Attractions and Places To See in Santa Cruz County - Top 20

The Arizona Trail leads directly through the small town of Patagonia. At Patagonia Market (open from 5am until 8pm!) and Red Mountains Foods you can refill your supplies. The only hotel in town is the Stage Stop Inn, which offers a discount for AZT hikers/bikers and has a hiker box available. If the hotel is fully booked, comfortable accommodation is available through AirBnB. Wifi and a great breakfast is available at the Gathering Grounds.

Canelo, AZ, is a small, ghost town in eastern Santa Cruz County. Nestled in the scenic Canelo Hills, the area is known for its beautiful landscapes and mountainous environment. The region is characterized by rolling grasslands, oak woodlands, and an abundance of wildlife, making it a prime spot for outdoor activities such as hiking, bird watching, and horseback riding. Canelo's proximity to the Coronado National Forest provides additional opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore. Canelo holds historical significance with remnants of early homesteads, and remnants of ranching and mining activities, with several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places including a one-room schoolhouse and a United States Forest Service ranger station.

Sonoita, AZ, nestled in the rolling hills of southeastern Arizona, is a hub for wine enthusiasts, rodeo lovers, and cyclists. As Arizona’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA), Sonoita boasts numerous vineyards and wineries, producing award-winning wines that draw visitors for tastings and tours. This picturesque region is known for its unique terroir, offering a variety of reds, whites, and rosés. Sonoita is also famous for its vibrant rodeo culture, with events like the Sonoita Horse Races and the Labor Day Rodeo showcasing traditional Western skills and attracting competitors and spectators alike. Cycling enthusiasts flock to Sonoita for its scenic routes and challenging terrains, making it a popular destination for road and mountain biking. The annual Tour de Tucson, a major cycling event, often features routes through Sonoita, highlighting its beautiful landscapes and cycling-friendly roads.

Harshaw, a ghost town in Santa Cruz County, southeastern Arizona, was settled in the 1870s as a mining community. Named after prospector David Tecumseh Harshaw, it thrived in the late 19th century, with the Hermosa mine producing $365,455 in bullion over four months in 1880. The town's fortunes fluctuated with silver prices, leading to cycles of growth and decline. By the 1960s, the mines closed permanently, and Harshaw was incorporated into the Coronado National Forest in 1953 and became a ghost town. Today, remnants include a few houses, building foundations, two small cemeteries, and decaying mine shafts, with most buildings demolished by locals or the Forest Service in the 1970s. Although there are no facilities here, it is still a somewhat popular destination for cyclists (Harshaw Road, which turns from pavement to gravel a bit north of here, is a main artery for many of the popular gravel rides in the area), hikers, and birdwatchers. In fact, Santa Cruz County is one of the premiere birdwatching destinations in the country in large part because it sits in the migratory path for many rare birds as they travel between the US and Mexico.

Apache Road is an amazing gravel road south of Patagonia and the ghost town Harshaw, AZ. This road is often a part of the Spirit World 100 course, a popular, challenging gravel race based out of Patagonia. Although this road is non-technical and generally well-graded, there can be some rough spots and due to the fact that it's quite far from any town, preparedness and self-reliance is a must. Although a dedicated gravel bike will make this road more comfortable, it is doable on a road bike with at least 35mm, if not 40mm+, tires. Tubeless tires is also highly recommended; its nice to be able to ride with lower tire pressures and there are sharp rocks, the occasional cactus spike, and this road is fairly remote, making it a less than ideal place to be having lots of mechanicals!

Harshaw Creek Road is one of the numerous, excellent gravel roads that is quickly transforming the small town of Patagonia, AZ, into a premiere gravel destination. This road takes you through a narrow, steep-walled valley with a season creek that feeds cottonwoods, willows, sycamores, and other plants. Although many of the gravel roads here can be quite rugged, this particular road is relatively tame. This wide, well-graded, smooth gravel road is usually in good condition, with no large rocks or overly loose stuff. It is a gravel road, however, and there are washboarded sections though so a dedicated gravel bike or a road bike that can take wider tires (~30mm+) is recommended.

The Arizona Trail leads directly through the small town of Patagonia. At Patagonia Market (open from 5am until 8pm!) and Red Mountains Foods you can refill your supplies. The only hotel in town is the Stage Stop Inn, which offers a discount for AZT hikers/bikers and has a hiker box available. If the hotel is fully booked, comfortable accommodation is available through AirBnB. Wifi and a great breakfast is available at the Gathering Grounds.

Patagonia is a sweet little Arizona Trail access town. It's a mix of miners, ranchers, folks living off the land, birders and cyclists.