Travel Weekender - 48 Hour Getaways

Sonoita—The Land of Be
by Christine Maxa

It doesn't take long to experience the classic reaction to open-space when you stand in Sonoita’s countryside, with views so big and far-reaching they swallow you up. At first you feel cloistered. Then your soul relaxes into the reality that there are none of the boundaries city folk feel — buildings, privacy fences, strip malls, and sundry responsibilities — fencing you in. This is one of the few areas of open space left in Arizona not owned by the state or federal government. Highly charismatic with laidback manners, the place grows on you.

More a dot on the map than a town teaming with things to do, Sonoita still makes a special destination. Especially if you like to take your weekends slow and easy, yet fill them with interesting things to do. In the summer, when the monsoon rains have greened the grasses and the evening temperatures drop enough to suggest a chill, Sonoita becomes one of the state’s best-kept secrets.

Sonoita’s charismatic landscape of rich grasslands bordered by picturesque mountains captured the attention of Hollywood often over the years. More than half dozen movies filmed there, as well as two television series. This rich range country sent thousands of head of cattle a day by train to markets in the east decades ago. The cowboy spirit, so attractive to visitors, still lingers on the land and just gets more intense when you see it from horseback.

You don't have to be a cowboy or an equestrian to take to this area. But it helps if you love the outdoors, because there's lots of it. Even if you don’t, you can feel at home on this range.

Oeniphiles will be delighted to know the land is perfect for producing award-winning wine. The area’s fertile soil compares to that in Burgundy, France, and Kent Callaghan's appellation in next-door Elgin produces some of the best wines in the country. Callaghan's wines have captivated the palate of the single most influential wine critic in the world, Robert Parker. Wine aficionados on the lookout for something different wait with interest for Callaghan’s next harvest to come of drinking age.

Just beyond wine country lies a road less traveled. Continue southward on Arizona 83 to Parker Canyon Lake (about 30 miles from Sonoita). The paved route presents some extraordinarily isolated, but scenic, moments through the Canelo Hills. Once at the lake, you can toss in a line for a fish, rent a boat, or just sit and be.

If you prefer a more civilized drive through the oak groves and grasslands, head south on Arizona 82 on the Patagonia-Sonoita Scenic Byway. The creekside habitat of cottonwood, willow, and Arizona walnut trees reaches into the roadsides when the route rubs shoulders with Sonoita Creek. The creek chatters with bird life all year long, and gets especially active in spring and fall during migration times. At a roadside rest area, about milepost 16, watch for a shrine located in a hillside grotto on the east

If you're interested in visiting Patagonia Lake, watch for its turnoff around milepost 12. Otherwise keep heading south to Nogales, where you can cross the border and shop in Mexican markets. Just remember to bring a valid form of identification for your return into the states.

At the end of the day, when a thousand stars seem to swirl in the black ink night sky and the coyote lives up to its nickname of song dog, you can feel as good as the cowboys who ranched this range dozens of years ago did — right at home on this classic grasslands range.

If you go...

Lodging

La Hacienda de Sonoita
520-455-5308
Classic western style hacienda with a fun cowboy motif.

Rain Valley Bed and Breakfast
520-456-2911
Located in a beautiful valley with great views.

Restaurants (Most establishments open only Wednesday through Sunday)

Cafe Sonoita
520-455-5278
Open 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays; dinner, 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays. Dinner menu changes daily.

The Grasslands Natural Foods and Bakery
520-455-4770
Go for breakfast and tasty salads and pastas for lunch. 

Wine Tasting
Callaghan Vineyard
520-455-5322
336 Elgin Rd., Elgin
Open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday through Sunday.

Sonoita Vineyard
520-455-5893
Three miles south of Elgin on the Canelo Road
Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily; closed major holidays.

Stables
Arizona Horseback Experience
520-455-5696
Three-hour to full-day rides for beginners to experienced riders

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