The previous blog posting explored the eastern half of this scenic loop, along Arizona's Highways 83 and 82. In this posting, we will look at stops along the scenic Santa Cruz River, starting from Nogales (please see previous posting) and traveling north toward Tucson.
Traveling north
Interstate 19 will take you from Nogales directly to Tucson. For the most scenic routes, however, take the numerous discontinuous frontage roads along the east side of the freeway. (The roads are discontinuous in part because traffic must pass through the large Border Patrol checkpoint near Tubac.)
Rio Rico
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| Pena Blanca Lake |
Tumacacori
Tumacacori (pronounced tumaCOKcori, according to a resident) is home to Tumacacori National Historical Park. Within the park are a partially restored mission church as well as other historical buildings dating back to the late 17th century, when Padre Eusebio Kino established a system of missions operated first by the Jesuit order and later by the Franciscans until Mexico achieved its independence from Spain in 1821. Efforts to restore the mission began in the early 20th century, and the National Park Service estimates about $20 million has gone into restoring and maintaining the site.
Just north of the NHP is a gate providing access to the Anza trail and the Santa Cruz River, if you feel like taking a short hike. The Anza trail continues 4 1/2 miles north to the village of Tubac, if you feel like a longer hike or bike ride.
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| Santa Cruz River |
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| View of Santa Rita Mountains from TNHP
At this point, if you feel like having a bite to eat, Wisdom's Cafe, just north of the NHP, serves tasty Sonoran Mexican food, including grilled shrimp tacos with a spicy mango salsa. Tubac, one mile north, also offers a variety of cafes and restaurants.
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| Wisdom's Cafe mascot |
Tubac ("Where Art and History Meet")
Although much of the town is dedicated to shops and galleries, Tubac is far from a mundane mall experience. Shops offer a range of products to suit every taste and many are housed in architecturally interesting old dwellings. The K. Newby gallery (across a foot bridge from the main shopping area) offers a feast for the eyes in its outdoor sculpture garden as well as its indoor art gallery. Tubac also offers a variety of cafes, fine pottery and art galleries, specialty stores for items such as kitchen accessories or iron or leather products, as well as the inevitable Mexican curio shops.
Tubac details
Even if shopping is not your cup of tea, you will find many aspects of Tubac to love. Tubac has numerous charming inns and bed and breakfast establishments as well as the guest ranch and farm (and golf resort) mentioned previously. Travelers might also want to tour the Tubac Presidio State Historical Park. Although the presidio itself exists only as a partially excavated underground display, the display, the museum, the school, and other features of the park are lovingly preserved and historically fascinating.
Details from Tubac Presidio State Historical Park
Other attractions
If you have the time, a side trip to Arivaca (west of Amado/Arivaca Junction from I-19) and the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is well worth the drive. This pleasant drive through the grassy hills and wooded valleys near Arivaca will eventually arrive in the semi-desert grasslands of the refuge at the base of impressive Baboquivari Peak. The refuge is home to more than 330 species of birds as well as a broad range of mammals and reptiles. More than 250 miles of dirt road are available for bicyclists, hikers, and more intrepid automobile drivers. If you take this side trip, drive north on state highway 286 to Three Points and east on 86 to continue to Tucson.
Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge
If you continue to Tucson via I-19, a side trip to Madera Canyon is worthwhile, if you have the time. Exit I-19 at the Continental exit and follow the signs to the canyon on the west side of the beautiful Santa Rita Mountains. This might be the second favorite local outdoor destination for Tucsonans (after Sabino Canyon National Recreation Area), so the canyon can be rather crowded in parking lots, but fewer people choose to trek trails into the peaks. In addition to spectacular views of the peaks above and Santa Cruz valley below from the trails, the canyon offers more sedate pleasures of browsing gift shops or lodging in a handful of quaint inns.
Madera Canyon
San Xavier del Bac mission ("White Dove of the Desert")
A must-see side trip nine miles south of Tucson is mission San Xavier del Bac. The mission as a whole is more than 300 years old, and the current church building was built in the late 18th century, chiefly by O'odham natives. Although an active, ministering church, the facility is open to the public daily, except for special events such as weddings. The church is considered one of the finest existing examples of Spanish Colonial architecture.
San Xavier del Bac
