| Oracle State Park | |
|---|---|
  Location of Oracle State Park in Arizona | |
| Location | Pinal, Arizona, United States |
| Coordinates | 32°36′28″N110°43′59″W / 32.60778°N 110.73306°W /32.60778; -110.73306 |
| Area | 3,948 acres (15.98 km2) |
| Established | 1976 |
| Visitors | 7,883 (in 2022)[1] |
| Governing body | Arizona State Parks |
Kannally Ranch | |
 The Kannally Ranch house | |
| Location | Mt. Lemmon Hwy, E of Oracle |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Oracle, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 32°36′35″N110°44′1″W / 32.60972°N 110.73361°W /32.60972; -110.73361 |
| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1929 |
| Architectural style | Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000307 |
| Added to NRHP | March 28, 1996 |
Oracle State Park is astate park ofArizona, US, preserving 3,948 acres (1,598 ha) in the northeastern foothills of theSanta Catalina Mountains. The park is named after the nearby town ofOracle. Oracle State Park serves as awildlife refuge, and is open during the winter from 9 am – 5 pm, and during the summer from 8 am - 4 pm.[2] In October 2011 Arizona State Parks agreed to reopen Oracle on a limited basis with a $40,000 budget if the park'sFriends group can raise $21,000 in additional funds.[3] The park has more than 15 miles (24 km) of hiking trails, including 7 miles (11 km) of theArizona Trail.[4]
Starting in 1902, the area that is now the park was owned and operated as a cattle ranch by Neal Kannally and his family. Kannally journeyed from his home in Illinois to a tuberculosis health resort in what is not Oracle. As Neal's health improved, his brother Lee joined him in Arizona and purchased a 160-acre ranch nearby.[5] At its largest, the ranch encompassed 50,000 acres, most of which was eventually sold off to mining companies.
The remaining property was occupied until Neal's last remaining sibling, Lucile, bequeathed it to theDefenders of Wildlife organization in 1976,[6] and ten years later, the land was donated to the state of Arizona to create a wildlife refuge.[4]
In 2014, theInternational Dark-Sky Association designated Oracle State Park as a Dark Sky Park.[7]
The most common plants in Oracle State Park areprickly pear andcholla cactus,scrub oak,mesquite, many wildflowers, and the occasionalpiñon andjuniper. A solitarysaguaro cactus is located in the park. The original ranch house, which was converted to be the park headquarters, has somecypress trees nearby.
Bird species includered-tailed hawks,golden eagles,prairie falcons,black-throated sparrows,Gambel's quail,cactus wrens,pyrrhuloxia,northern mockingbirds,northern flickers,common poorwills,northern cardinals, andgreat horned owls. Manymammals inhabit the park, such asringtails,javalinas,cougars,rock squirrels,desert cottontails,black-tailed jackrabbits,mule deer, andwhite-tailed deer.Reptiles andamphibians found in the area include thewestern box turtles,Arizona alligator lizards,Colorado River toads,bull snakes, andwestern diamondback rattlesnakes.[4]
The Kannally Ranch House is a historic house museum with original art and historic photos. The four-level adobe home was constructed between 1929 and 1933, featuresMediterranean andMoorish architectural influences and is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places. The ranch house is open for self guided tours during park hours.
The purpose of the park is to "protect the designated wildlife refuge and act as an environmental learning center."[2] Before closure the park offerednatural history andenvironmental education programs for school and adult groups, including trail walks, workshops, presentations and special events.
