About our Area

Santa Cruz County of Southern Arizona is where you will be visiting. This is mostly a rural area except for the few towns along I-19, Amado, Green Valley, Tubac, Tumacacori and Rico Rico. Santa Cruz County was created by Arizona's 20th Territorial Assembly in 1899 and is named after the Santa Cruz River - which mean "holy cross" in Spanish.

While on trail we will be traveling through a wide variety of cactus, desert shrubs, mesquite trees, oak, woodlands and beautiful canyons. These canyons are filled with historical significance and western legends. This land of the old west is where Apache Indians attacked settlers and Geronimo and his band of renegades made their last raids until his final surrender to the U.S. Calvary in 1886.

While in Rio Rico staying at the resort you may want to go a little farther down the highway to Patagonia. This is a great little western town to visit, and has one of our favorite cowboy bars, the Wagon Wheel.

For more outdoor pursuits the Patagonia-Sonita Creek Preserve is one of the best birding spots in the southwest. The 265 acre preserve on lower Sonita Creek provides habitat for over 200 species of birds. The unique variety of birds can be found in the surrounding cotton wood, weeping willow, pine and mesquite trees as well as high desert shrub and grassland. Patagonia is just a short drive from the Esplendor Resort.

For shopping visit the artist village of Tubac Mexico which is just 20 minutes away. It is very easy to walk across the Nogales US / Mexico border and there are lots of wonderful shops and restaurants. Bring your passport!