Editing Sierra Vista, Arizona (section)

==Parks and outdoors==
[[File:Huachuca Mountains after Monsoon.jpg|thumb|left|Huachuca Mountains after Monsoon]]

===Bird watching===
Nicknamed the "[[Hummingbird]] Capital of the United States", the city sees bird watchers from all over the world flock to the nearby Ramsey Canyon Preserve and other local canyons to observe and photograph hundreds of different bird species. In the Huachuca Mountains, Ramsey Canyon is one of the prime locations to see hummingbirds in the U.S. An ecological crossroads between desert and tropics, the mountains that rise from the arid surroundings of this part of southeastern Arizona trap rainfall and create island-like biodiverse areas. Among numerous other plants and animals, the Ramsey Canyon wildlife reserve is home to 15 hummingbird species. Most notable are the beryline and violet-crowned hummingbirds, which breed in Central America but only migrate as far north as the southwestern United States.<ref name="10 Unique Hummingbird Havens">{{cite web|url=https://blogs.sierraclub.org/explore/2013/08/10-unique-hummingbird-havens-birdwatching.html|title=S10 Unique Hummingbird Havens|access-date=March 12, 2020}}</ref> Other outdoor sightseeing and recreational opportunities that are nearby include the [[San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area]], the [[Coronado National Memorial]] in the [[Huachuca Mountains]], and [[Parker Canyon Lake]]. Excellent views of the clear night sky have led Sierra Vista to become the chosen center of amateur [[astronomy]] in Arizona, with more than a dozen well equipped amateur observatories in the area and a large observatory at the [[University of Arizona|University of Arizona College of Applied Science & Technology]] within the city limits.

===Ramsey Canyon===
[[File:Carr Falls Huachuca Mts AZ.jpg|thumb|upright|Seasonal 300 ft Carr Canyon Falls]]
Ramsey Canyon in the Huachuca Mountains was named after Gardner Ramsey after his arrival in the 1880s. Ramsey Canyon Preserve is at the end of Ramsey Canyon Road west of Arizona Highway 92.<ref name="Ramsey Canyon Preserve">{{cite web|url=https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/ramsey-canyon-preserve/index.html|title=Ramsey Canyon Preserve|access-date=July 28, 2020}}</ref> The preserve provides an excellent bird watching experience with two loop trails. The shorter loop trail is around half a mile long while the longer trail is around a mile. Two historic structures can be found along the trail. James Cabin, a log cabin dating to 1902, was built by John James on Ramsey Canyon Creek. The James House, built in 1911, is on the other side of the creek and provided a larger dwelling for the James family. Ramsey Canyon Trail is a longer (2.4 mile) trail, also known as Hamburg Trail, and is just beyond the Nature Conservancy preserve.<ref name="Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon">{{cite web|url=https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/ramsey-canyon-preserve/hamburg-trail.html|title=Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon|access-date=July 28, 2020}}</ref> The trail has an elevation change of 1,300 feet and enters the 20,000 acre Miller Peak Wilderness which is part of the [[Coronado National Forest]] after passing the Pat Scott Canyon and Wisconsin Canyon junction that includes the old prospecting site of Hamburg Mine.

===Carr Canyon===
Carr Canyon, named after James Carr, is accessible by the Carr Canyon Road and is a scenic drive in the Coronado National Forest. The rough road is seven miles long with only two of the seven miles paved. It was originally built by James Carr in 1881 and requires a high clearance vehicle to traverse. Carr Canyon roads ends at the Reef Townsite at an elevation of {{convert|7400|ft|m|0}}. Near the entrance of Carr Canyon is the historic Carr House, built in 1932, which is an information center operated by the Forest Service.<ref name="Carr House Info Center">{{cite web|url=https://www.huachucamountains.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Rec-Opp-Guide-Carr-House.pdf|title=Coronado National Forest Huachuca Mountains Carr House Info Center |access-date=July 28, 2020}}</ref>

===Parks===
The city of Sierra Vista maintains 17 different parks with Veterans Memorial Park being the largest measuring around 40 acres. Veterans Memorial Park consists of an Aquatic center called The Cove, benches, bike racks, children's playgrounds, drinking fountains, flag pole, horseshoe pits, grass play area, Ramadas, restrooms, skate and bike court, softball fields, teen and youth center, and volleyball courts. Veterans Memorial Park holds the largest events festivals in Sierra Vista to include the yearly Easter Eggstravaganza, Festival of the Southwest, Oktoberfest, Art in the Park, Cars in the Park, and a weekly Farmers Market. The other parks within Sierra Vista include Len Roberts Park, Hubert Tompkins Park, Garden Canyon Linear Park, Chaparral Village Park, Ciaramitaro Park, Bella Vista Park, Country Club Park, Nancy Hakes Park, Purple Heart Park, Soldier's Creek Park, Summit Park, Timothy Lane Park, A.V. Anderson Park, Bolin Airfield, James R. Landwehr Plaza, and Cyr Center Park.

===The Cove===
The Sierra Vista Aquatic Center, known as "The Cove", is a {{convert|36500|sqft|adj=on}} facility that contains {{convert|11347|sqft|abbr=on}} of pool water surface, which equates to over {{convert|575000|USgal}} of water. The Aquatic Center boasts a 0' depth, or "beach", entry, eight 25-yard lap lanes for lap and competitive swimming, and a wave machine with several wave patterns for Open Swim. The Cove has a submersible bulkhead which makes the switch from wave pool to competitive pool possible. The Cove also has a warm water therapy pool, children's lagoon with slide, two 1 meter diving boards and one 3 meter diving board, and two enclosed water tube slides to include a {{convert|150|ft|adj=on}} water tube slide.<ref name="Sierra Vista Aquatic Center">{{cite web|url=http://www.sierravistaaz.gov/department/division.php?fDD=16-257|title=Sierra Vista Aquatic Center|access-date=January 12, 2012}}</ref>

===Veterans Memorial Cemetery===
Sierra Vista is home to one of four Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemeteries.<ref>[https://dvs.az.gov/services/memorials-burials Arizona Department of Veterans' Services – Cemeteries]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://dvs.az.gov/southern-memorial-cemetery |title=Southern Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020180829/https://dvs.az.gov/southern-memorial-cemetery |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since it was developed by the [[Arizona Department of Veterans' Services]] over 7,000 burials have been conducted. Entertainer and US Navy veteran of World War II [[Emmett Kelly Jr.]] is buried there.