A Day In Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County is still sparsely populated and remains an excellent destination for bird and wildlife photographers, hikers, ghost town hunters, kayakers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
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Where Does The Santa Cruz River Start & End?
The Santa Cruz River is about 184 miles long. It begins in the high grasslands of the San Rafael Valley east of Patagonia, AZ. At first, it runs south into Sonora Mexico for several miles before it changes its mind and
Continue readingRuby Arizona: Our Best Ghost Town
Ruby Arizona is about 12 miles from Arivaca. About half way there, the road goes from pavement to dirt. But it’s well-maintained and a standard sedan can easily travel on it (unless of course the area gets a hard rain). Again, do not rely on your GPS. ******************** Ruby was a mining [...]
Continue readingThe Village of Arivaca, The Ghost Town Of Ruby, & Sweet Peas Cafe’!
The road from Amado to Arivaca winds through rolling, mesquite-covered hills. It’s obviously very popular with cyclists, motor and otherwise.
Just before we arrived in town, we came to the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge where, by appointment, we met and interviewed Richard Conway, a local geologist and Mary Scott, a seasoned birdwatcher and wildlife photographer.
Parker Canyon Lake
It took me only about an hour & a half to get to Parker Canyon Lake from Tucson. My friends were pulling a small trailer and it took them about a half hour longer. The road is paved but narrow for about the last 10 miles.
Continue readingSouthwest Wine Guide
Southwest Wine Guide is a website by Carol Wilcox and her husband Paul. They are Arizonans who, for the sheer joy of it, have for 30 years sought out the best California and Arizona wineries. They publish a blog about their travels and review selected wines they find along their way. I found their recommendations helpful, so was very please when Carol said I could share them with you.
Continue readingSouthern Arizona Wines – Sonoita / Elgin
Southern Arizona has two main areas for growing wine grapes: Willcox about an hour’s drive east of Tucson and Sonoita/Elgin less than an hour’s drive to the southeast. But when people talk about Southern Arizona’s Wine Country, they’re mainly referring to Sonoita and Elgin.
Continue readingTucson To Bisbee To Dragoon – A Scenic, Historic Back Road
For me, the most interesting backroads are those that traverse scenic countryside, of course. But more so, I look for many points of interest, usually historic sites, along the way. I hate long, monotonous drives. I appreciate local, esoteric histories. This means that I tend to meander, stop and chat with the natives, take photos, buy the occasional souvenir or piece of art, and rest overnight at a B&B before wondering toward home. Taking the backroads from Tucson to Bisbee to Dragoon is an overnighter – maybe two, or more. Where you overnight is up to you. There are so many excellent options. Here are my suggestions. 1. Tucson (A) to Sonoita & Elgin (B) . I-10 to exit 281. South on Hwy 83 to Sonoita. This is Wine Country. Stop at a few wineries, do a little wine tasting, buy a couple of bottles for later. 2. From Sonoita, head … Continue reading
Tucson to Wine Country & Back Via Box Canyon – A Day Trip
This is a very pleasant day trip from Tucson to the Wine Country of Sonoita & Elgin. When touring, we try not to back track and the route I suggest here takes you back through Box Canyon to Madera Canyon for a picnic, before heading back to Tucson via I-19 north of Green Valley.
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