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Arizona, United States
Photo: PhilipC at Flickr, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
South Central Arizona is a region in Arizona, a state of the United States of America.
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Kitt Peak a "don't miss" for the astronomy buff: there are several astronomical telescopes plus a large solar telescope.
One of the world's largest copper deposits.
The art of wine-making was introduced in the region by the Spanish, and Sonoita makes a good base to explore local vineyards.
This 1,200-mile trail follows the route of the Spanish exploratory voyage in 1774, beginning in Nogales on the Arizona-Mexico border, heading north through Santa Cruz county to Tucson and then Phoenix, and then west to California. The entire route can be followed by car, and some segments can also be completed on foot. AnzaHistoricTrail.org is helpful for detailed route planning.
This mountain range offers great opportunities for hiking, camping, mountain biking, and horse riding. The area is managed by the Coronado National Forest; maps and trail information can be obtained from the Nogales Ranger District office.
Established as a National Monument in 2000, the monument is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for multiple uses, including ranching and recreational use. It is noted for significant concentrations of Ironwood trees, and for over 200 pre-Columbian archeological sites. Popular activities include hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, birdwatching, and looking at the many archeological remains. There are no developed facilities, but primitive camping is possible provided campsites are at least 200 ft away from water sources and campers use biodegradable soap.
There are a number of guest ranches in the Sonoita and Patagonia area which offer guided horseback riding excursions, with or without accommodation.
By car
I-10 connects Tucson with Phoenix to the north and New Mexico to the east, while I-19 connects Tucson with Nogales in the south.
As there is no public transportation, a car is essential. A four-wheel drive is recommended if you want to get off the beaten track.
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Tucson · International · TUS
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Casa Grande is a city in South Central Arizona that is largely a commuter town for people working in Tucson or Phoenix. It was the site of an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II, and has played a prominent role in baseball in the United States.
Coolidge is a small city in south central Arizona desert, home to the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument.
Eloy is a town located in South Central Arizona.
Green Valley is a small city in South Central Arizona. Along with the neighboring town of Sahuarita, it is known primarily as a retirement community and as the home of a Titan missile silo.
Nogales is a city divided by the US-México border, which runs through the middle of town on what was International Street. The city is one of the most important border crossings between Mexico and the USA by all measures.
Oracle is a small town in South Central Arizona, about 40 miles north of Tucson.
Patagonia is a small town in South Central Arizona.
Picacho is a small town in South Central Arizona.
Sonoita is a village of 800 people (2020) in South Central Arizona.
Tubac is a small town in South Central Arizona. In the mid-20th century an art school was established here, and today it is known primarily as an artists' colony, drawing visitors to its many art galleries as well as to the nearby Spanish missions.
Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler.
Altar Valley is a rural area in South Central Arizona. It is a 45-mile (72 km) long north–south valley from Sasabe on the Mexico border to the Avra Valley west of the Tucson Mountains.
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument preserves an ancient Hohokam farming community and Great House, dating back 500+ years. It is south of metro Phoenix in the central Arizona desert.
Madera Canyon is a rural area in South Central Arizona. This is an outstanding place for watching birds and wildlife, with over 250 avian species identified so far.
Picacho Peak State Park is in Arizona.
Saguaro National Park is a national park that is near Tucson, Arizona, with a high density of saguaro cacti and many other desert species from the Tucson valley desert floor up into the forested Tucson and Rincon Mountains above 8,000 ft (2,400 m).
The Santa Catalina Mountains, often called simply the Catalinas, are a mountain range in the Coronado National Forest and located northeast of Tucson. Crowned by Mt.
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