Although Arizona offers countless attractions, one of the best things to do in the state is simply to get behind the wheel and drive. From white-knuckle mountainside roads to flat lands and surprisingly lush scenery, the landscape seems to be ever-changing, and it can feel like you’ve traveled through several different countries in a single road trip close to home. There are plenty of road trips you can plan that give you days to explore, but shorter trips that you can complete in a single day also offer plenty of adventure. If you call Sierra Vista home, a nearby road trip from Sonoita to Patagonia is less than 60 miles in each direction, but it packs in scenery straight out of Hollywood. Here is what you need to know about planning this exciting scenic drive.
Home to Hollywood Magic
If you’ve seen the movie Oklahoma!, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the grassy plains showcased in the film were straight out of the Sooner state. In reality, that movie was filmed in the San Rafael Valley between Sonoita and Patagonia, where the grass grows chest high and ranches are spread out across the landscape. The state of Oklahoma has lost too much of its natural land to development to make an appropriate backdrop for an early 1900s Oklahoma setting, so the directors had to come to Arizona instead.
Oklahoma! is not the only movie to be filmed in this striking area. It has also been used as a double for Texas in the movie Red River, and in the movie David and Bathsheba, it acted as ancient Israel. You may also recognize the San Rafael Valley from the John Wayne movie McLintock!, the Steve McQueen feature Tom Horn, and William Holden and Ryan O’Neal’s Wild Rovers.
Sonoita to Patagonia Scenic Drive
To take a Sonoita to Patagonia drive from Sierra Vista, start by heading to Sonoita using State Route 90 to I-10 West. Once you’re in Sonoita, pick up State Road 83. From there, pick up Canelo Pass Road, then San Rafael Road. Follow the signs for Lochiel to join Duquesne Road and then Harshaw Road. You can follow Harshaw Road through Harshaw and on to Patagonia.
No special vehicles are required for this drive. The road is mostly smooth, though you will encounter a dirt road as you travel through Duquesne and pick up Harshaw Road. The road is well maintained, and passenger vehicles use it daily without issue.
Can’t Miss Sites
This scenic drive is short, but there are plenty of things to see and do along the way. When you start your trip in Sonoita, don’t miss the chance to stop in on some of the wineries and pick up some bottles you won’t find elsewhere. There are vineyards across the area, so be sure to explore more than one. As you leave Sonoita, don’t miss the opportunity to stop and take some photos of the tall grasses and the wildflowers with the mountains rising in the background.
The road zigzags through pygmy forests and past abandoned mines. You’ll encounter a 25-foot tall cross along the road, which commemorates the travels of Fray Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan friar who crossed present-day Arizona in 1539 and is said to be the first European who traveled west of the Rocky Mountains. Nearby Duquesne is a ghost town of abandoned buildings, including the former home of the electricity-magnate Westinghouse family. You can also consider a quick detour to the town of Harshaw, which was a Western boomtown until it was destroyed by a thunderstorm, fire, and loss of ore, all in the year 1880.
Near the end of your drive, you’ll emerge from the Coronado National Forest to Patagonia. Patagonia is a charming town with plenty of local shops and restaurants to explore, or you can spend more time in the outdoors exploring the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve, which is home to more than 300 species of birds.
When you move into a new home in Sierra Vista, everything Arizona has to offer is right at your doorstep. With a Castle & Cooke property, you’ll get the best of all worlds, with quality craftsmanship and master-planned communities to call home in a location that offers proximity to the best outdoor spaces and amenities. Are you interested in learning more about our communities? Call us today at (520) 378-5110 to learn more about our communities and our customizable homes.