like Cochise and Geronimo are often remembered for their resistance during a turbulent time of westward expansion, but there’s much more to their story than standoffs and skirmishes. The Chiricahua Apache had a strong connection to the Chiricahua Mountains, including the very canyons that visitors hike today.

The name “Chiricahua” isn’t actually Apache—it originates from the Opata language, Chiwi Kawi, meaning “Turkey Mountain,” a nod to the wild turkeys that still wander these canyons. The Opata, who lived in what’s now northern Mexico, spoke an Uto-Aztecan language and had early contact with Spanish explorers. The Spaniards gave the name a phonetic twist, and it stuck—eventually being applied to both the mountains and the Apache people. However, the Chiricahua Apache referred to themselves simply as Nde or Ne, meaning “The People,” and did not originally use the term “Chiricahua” to describe themselves. As for the mountains, the Chiricahua Apache referred to them as Dził Kawa, meaning “Great Mountain”. And it’s easy to see why.

Portal didn’t boom or bust. It quietly emerged. Tucked at the mouth of Cave Creek Canyon, it started out in the early 20th century as a humble outpost for ranchers, homesteaders, and the occasional wanderer who couldn’t help but pause when the canyon walls lit up with morning sun. The cliffs, creeks, and sycamore groves offered just enough beauty and solitude to make folks linger. It’s not unusual to meet someone here who came for a weekend and stayed for 20 years.

Then came the scientists. As word spread about the area’s incredible biodiversity, Portal gradually evolved into a field laboratory disguised as a tiny town. The opening of the Southwestern Research Station in the 1950s brought in ornithologists, herpetologists, entomologists—you name it. If it crawled, slithered, chirped, or bloomed, someone was here studying it. And even now, it’s not uncommon to bump into someone who can ID 200 bird species before lunch and casually mention they’re writing a paper on ant symbiosis, before launching into an imitation of common frog call patterns.

Despite its reputation as a biological hotspot, Portal has stayed beautifully unpolished. There’s no stoplight, no gas station, and no attempt to impress you. Just a post office that looks like it time-traveled from a 1950s western, a few guest cabins, and the kind of silence that makes you realize how loud the rest of the world has become. It’s not just a place—it’s a portal, indeed, to something simpler, wilder, and a little more sacred.

Things to Do in Rodeo (Even If You Don’t Know a Trogon from a Turkey)

Rodeo feels like the kind of small town where everyone knows your phone number, mostly because there aren’t that many numbers to remember. You won’t find a historic district or a slick visitor center, but you will find a guest ranch, an amazing Desert Museum, a couple of art galleries, two cafés, and plenty of stories. It’s the kind of place where time slows down and the landscape does most of the talking.

Canvas, Scales, and Second Chances: Inside the Chiricahua Desert Museum

The biggest surprise for me in Rodeo, New Mexico? The Chiricahua Desert Museum—arguably the best herpetological detour in the Southwest. I stumbled across it on my way to do some birding in Portal, Arizona, and instead found an air-conditioned oasis of art and reptiles including a collection of over 34 species of rattlesnakes, seven species of lizards (including a Gila monster, beaded lizard, Baja California rock lizard, and four kinds of alligator lizards), plus seven species of turtles. If you’ve ever wanted to lock eyes with a rattlesnake while contemplating conservation and fine art, this is your place.

What really sets the museum apart is its world-class wildlife art collection. At the heart of it all is Tell Hicks, a celebrated wildlife artist who’s traveled the globe painting snakes, lizards, and all manner of scaled wonders with a level of detail that makes field biologists nod in quiet approval. ​ Terrence “Tell” Hicks, born in London, is a self-taught wildlife artist renowned for his detailed paintings of reptiles and amphibians. A founding member and former president of the International Herpetological Society, Hicks has traveled extensively, studying and capturing the essence of wildlife through his art.

More than 60 of Tell’s pieces hang in the museum’s gallery, and his work spills outdoors too, including a fifteen-foot rattlesnake tail sculpture towering above the desert garden. It’s the largest collection of herpetological wildlife art in the world, and somehow it’s all here, in tiny Rodeo.

There’s also a great gift shop where you’ll find Native American jewelry, natural history books, Mata Ortiz pottery, Zapotec weavings, wildlife art by Tell Hicks, plenty of unusual wildlife and reptile T-shirts, and fun nature-inspired items for kids. Can’t visit in person? Shop online for exclusive prints, unusual apparel, and books, bringing the desert to you, no sand included.

But what really stayed with me wasn’t just the artistry or the biology, it was the story behind it. In 2018, Tell suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Most people would’ve understood if he’d set down the brush for good. But Tell had other plans. With the help of his family, friends, and a rehab team that probably still talks about him in awe, he taught himself to paint again. And he did, one brushstroke at a time. His newer works hang proudly beside earlier pieces, a quiet reminder that passion, like wildlife, tends to find a way. Today, Tell lives (and paints) in South West England.

So if you find yourself in Rodeo, do yourself a favor: stop in the Chiricahua Desert Museum and let Tell’s story remind you why we protect wild things, and admire the wild-hearted people who bring them to life.

Beyond the Binoculars: Art, Stars, and Attitude Adjustments in Rodeo, New Mexico

If reptiles and birds aren’t your thing, don’t worry—Rodeo has a few surprises up its dusty sleeve.

🎨 Soak Up the Local Art Scene
For a town with less than 40 people, Rodeo punches way above its weight when it comes to the arts. The Chiricahua Gallery is the beating heart of the creative scene here, featuring paintings, sculptures, and desert-inspired work by local artists who clearly see beauty in cacti, coyotes, and wide-open space. Stop in, get inspired, and maybe leave with a painting that looks better on your wall than that souvenir rattlesnake mug.

🏺 Step into Apache History
As part of the Chiricahua Desert Museum complex, the Apache Museum sits in its own building and offers artifacts and interpretive exhibits that provide a thoughtful look into the history and culture of the Apache people who once called this region home.

🌌 Stargaze Like a Sky Gypsy
Once the sun dips behind the mountains, look up. With zero light pollution, Rodeo offers the kind of night sky that makes you rethink your place in the universe. Bring a telescope if you’ve got one—or just your eyeballs and a blanket—and let the Milky Way do the rest. The Sky Gypsy Complex offers lodging (via their website or Airbnb) that cater to astronomy enthusiasts, and there’s even access to a 6,000′ runway for Aviation Enthusiasts.

🍻 Attitude Adjustments
For non-birders waiting out their binocular-toting companions, you can always grab a good meal and a stiff drink at Sky Islands Grill & Grocery while prepping your best “I’m totally fascinated by that sulphur-bellied flycatcher” face.

Small Town, Big Wilderness: Things to do in Portal, Arizona

​Just across the state line in Portal, Arizona, the pavement yields to rugged landscapes, and the birders start to multiply. Portal serves as a gateway to the Coronado National Forest, offering world-class birding, hiking opportunities, mountain biking trails, and scenic spots for picnicking or enjoying some much needed downtime. Portal is also home to the Southwestern Research Station, a renowned field station that attracts biologists and naturalists from around the globe to study the area’s rich biodiversity. If you’re passionate about wilderness and wildlife, you’ll find yourself in good company here.

Portal: The Gateway Drug to Birding

If you’re a birder, Portal, Arizona isn’t just a destination—it’s a pilgrimage. Tucked against the western flank of the Chiricahua Mountains, this tiny outpost has a way of making your pulse quicken and your life list suddenly feel inadequate. More than 280 bird species have been recorded in these rugged mountains, including a few you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the United States.

The magic lies in the landscape. Portal sits at the crossroads of desert scrub, oak woodlands, pine forests, and sky island ecosystems, which means you’ll be moving around a bit (by car and on foot) to get from one habitat type to the next. But it’s worth the effort. Whether you’re a hardcore lister or just like your scenery with a few feathers thrown in, Portal doesn’t disappoint, it shows off.

Portal is the kind of place where even non-birders start asking questions like, “Wait… is that the one with the iridescent tail?” and suddenly find themselves reaching for the binoculars.

As for birders, well, you know what to do.

Backyard birding on steroids

Some of the prime birding locations of Portal are actually private residences where homeowners have created bird-friendly environments and graciously welcome birders to enjoy the avian activity. When visiting these locations, especially private residences, it’s essential to respect the property and any guidelines set by the homeowners. Always ask permission if it’s needed, and be sure to thank your hosts for their hospitality. You’ll often find a tip jar nearby to help cover the cost of birdseed and snacks—every little bit helps.

• Cave Creek Ranch: The most famous spot in Portal is Cave Creek Ranch. Situated at the mouth of Cave Creek Canyon, this 7-acre property boasts a variety of habitats, including pine-oak woodlands and riparian areas. The ranch’s feeders and pond attract numerous Arizona specialty birds, making it a must-visit location for bird enthusiasts. ​ It’s the first place I visited in Portal, and I found it difficult to leave. Fortunately, they also have overnight lodging, but you may need to book months in advance. Here’s a checklist of birds of Cave Creek Ranch and the eBird list of birds found at Cave Creek Ranch (currently at 230 species)

• Bob Rodrigues’ Yard (formerly Dave Jasper’s Yard): This private residence has long been a favorite among birders. The well-maintained feeders and native plantings draw in a wide range of species, providing visitors with excellent viewing opportunities. Here the eBird list for this Bob Rodrigues’ Yard (formerly Dave Jasper’s Yard) – currently at 211 species.
• Southwestern Research Station: Operated by the American Museum of Natural History, this facility not only conducts scientific research but also offers birders access to its grounds. The station’s diverse habitats support a rich birdlife, including some of the region’s most sought-after species.​ Here’s the eBird list for the list of birds found at Southwestern Research Station (currently at 234 species).
• Portal Cafe, Country Store & Lodge: Located in the heart of town, the Portal Cafe offers more than just a good meal. Its outdoor seating area and nearby grounds attract a variety of bird species, making it a prime spot to grab a bite while keeping your binoculars close. And when the birds quiet down for the evening, humans often take the stage—literally—with live music under the open sky.

• Other Local Backyards and Feeders: Many residents in Portal have transformed their yards into birding havens, complete with feeders and native vegetation.

Science You Can’t Stream: Field Courses in the Chiricahuas

If you’re the kind of person who’d rather spend a week dodging javelinas than dodging Zoom calls, the Southwestern Research Station’s field courses, offered through the American Museum of Natural History, might be your kind of getaway.

These aren’t your average nature walks. They’re immersive, week-long (or longer) deep dives into the real-world study of bats, spiders, snakes, bees, beetles, butterflies, and a host of other small, misunderstood creatures that run the planet when we’re not looking. This year’s lineup includes Bat Field Survey Training, Bat Acoustic Training, Spider Biology, Coleoptera (Beetles), Weevils, Herpetology, Lepidoptera (Moths and Butterflies), and the ever-popular Bee Course—a rite of passage for pollinator nerds worldwide.

And if bats are your thing, you’re in luck—the Chiricahuas boast the highest bat diversity in the United States, with more than 20 species recorded in the region. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the station’s offerings is the Bat Field Survey Training Course.

The Southwestern Research Station draws students, researchers, and lifelong learners from around the world who come for the hands-on experience, field-based instruction, and the chance to learn in a place where nature takes center stage and everything else fades into the background. It’s the real deal.

And speaking of real, let’s talk about their pool.

The Wildlife-Loving Swimming Pool at the Southwestern Research Station

The Southwestern Research Station in Portal also has a swimming pool that has … let’s just say, evolved. Originally intended for humans, the spring-fed pool is now better known as a habitat for local amphibians, especially native Chiricahua leopard frogs (Lithobates chiricahuensis). These aquatic squatters have made themselves right at home, turning the pool into an impromptu conservation hotspot. Officially listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, as soon as a Chiricahua leopard frog was found in the pool, swimming season was over. Permanently. But biologists don’t really mind since they think leopard frogs are cool. Which means that if you’re a frog, it’s basically the Ritz-Carlton of southeastern Arizona.

Fun fact: one of the largest tadpoles ever recorded was discovered in that very pool. This mega-tadpole belonged to a Couch’s Spadefoot Toad (Scaphiopus couchii), a species that normally produces small, fast-developing tadpoles that transform quickly after rains. But this individual had missed the memo on growing up. Instead of undergoing metamorphosis within a few weeks, like most spadefoot tadpoles, this one just kept growing—and growing. Researchers found it living in the research station pool, likely isolated from the usual environmental cues (like drying water) that would trigger it to mature. By the time it was discovered, it had reached a whopping 10 inches long (25 cm)—a true outlier.

Checklist for Non-Birders Trying to Survive the Trip

So you’ve found yourself on a birding trip with someone who uses the phrase “life list” unironically. Meanwhile, you’re more inclined to say, “I have no idea what that bird is, but it’s the third one I’ve seen this week.” Fear not, dear non-birder. Here’s your survival guide:

✅ Pack snacks. Birders can vanish into the brush for hours with only a granola bar and a dream. Bring backup rations. Maybe a flask.

✅ Perfect your nod-and-smile. You will be shown blurry photos of birds that “might be a rare vireo.” Smile like you mean it.

✅ Learn one bird name. Just one. Drop it casually to impress the flock: “Oh, was that a Rivoli’s hummingbird?” Then walk away like a boss, but walk quickly.

✅ Claim your own hobby. Sketch rocks. Count lizards. Rate trails by the quality of their shade.

✅ Bring a book. Or a Kindle. Or War and Peace. Anything to stay sane during the seventh hour of trogon-stalking.

✅ Reclaim sunrise. They’ll be up at 5 a.m. to chase a distant warbler. Use that time for sleeping in, journaling, or binge-listening to podcasts about literally anything else.

✅ Relax and enjoy the scenery. Even if birds aren’t your thing, the scenery, serenity, and stargazing might still steal your heart, or at least distract you from bird facts.

Avian Eye Candy: What’s Fluttering in Portal, Arizona

Ok, let’s get back to business for the birders. Here’s a link to the current eBird checklist of the 261 birds that have been spotted in Portal. Keep in mind that the Chiricahua Mountains go well beyond Portal, so there are additional species out there to be found.

As for what I spotted on this trip? Here’s my list (he says eagerly). And let’s be clear, I barely scratched the surface of what’s out there. Fortunately, I had an outstanding guide who knew what he was doing. If I’d gone solo, this list would’ve been … well, let’s just say it would’ve featured a lot more LBJs (“little brown jobs”), “unknown Empids” (flycatchers), and “unidentified flitty things … probably warblers, but who knows”. Thankfully my guide knew.

• Acorn Woodpecker
• Arizona Woodpecker
• Ash-throated Flycatcher
• Bell’s Vireo
• Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
• Black-throated Sparrow
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Blue-throated Mountain-gem
• Brewer’s Sparrow
• Bridled Titmouse
• Broad-billed Hummingbird
• Bronzed Cowbird
• Brown-crested Flycatcher
• Buff-breasted Flycatcher
• Bullock’s Oriole
• Cactus Wren
• Cassin’s Kingbird
• Chihuahuan Meadowlark
• Curve-billed Thrasher
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Dusky-capped Flycatcher
• Elegant Trogon
• Gambel’s Quail
• Grace’s Warbler
• Gray Catbird
• Greater Pewee
• Green-tailed Towhee
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Hepatic Tanager
• Hooded Oriole
• House Finch
• Inca Dove
• Killdeer
• Lark Sparrow
• Lazuli Bunting
• Lesser Goldfinch
• Lesser Nighthawk
• Mexican Chickadee
• Mexican Jay
• Mexican Whip-poor-will
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Flicker
• Northern House Wren
• Northern Mockingbird
• Painted Redstart
• Plumbeous Vireo
• Pyrrhuloxia
• Rivoli’s Hummingbird
• Scaled Quail
• Scott’s Oriole
• Spotted Owl
• Spotted Sandpiper
• Spotted Towhee
• Steller’s Jay
• Summer Tanager
• Thick-billed Kingbird
• Townsend’s Warbler
• Verdin
• Vermilion Flycatcher
• Violet-green Swallow
• Western Flycatcher
• Western Kingbird
• Western Screech-Owl
• Western Wood-Pewee
• Whiskered Screech-Owl
• White-winged Dove
• Wilson’s Warbler
• Yellow Warbler
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Yellow-eyed Junco
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Zone-tailed Hawk

Rodeo vs. Portal: Same Desert, Different Time—and No Gas

Here’s a classic rookie mistake that’ll have you chasing elf owls an hour too early: forgetting the time change between Rodeo, New Mexico, and Portal, Arizona.

Arizona doesn’t observe Daylight Saving Time, but New Mexico does. Which means for half the year, there’s a sneaky one-hour time difference between the two desert neighbors. Translation: if it’s 7:00 AM in Rodeo, it’s only 6:00 AM in Portal. Great news if you’re a sunrise person. Less great if your birding guide hasn’t had their coffee yet.

If you’re staying in Rodeo, you get the gift of a bonus hour of sleep before heading out to meet your guide in Portal. Just don’t forget—you’ll lose that hour on the way back. The drive from Rodeo to Cave Creek Ranch, a common meetup spot for birding tours in Portal, takes about 15–20 minutes, assuming you’re not distracted by a roadside roadrunner or the sudden urge to ID every flycatcher along the way.

Oh, and one more thing: there are no gas stations in either Portal or Rodeo. None. Zip. So, unless you plan to coast in on birding karma alone, make sure to fuel up in Animas (about 20 miles away from Rodeo) or another town before you arrive. Walking to your birding tour isn’t as poetic as it might sound.

🌄 Final Thoughts: Go Where the Wi-Fi Doesn’t

As an introvert with a bird list and a fondness for places where “for security purposes” means don’t feed the bear, I can say this corner of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico is something special. A true natural wonder tucked between sky islands and deserts, held together by communities who couldn’t care less about keeping up with the rest of the world.

And that’s the best part.

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Thought for the Week

This week’s quote comes from Jeremy Paxman, the famously sharp-tongued British journalist, author, and longtime (and legendarily grumpy) host of University Challenge. Known for his dry wit, skeptical stare, and an aversion to fluff, Paxman has a knack for turning classic sayings on their head.

His quote is a clever twist on that old motivational saying about rising early and seizing the day. But in true Paxman fashion, it flips the script—suggesting that maybe being first isn’t always best. Sometimes, it’s the second one—the cautious, observant one—who walks away with the prize (and without triggering the trap).

Something to keep in mind the next time your alarm goes off at 4:30 AM for that “golden hour” birding in the Chiricahuas.

“The early bird may get the worm, but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese”.
— Jeremy Paxman

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Thanks for reading and happy travels!

Mark (The New Mexico Travel Guy)

Mark Aspelin, The New Mexico Travel Guy (www.newmexicotravelguy.com), is a travel writer and author of two books who has enjoyed a wide variety of adventures in his travels to over 100 countries and all 50 U.S. States.  His current project involves visiting EVERY town in his home state of New Mexico (there’s over 500 towns) and writing a story about each one.  He’s on track to finish the project by his early-mid 100s. When not traveling, Mark lives as a recluse in the mountains outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.