Approximate location — plotted from published sources, not a site visit, and not a guarantee of access.
Congress designated the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in 1988 to protect one of the last major free-flowing desert river corridors in the Southwest. Roughly 40 miles of the upper San Pedro River run through nearly 57,000 acres of BLM land between the Mexican border and St. David. Dense riparian forest, migratory birds, and preserved historic sites including the Fairbank townsite and San Pedro House sit inside the NCA. Day use is free. Overnight backcountry camping requires a permit.