Bear Springs

The Grand Canyon Trust hosts four of the SEGA gardens, including Bear Springs, on land within an area covered by the Kane and Two Mile Ranches. Mixed conifer is the dominant vegetation type for the Bear Springs garden, which lies within the Kaibab National Forest.

Background: The Grand Canyon Trust is a conservation organization that purchased the ranches and their grazing leases with the goal of working with land management agencies to maintain and restore the ecological, cultural, and scenic values of the lands. The ranches include about 1,000 acres of deeded land and grazing rights to an additional 850,000 acres of public land administered by the Kaibab National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and Arizona State Land Department. The Kane and Two Mile Ranch Research and Stewardship Partnership was created to facilitate research, cooperation, and volunteer engagement that contribute to the long-term sustainability of native plant and wildlife communities while addressing livestock management needs. The partnership includes the Grand Canyon Trust, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Kaibab National Forest, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona. [b]

Site Characteristics Table
Garden name: Bear Springs
County: Mohave
Latitude and Longitude: 36.36877115, -112.1801702
Nearest city: Jacob Lake
Elevation: 8,819 ft (2,688 m)
Annual Mean Air Temperature:  Minimum 30.2°F (-1°C) - Maximum 57.2°F (14°C) - Mean 43.4°F (6.36°C)
Annual Mean Precipitation: 30.3 in (772 mm)
On-site manager: No
Overnight housing: No
Parent Material: Limestone
Soil: Clay loam to gravelly silty clay loam
Water source: Spring fed waterline and pump
Dominant vegetation type: Mixed conifer
Weed species:
Mammalian herbivores: Mule deer, occasional buffalo, cows
Other: Bees, cougars
Potential Hazards: Lightening during monsoon season (June-Sept), no access in winter.
Cell reception at site: No (pumphouse contains Satellite Phone for Emergencies)