A Nature Lover's Paradise
Nestled midway between the Peloncillo Mountains in southwestern New Mexico and the Chiricahua Mountains in southeastern Arizona it provides the perfect location for all forms of nature explorations. The cottage is located on 20 acres of desert habitat and features an abundance of fruit and pecan trees and a small pool to attract local wildlife. Plenty of bird feeding stations situated behind the cottage provide you a private oasis to observe the wide variety of area bird life. The cottage also has frequent visitors such as javelina, deer and jack rabbits. Bobcat venture through the property from time to time as well.
The cottage is bright and cozy and sleeps 4 comfortably. It has a fully equipped kitchen (no oven, stove top only) and hot beverage bar, covered patio with outside seating and a gas grill. Satellite TV and DVD player are available as well as Wi-Fi internet.
Conveniently located within 1 mile of Sky Island Grill and 5 miles from Portal Cafe and only 7 miles to the Coronado National Forest.
The new owners have also begun habitat enrichment projects on the property to increase the likelihood of observing some of the unique area wildlife. The cottage is named for the Gambel's quail that are year-round residents. It is a desert haven for a variety of birds and wildlife and offers an opportunity for unlimited stargazing.
Meet the Owners
Mike and Rhonda moved to Portal upon their retirement after 35 years in the nature center and zoo fields. Rhonda’s career
encompassed work as an Education Center Curator at Niabi Zoo in Illinois, Assistant Curator of Mammals at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and Curator of the Amarillo Zoo in Texas. Rhonda has worked with a wide variety of native and exotic wildlife during the course of her career. Mike’s path took him from a career in law enforcement to landing a position as an Interpretive Naturalist with the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center eventually rising to the position as the Assistant Director. He later went on to become the Executive Director of the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center in Amarillo before joining Rhonda at the Amarillo Zoo.
Both Mike and Rhonda vacationed many times in the Portal area falling in love with the abundance of wildlife the Sky Islands had to offer. It was an easy decision for them to make this their retirement home and share their passion for wildlife with their guests.