English - National Geographic Travel

1/18/07
12:06 PM
Page 1
Fort Apache
Scottsdale Museum of
TONTO NATIONAL
McDowell Sonoran Preserve
Contemporary Art
PIMA MINIATURE BASKETS, HEARD MUSEUM, PHOENIX, ARIZ.
FORT
APACHE
Residents
of
Scottsdale
voted
to
FOREST
95
HEARD MUSEUM/JERRY JACKA
Hope E
Five galleries showcase art, archiincrease taxes to fund conservaTheodore
tecture,
and
design.
Huge
glass
60
60
E
Roosevelt L.
tion of the mountains and desert.
E
E
San Carlos Apache
wall surrounding the outdoor
Quartzsite
Hannagan
Roosevelt The City now manages the area.
For a swatch of land known mainly for the roadCultural Center
sculpture garden changes color.
Meadow
EFORT MCDOWELL
E
Surprise
lt
10
Fort McDowell
E
188
runner and the saguaro, you’d be astonished by the
Tribal
museum
tells
stories
of
the
a
S
Ehrenberg
E
SunECity 17
Tortilla
Flat
Apache’s
spiritual
beginnings,
the
APACHE
TRAIL
E
Sonoran range of landforms and climate, animals
Fountain Hills
13
HISTORIC ROAD
Peoria
This town (population: 6), an
1871 massacre, forced resettleand plants. Binational conservation efforts are
EGlendale
all-in-one establishment, was
ment, and current day heroes.
SALT RIVER
Tortilla Flat E
SAN CARLOS
underway to link biosphere reserves in Sonora with
once
for
sale
on
E-bay.
Grab
a
Artisans demonstrate their craft
Heard Museum
Hotel San Carlos
Litchfield Park E
95
E
88
burger
or
some
prickly-pear
ice
and
sell local art.
adjoining protected lands in Arizona. Organ pipe
Clark Gable and Mae West stayed
Scottsdale
APACHE
10
cream, listen to bluegrass, or
E
here,
and
you
can,
too.
This
historic
cactus and bighorn sheep would certainly approve.
Avondale
NATIONAL
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
E
stroll the wooden boardwalk.
E
hotel was once the city’s first school.
E
E
Heritage TempeE
Apache
Take a boat ride to see the abunFOREST
Mesa
Miami Globe
Jesús García, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
& Science Park
Junction
E
dant waterfowl and shorebirds in
San
Carlos
E
E
ethnobiologist:
Pueblo Grande Museum
Buckeye
Ko
Gilbert
60
the marshes of this oasis along the
GILA-PINAL
fa
and Archaeological Park
SCENIC ROAD
Colorado River. Watch for mule
“Most plant and animal migrations travel south-to85
E
Chandler
M
Los Dos Molinos
Gila Box Riparian
A Hohokam platform mound, balldeer and bighorn sheep as you
Superior E
ts.
Florence
north along river corridors, such as the Yaqui and
Known for its fiery chile sauces,
National Conservation Area
court, and ruins date back 1,500
70
hike the desert hillsides.
Junction E
KOFA
Sheraton
Wild
Horse
Pass
the
New
Mexican-style
food
is
View 200 species of birds, includSonora Rivers. As the javelina works its way north,
HEARD MUSEUM, PHOENIX, ARIZ.
years. Indoor exhibits illustrate
Resort & Spa
worth waiting for. Settle in with a
ing Bell's vireos and canyon wrens,
Huhugam Heritage Center
NATIONAL
Hohokam culture and archaeology.
ESun Lakes
Museum celebrates traditional and contemEGranville
Luxury resort owned by the Pima and
for example, it excretes seeds consumed farther
San
Carlos
margarita
in
the
funky
courtyard
from the Bonita Creek platform.
See
arts
and
culture
of
Akimel
porary
art
and
cultures
of
Southwestern
Maricopa offering native cuisine, horseback
WILDLIFE
Reservoir
south, and new plants take root. When coyotes
and
prepare
yourself
for
the
heat.
Kayak
or
canoe
on
four
rivers.
O’odham
and
Pee
Posh
peoples
in
10
riding,
and
Gila
River
clay
treatments
Native Americans. If you’re lucky, catch
REFUGE
E
Black Rock Ranch
this facility, modeled after the Casa
travel, they know their way around—where to hide,
Bylas
the annual hoop dancing contest or the
GILA RIVER
Gila Indian
Fourth-generation family-run cattle
Grande ruins. Fine basket collection;
177
find water, and where to sleep. Birds migrate along
basketry and native foods festival.
Center
ranch
offers
roping,
branding,
and
ethnobotanical
trail.
E
Morenci Mine Tour
EMaricopa
Gil
the sky island archipelago, mountaintops above
238
Kearny
Clifton
a
Tour one of the world’s largest
herd culling demonstrations, plus
MARICOPA
ila
E
Florence
open-pit mines with an
the desert floor with their own climates and
homegrown cowboy poetry.
G
(AK CHIN)
TOHONO O’ODHAM
informative ‘‘Copper Guide’’
E
E
Martinez Lake
ecosytems.”
Winkelman
(GILA BEND)
Casa Grande Ruins
E
Coolidge
National Monument
Gila Bend E
347
CALIFORNIA
Remains of the one of the largest
79
Peter Gierlach, native plant grower, Chiricahua
a
Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness
SONORAN DESERT
structures built by the Hohokam culture
il
Pima E
8
Imperial Reservoir
Go here for fall foliage
Mountains
E
E
E
La Palma
L
Sentinel E
I
A
Feldman
NATIONAL
Casa Grande
“The kangaroo rat is the ultimate desert rat. It doesIC TR
Dankworth Pond and Village
Terra Cotta
E
STOR
Safford
IONAL HI
(Roper State Park)
Savor Southwestern-style cuisine
NAT
n’t drink water. When rain falls, it hides. It gets its
Dateland E
MONUMENT
E ANZA
77
D
A
T
S
I
T
U
A
B
Painted Rocks Petroglyph Site
Fish
or
watch
birds
at
this
cattailN
using
local
ingredients
as
you
gaze
A
JU
moisture from the seeds and grass it gathers. It lives
FORT YUMA
10
View hundreds of petroglyphs and
lined pond. Replicas of Native
upon the Santa Catalina Mountains.
Swift Trail Junction E
E
Eloy
Arizona City E
Duncan E
historic inscriptions along this
near earthen mounds and takes dust baths. It’s the
American dwellings and Mogollon
Original art graces the turquoise- and
E
E
Mount Graham
Mammoth
Yuma
interpreted
trail.
Betty's
Kitchen
Watchable
Indian artifacts along self-guided International
E
copper-accented dining room.
size of a golf ball and has an eight-inch tail.
Observatory
Artesia
Wildlife Area
8
trail at Dankworth Village.
Ironwood Forest
Home of the world’s
“Over in the Sulphur Springs Valley, you have real- COCOPAH
Named after the 1930s café that
National Monument
most powerful telescope
Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch
ly hammered old agricultural land, but it has some
served the riverine community.
Rich stands of ironwood trees and
ESomerton
Relax in the jacuzzi at this Spanish
E
CORONADO
FOREST
NATIONAL
Oracle ESan Manuel
E
Flooding in 1983 led to establishing
Hohokam archeologic sites can be
of the best birding in North America.”
Colonial Inn favored by legendary
Cocopah Museum,
Bonita 266
SAGUARO CACTUS
Oracle
a recreation area and wildlife refuge.
DeGrazia
Gallery in the Sun
found
in
the
desert
valleys
and
movie
stars.
Enjoy
mountain
views
DYKINGA PHOTOGRAPHY
E
Fort Bowie National Historic Site
Cocopah Indian Tribe
Junction View art and architecture inspired
Volunteers offer tours to see watermountain ranges.
as the award-winning grill serves
Site of numerous battles between the
Walk through the desert park to
ESan Luis
fowl and migratory species.
by
the
Sonoran
landscape.
This
10fresh produce from the garden.
E
E
U.S. Military and Chiricahua Apaches,
learn about plants traditionally
E
North Komelik
Catalina acre retreat includes the artist’s
191
culminating in Geronimo’s surrender
used by Cocopah Indians. View
San Luis
home, chapel, gallery, and gift shop.
in 1886. Hike 1.5 miles through
displays about clothing, beadwork,
85
Río Colorado
Native Seeds/SEARCH
E
Marana
Santa
Apache Pass to Fort Bowie remains.
tattoos, tribal games, and warriors.
This organization helps protect agriCatalina
ESilver Bell
cultural diversity and cultural heritage
Ajo E
Mts.
Cortaro
E
Muleshoe Ranch
by conserving Native American crop
Hickiwan E
E
Bowie
The line between Arizona and Sonora affects all that
Cooperative Management Area
seeds. Visit the Tucson store for heirNEW
o
takes place north and south of it. It creates a remarkd
10
loom seeds, foods, and books.
Singing Wind Bookshop
Rex Allen Museum and
Saguaro N.P.
ra
o
E
CABEZA
PRIETA
able hybrid culture that permeates both sides.
Willcox
Cowboy
Hall
of
Fame
MEXICO
Spend
an
afternoon
perusing
the
l
6E
Why E
Co
Willcox
2
wide range of books packed into
Arizona E
Tanque Verde
Language, food, laws, and outlaws—all take a bow
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
E
Luis B. S´anchez
86
1
Inn
Winifred Bundy’s home on this
Saguaro
Santa Clara Marshland
Apache
Kitt Peak National Observatory
at the frontier, then move on. Despite its internaLandmark
1930
Dos Cabezas E 186 Pass
working
cattle
ranch.
Arizona
State
Museum
National
Park
Local guides from nearby Ejido Luis
At 6,875 feet, views are spectacuSouthwestern-style
EQuijotoa
Willcox Playa
tional complexities, the border can be invigorating,
Indigenous pottery, masks of
E. Johnson will guide you by boat
Ch
inn and gardens built
lar from one of the world’s largest
Colossal Cave and
Cochise Stronghold
as when Douglas and Agua Prieta run a horse race
by Arizona's first
i
Cochise E Bed & Breakfast
La Poste Quemada Ranch
through the largest wetland in the
astronomical observatories, boast- TOHONO O'ODHAM Mexico, Navajo textiles, and much
PASCUA YAQUI
E
congresswoman
Ejido
Luis
E.
Johnson
Crystal-filled
cave,
museum,
128more
reveal
the
cultural
history
of
Sonoran Desert, rich with bird life.
ing 24 telescopes. Tour the visitor
Sleep in a tipi, straw-bale guestwith steeds on each side of the line (below).
Three Points
E
year-old
ranch,
horseback
riding
the
Southwest
from
mammoth
Amerind
(Robles Junction)
Look for the Yuma clapper rail.
center by day and stargaze with
house, or solar-powered deluxe
NATION
BAJA
through desert and canyons
E
hunters to current day.
Museum
Dragoon ranch suite. The Dragoon mounTOHONO O'ODHAM
astronomers at night.
Adriano González, spokesman, coffee cooperative,
286
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS
Native
(SAN XAVIER)
E
tains shelter Lucifer hummingbirds,
Agua Prieta, Son.
Haivana Nakya
CALIFORNIA
E
NATIONAL MONUMENT
American
386
EL PINACATE AND
Mt. View
javelina, ringtail cats, even ocelots.
10
Benson E art exhibits
“I was born here and studied international business
19
83
Chiricahua National Monument
GREAT ALTAR DESERT
Cochise
and learned English; it’s opened a lot of doors for
Canyons slice into a volcanic landE
Green Valley
Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve E
90
Stronghold
ESells
CORONADO
Pearce
E
Sunizona
scape of balancing rocks, spires,
me. I work with a coffee cooperative in Chiapas that
Kartchner
ELukeville
A Nature Conservancy preserve with
Geotraveler tips:
NATIONAL
BIOSPHERE RESERVE
CORONADO
N.F.
Buenos
Aires
National
Wildlife
Refuge
and organ pipe formations. Drive
Caverns
E
Fort Huachuca
ships beans to us here in Agua Prieta, where they’re
300 species of birds, including the
FOREST
Sonoyta
El Pinacate
Tombstone
How to help the Sonoran region retain its character
State
Park
Home
to
3,200
species
of
plants
the 8-mile scenic road or hike the
Skywatcher's Inn
Established to fight raiding Apache
(volcano)
rare
rose-throated
becard.
Look
for
K
roasted, then sold in the States. It’s a good model
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
“All you’ll find in them ther’ hills is your
from the Sonoran Desert and beyond.
mountain to see rare wildlife.
Patronize businesses that support the community and its
Clear, dark skies lend themselves
Indians including Geronimo. The
3957 ft
JOE MC DONALD/CORBIS
unique
plants
such
as
the
Santa
own
tombstone.”
In
1877,
Prospector
Ed
1206 m
Guided walks focus on lizards, birds,
for keeping people employed in Mexico. My grandto stargazing. Eight telescopes, a
Historical Museum chronicles
conservation and preservation efforts. Seek out local
Cruz beehive cactus.
Schieffelin
ignored
the
advice,
struck
80
dragonflies, plants of the Bible. Art
planetarium, museum, and on-site
famous western military battles.
father came here from Guadalajara; he never
products, foods, services, and shops. When you support
silver, and founded the town. Staged
and photography exhibits.
astronomer are available to guests.
E
Tombstone
thought of going farther north.”
E
gunfights and Old West facades evoke
Golfo de Santa Clara
the people who support the place, they’ll usually reward
UN
Amado E
82
ITE
Tombstone’s silver-mining heyday. Ask
E
DS
Sonoita
you with a richer, more memorable trip.
TAT
Ejido Nayarit E
E
Elgin
UPPER GULF OF CALIFORNIA
Keoki Skinner, owner, El Mitote, Douglas, Ariz.:
about what’s authentic and what’s
San Pedro Riparian N.C.A.
ME
ES
E
Elgin vineyards
XIC
Important
birding
site
with
Hollywood; it’s an ongoing debate here.
O
Huachuca
E
“I run the El Mitote juice stand in Douglas but I live
Tubac
Visiting Tribal Lands
ESan Miguel
Tubac
AND COLORADO RIVER DELTA
over 400 species breeding
City
Patagonia
Tubac Presidio
in Agua Prieta, so I cross over early every morning
or
visiting
here
12
Copper Queen Mine Tour and Hotel
On an Indian reservation, you are a guest where people
Artists haven and beginning
11
Arivaca E
E
E
State Historic Park
BIOSPHERE RESERVE
Sierra Vista
Descend with hard hat and headlamp
Tumacacori
to avoid any build-up later at Customs. Sometimes I
live and work. Taking photos and video is a sensitive
E for winery tours
Bahía
Adair
View
underground
remnants
of
the
191
3
Golf
Patagonia
and hear a former miner tell of life in
14
take the juice truck to my daughters’ soccer games.”
issue, so ask permission first. Each tribe operates under
1752
fort.
At
the
visitor’s
center,
the copper mines. Then check out
A conventional golf course can use as much water as a
E
Ramsey Canyon
learn why Tubac was Arizona’s
Sasabe
its own unique governmental structure. Contact them in
Italian mosaics in the 1902 hotel estabCORONADO
NATIONAL
FOREST
E
U.S. town of 8,000—not good where water is scarce. Give
In 2007, a dual-state traveler’s advisory system goes
Preserve
largest town in 1860. Hike the Juan
E
Bisbee E
lished by the Phelps-Dodge Corporation
advance to obtain rules for visitors. Most have websites.
S´
a
sabe
Hereford
preference
to
Audubon-certified
courses
or
others
that
Bautista de Anza National Historic
live, one benefit of a half-century of trans-border
that practically ran Bisbee then.
Bahía
8
Trail
4.5
miles
to
the
Tumacácori
use “xeriscaping”—desert plantings suited to the climate
La Choya
cooperation by the Arizona-Mexico Commission.
SAN BERNARDINO
Thinking of moving here?
E
National
Historical
Park.
and wildlife. Makes for a more interesting game, too.
N.W.R.
Puerto Pe˜nasco
Naco E
Hacienda Corona de Guevavi
Douglas
If you plan to relocate, skip the look-alike subdivisions
Nogales E
E
E
E
(Rocky Point)
The 300-year-old cattle ranch,
Naco
Progreso E Agua Prieta
Yonke Art
that consume tracts of desert, and seek instead housing
Casa de Costa Brava E
RAMSEY CANYON PRESERVE,
La
Noria
E
John Slaughter Ranch
favored by John Wayne, is now an
Nogales
Saguaros
Excellent seafood in an elegant
NEAR SIERRA VISTA, ARIZ.
that suits the surroundings, whether a unique old house
Experience the life of early cattle
inn. Visit the Duke’s suite, one of
setting with ocean vistas
Icon and signature species of the Sonoran Desert, a
37
Excellent wildlife viewing on guided nature
ranchers in the restored home of
five themed bedrooms. Bullfighter
in a historic neighborhood, an endangered ranch house,
Arizona Folklore Preserve
ESanta Cruz
walks in this Nature Conservancy Preserve
Rancho de la Osa
saguaro cactus takes scores of years to reach maturity,
Intercultural Center for the Study
Sheriff John Slaughter, including the
and artist Salvador Corona painted
Cultural center, next to Ramsey
or an eco-friendly place that blends into the desert.
The 1800s Spanish style hacienda
at an ecological crossroads of mountains
E
of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO)
Model T. Ford that he never learned
Agua Zarca
the murals on the courtyard walls.
even to grow its first arm. Saguaros are protected. Report
Canyon creek, offers presentations
offers
horseback
riding,
mountain
and
desert.
Fourteen
species
of
hummingCatch presentations on marine and
to drive. Picnic at House Pond.
Nogales Historic Area
of Arizona’s legends, cowboy
Ranches
any signs of recent poaching or vandalism.
biking, and stargazing. The adobe
birds and the rare Ramsey Canyon leopard
desert ecosystems. Check out the
E
Take a walking tour of the 1914
Los Molinos
poetry, and songs of Dolan Ellis,
Long at odds over grazing, environmentalists and ranchcantina, with antique Mexican bar,
live within the cool, spring-fed canyon.
CEDO Earthship, made entirely of
City
Hall,
Pimeria
Alta
History
E
Arizona's official state balladeer.
S´aric
HARRIS’S HAWKS ON SAGUARO CACTUS
EIgnacio
ers have been forging new alliances. Ranchers are adoptwas built as a trading post in the
Visiting Archaeological Sites
recycled materials, and sign up for
JOHN CANCALOSI/NGS IMAGE COLLECTION
Museum, Bowman Mansion, 1904
Bahía San Jorge
La Roca Restaurant
time of Father Kino.
Zaragoza
an ecotour to Morúa Estuary or
ing more eco-friendly practices as ranches themselves
Court House, and Crawford Street
Petroglyphs and other Indian archaeological sites are
2
17
Built into a cliff and decorated
nearby tidepools.
Historic District, to learn about the
become an endangered species, threatened by
fragile and many are sacred. Look but don’t touch, as oils
with Mexican art, this well-known
history of this borderland town. ECananea
encroaching development. When staying at a ranch,
from fingertips and constant rubbing erode the markings
restaurant offers Sonoran cuisine
E
Desert Ecology
60
COLORADO
RIVER
CHOLLA CACTUS, KOFA N.W.R., NEAR YUMA, ARIZ.
DAVID MUENCH/CORBIS
G
33°N
Gi
Arizona - Sonora
Desert Region
Y
la
S
G
O
ARIZONA
N
On the Border
geo.tour.ism (n): Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical
character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage,
and the well-being of its residents.
BG
Colora
do
Phoenix
PHOTO CREDIT AND SHORT
DESCRIPTION TO GO HERE
O
Tucson
R
TWO STATES, TWO COUNTRIES, ONE HERITAGE
“
L
A
A
L
T
A
N
115°
ts.
32°
M
ua
ah
ric
G
R
D
E
S
E
R
T
INTERNATIONAL BORDER HORSE RACE, DOUGLAS, ARIZ.
AND AGUA PRIETA, SON.
CITY OF DOUGLAS
Son
oyta
114°
G
G
D
113°
Y Griega
16
E
132
G
Nacapule Canyon
E
San Carlos
Empalme
Marina del Rey E
E
Trincheras
30°
Cerro de Trincheras
Even from afar, it’s easy to see
one of Sonora’s most important
archaeological sites: the terraced
hill of the Trincheras people, who
lived in the region around 1400.
E
La Inmaculada
SEA OF CORTEZ PEARL FARMING, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
0 mi
0 km
FELIPE SALID
O
OB
REG
ÓN
.1
.1
Copyright © 2007 National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
City Hall (Palacio Municipal)
A grand brick building with stainedglass windows and 48 iron columns
in the courtyard. Its theatre is a
performance venue for the popular
Alfonso Ortiz Tirado music and arts
festival held every January.
Tesia
E
13
Navojoa
E
La Fortuna
E
El
Urban area
Protected Areas
Biosphere reserve (Mexico)
Bureau of Land Management (U.S.)
National wildlife refuge (U.S.)
E
Santa Cruz
Alamos
Indian reservation (U.S.)
SIERRA DE ALAMOSRÍO CUCHUJAQUI
RESERVE
E
2
Military reservation (U.S.)
Agua Caliente Water Park
Relax in the hot springs pumped
into pools by solar panels and
picnic under the mesquite trees.
Mazocahui
E
Ures
E
Casas
Grandes
Yocojig´ua
Los Muertos
E
15
E
Las
SCALE 1:1,200,000
E
Cu
c
0 mi
hu
Bocas
NEW
MEXICO
ARIZONA
BAJA
CALIFORNIA
SI NALOA
Same scale as main map
Chueca
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Santa
E
Kino Nuevo
E
Bahía Kino
112°
SONORA
E
Valle
E
Villa
EMazat´an
Sonora Museum
Inside the old state penitentiary,
built of brick and limestone from
Cerro de la Campana, exhibits portray the chronology of life and
cultures in Sonora.
16
15
CHIHUAHUA
SINALOA
132
Eduwiges
Las Avispas E
NIGHTTIME TRIP CAMERA PHOTO OF A JAGUAR
NORTHERN JAGUAR PROJECT/NATURALIA, A.C.
Presa
Plutarco
Elías Calles
E
La
Cyclist Route
The scenic 191-kilometer (119mile) mountain bike trail goes
from Nácori Chico to Huásabas.
Lodging available along the way.
109°
Pesqueira
111°
20
Jos´e de Pimas
La Pintada
Images of humans and animals
colorfully painted on rock may tell
tales of the hunt at this Sierra
Prieta site, once a refuge of Seri,
Pima, and Yaqui Indians, and an
area high in biodiversity.
Longitude West
Mac Donaldson, Empire Ranch, Sonoita, Ariz.:
“People have blamed ranchers for poor land conditions, but today we have new methods of breeding, vaccination, and feeding our cattle. We’ve got
72,000 acres here at more than 4,800 feet—a good
altitude for the watershed and grasslands. We’ve
established a foundation to protect the Empire’s
historical sites and give the public some history of
the land.” Visit in September for their annual
Roundup Open House and Western Art Sale.
Experience ranching at La Inmaculada in Sonora
and in the present-day ranch communities along
the Sonoran River corridor.
FESTIVALS
Music, Crafts, Heritage & Nature
1. Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival
Willcox, Ariz. (second weekend in January) Offers
birding trips, natural history tours, and seminars
www.wingsoverwillcox.com
2. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Festival Álamos, Son. (end of
January) Ten days of music performances, exhibits of
paintings, Mexican folk art, and workshops
www.festivalortiztirado.com
3. Cowboy Poetry and Music Gathering Sierra Vista,
Ariz. (first weekend in February) Features more than 50
poets and musicians www.cowboypoets.com
4. Filibusters’ Battle Celebration Caborca, Son. (April
6th) Parades, fireworks, local crafts, and concerts
www.sonoratravel.com/destinations/caborca/festivities
5. Holy Week in Bacadéhuachi Bacadéhuachi, Son.
(From Holy Thursday, Good Friday through Easter
Sunday) Reenactment of the passion of Christ through
the streets, Last Supper, traditional dances, and horse
races phone: 01 (634) 34 6 80 85 / 34 6 80 55
6. Tucson International Mariachi Conference Tucson,
Ariz. (April) Mariachi and Baile Folklórico festival with
workshops for all ages www.tucsonmariachi.org
7. Pitic Festival Hermosillo, Son. (last week in May)
Presentation of national and international artists, art
exposition, theater performances, cowboy artists, and
dances www.hermosillo.gob.mx, www.visitasonora.com,
www.gotosonora.com/hermosillo-son-mx.htm
8. San Juan Bautista Festival Navojoa, Son. (starts four
weeks before June 24th) A celebration that dates from
the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in 1614, this festival
ends on June 24th with a procession, food, games, and
native dances email: presidencianav @ hotmail.com /
contralorianavojoa @ hotmail.com
9. Fiesta de San Francisco Magdalena, Son. (October
4th) Largest religious pilgrimage in the Sonoran Desert
www.parentseyes.arizona.edu/missions/magfiesta.html
10. Festival Luna de Montaña Huachinera, Son. (first
week in October) Celebration highlighting arts, crafts,
and music of the region www.isc.gob.mx/contenido/
festivales/ii-festival-luna-de-montana.shtml
11. Patagonia Fall Festival: A Celebration of
Music and Art Patagonia, Ariz. (second weekend in
October) Features musical performances, over 140
arts and craft exhibitors, and local speciality food
www.patagoniaaz.com/save_the_date.html
12. Anza Days Tubac, Ariz. (third weekend in October)
Living history of the Indian, Mexican, and Spanish
colonial periods through military demonstrations, traditional dancing and music, and children's activities
www.tubacaz.com/calendar/events.asp
13. Orme Dam Victory Days Fort McDowell Yavapai
Nation, Fountain Hills, Ariz. (third weekend in November)
Competition powwow, cultural songs and dances, allIndian rodeo, parade, sports’ tournaments, concert, and
food www.ftmcdowell.org
14. La Fiesta de Tumacácori Tumacácori N.H.P.,
Tumacacori, Ariz. (first full weekend in December)
Recognizes the past and present cultures of the region
through traditional dance, music, crafts, and food
www.nps.gov/tuma/planyourvisit/fiesta.htm
El Novillo Dam
Colorada
ESan
AREA ENLARGED
AT LEFT
Chico
Presa Abelardo
L. Rodríguez
Verde
E
Santa
Fossil Site,
Tepache
E
San Clemente de Térapa
In the home of local resident Santiago
Garcia, you’ll find mastodon teeth and
bones, turtle shells and ancient horse
remains—a tiny fraction of the paleofauna currently being excavated.
Presa Rodolfo
F´elix Vald´es
15
Kino Bay Center for Cultural and
Ecological Studies, Prescott College
While predominantly a marine
research and educational facility, the
field station staff can direct you to
local ecotourism guides.
16
EN´acori
Pedro
de la Cueva
María
E
E
Bacad´ehuachi
ESan
7
29°
5
14
Hermosillo
GB
Bahía Kino
U
ME .S.
XIC
O
BAJA
CALIFORNIA
SUR
109°
E
Punta
25
AREA
ENLARGED
Villa de Seris
Dine on carne asada (grilled beef)
and typical side dishes at
Xochimilco and then wander
through this colonial neighborhood.
Don’t forget to buy coyotas to eat
later: round crispy pastries filled
with brown sugar.
29
25
0 km
CALIFORNIA
Agiabampo E
Isla
Tibur´on
E
Guadalupe
E
Pesqueira
National forest (U.S.)
Albers Conic Equal-Area Projection
Standard Parallels 29° and 33°
E
E
Isla Tiburón
Now a nature reserve, Mexico’s
largest island is a traditional land
of the Seri Indians. Today the Seris
participate in research on endangered bighorn sheep. Catch a boat
ride there with a Seri pilot.
Granados
E
Divisaderos
Hacienda El Labrador
National park (U.S.)
E
E
Bavi´acora
Desemboque
Other protected area
Leonardo Valdez Esquer Museum
View Mayo and Yaqui masks, toys,
and other Mexican folk art exhibited in the collector’s home.
110°W
Polvareda
E
Carb´o
10
E
E
Moctezuma
E
Tecoripa
San
E
Javier
i
Yaqu
Á L A MO S
GÓN
OBRE
(El Mirador)
Popular picnic spot with a
panoramic view of the town
and surrounding hills
Make sure you taste some local
homemade orange marmalade
E
Hu´asabas
Coyote
Huachinera
E
AL
NT
DE
CI
OC
REZ
(Old Jail)
Scenic Lookout
Presa Adolfo
Ruiz Cortines
E
Huatabampito
JUÁ
Culture House
E
Homemade Delicacies
pe
RCIO
COME
IA
VICTOR
Purísima Concepción Church
ÁN
SERD
Camoa
RO SA LE S
House and Garden Tour
An opportunity to see inside faithfully
restored mansions, while also supporting a local educational scholarship program.
E
La
E
Ray´on
E
El
21
17
Hu´epac E
E
Opodepe
Other point of interest
M A Y O
Huatabampo E
Etchoropo
Cuevitas
Natural or scenic area
D E L EEtchojoa
(Museo Costumbrista de Sonora)
E
Las
Museum
V A L L EE
Bacobampo
Inside this 18th century building
you’ll see why Álamos was a boom
town in the 1700s. You’ll find historic
photos and accoutrements of life in
a silver-mining town.
PLAZA
DE
ARMAS
Historical site
Marte R. G´´omez
Y A Q U I
Mayo Regional Museum
This former railroad station now
offers exhibits on history and culture
of the Mayo people and household
ayo
implements in recent usage.
M
27°N
Rancho La Inmaculada
Guests are welcome at this familyrun cattle ranch, whose holistic
techniques include sustainable
forestry. The owners produce
crafts, flooring, and flour from
mesquite trees.
Festival
i
qu
ja
MADER O
Sonora Cultural Museum
Archaeological site
D E L
Cumpas
E
E
Aconchi
Mission
8
a
ua n
Las Palmeras
G
Tehuelibampo
Cross the Mayo River to see cave
art nearly 3,000 years old, and
visit accompanying site museum.
Ban´amichi E
La Cruz del Diablo
Hold onto your hat as you gaze
over the thousand foot cliff, a
geologic fault that looks like the
“Devil’s Cross.”
vis
Ba
S
Market
A
E
E
Meresichic E
Plaza Hidalgo
Plaza Hidalgo’s centerpiece is the
four-ton rock with petroglyphs
thought to represent an irrigation
map of the ancient Opatas.
a
GULF OF CALIFORNIA
MATAMOROS
RO SA LE
AL AM ED
Quiriego
E
Ciudad Obreg´on
Map Key
TOWN OF ÁLAMOS
Walk along cobblestone streets, through
stately archways of white colonial mansions and into the well-kept Plaza de
Armas, and see why Álamos is dubbed
a “Magical Town.”
Casa Rural
El Ranchito de Huépac
Spend a night with family and
become part of the household,
helping your hosts make fresh
white cheese.
Petroglyphs
Explore rock art portraying geometric
designs and humanoid figures along a
canyon wall just outside of town.
Hill
Ajos-Bavispe National
Forest Reserve and
Wildlife Refuge
E
Villa Hidalgo
118
or
E
Liliba
MACÍAS
OS
SONORA
Esperanza
E
V A L L E
Pueblo Yaqui E
Isla Lobos
Ad
E
Casa Rosalva
111°
M O R EL
C´ocorit
Guided tours add insight to the
many works of modern art found
inside this 1920s home
(S E A O F C O R T E Z)
yo la
Arro
15
Francisco
Janos
n
So
SEA OF CORTEZ PEARLS
While black pearls have always grown
naturally in the Sea of Cortez, this facility
produces cultured pearls. Tour it and see
for yourself.
12
E
Benjamin
E
Querobabi
ESan
Historian Humberto de Hoyos, Cananea, Son.:
“The Mexican revolution began here in 1906 when
the miners struck for higher pay and better conditions. Copper had taken hold a decade earlier. The
boom established the progressive style of architecture and urban design you see in Cananea today.
Trees in the plaza and furnishings in the bank are
from that era. The Chinese Quarter still has mining
tunnels where residents hid from authorities back
then. When people first come to Cananea, they
wonder if they’re still in Mexico.”
E
E
Los
Puerto Libertad
Vicam
E
Arizpe
ECucurpe
HACIENDA EL LABRADOR, URES, SON.
Stay overnight in the restored 1860s
hacienda and enjoy horseback riding,
birdwatching, and swimming in the
natural whirlpool.
MULESHOE RANCH COOPERATIVE
MANAGEMENT AREA, EAST OF TUCSON, ARIZ.
Hawks, bobcat, mountain lion, and endangered fish thrive in 7,600-foot-high mountains,
desert grasslands, and perennial streams,
thanks to community conservation programs,
ecotourism, and cooperative management.
Nacozari de García
PLAZA DE ARMAS, ÁLAMOS, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
Yaqui Museum
This newly restored 1890 building
features Yaqui arts and crafts, participatory dance, theatre and storytelling. Cócorit is one of eight Yaqui
villages in the area, most of which
have cultural centers.
E
Bacanuchi
Nuestra Señora
de la Asunción Temple
Remains of explorer Juan Bautista
de Anza rest in the church. Palms
and laurel trees flank the charming
plaza, and a brick clock tower rises
in the center.
SONORA
E
E
E
P´otam
a
Wildlife Refuge
Bacoachi E
Ajos-Bavispe Reserve
The reserve includes eight “sky
islands” separated by desert valleys
and grasslands. It protects threatened
species such as the Mexican spotted
owl, thick-billed parrot, and horned
lizard. See black bear, porcupine, and
Sonoran beaver in the forests.
E
E
DR
MA
Hotel Playa de Cortés
Ya
qu
i
ale
n
E
9
ESanta Ana
2
gd
Presa
Alvaro Obreg´on
EGuaymas
Built in the 1930s, the hotel offers
courteous staff, spacious rooms, and
sweeping views of the sea from the patio
Los Tanques
San Ignacio
Puerto Lobos E
NACAPULE CANYON, SAN CARLOS
A cool desert oasis with unusual rock formations and unique plants, including the
tropical nacapule tree.
E
CHIHU AH UA
Ma
Ma
yo
28°
Mesa del Campanero
You can hike, bike and camp in
this high altitude pine and oak
woodland. Look for raptors as you
take in the views, and for apple
and peach products from nearby
orchards in Yécora.
HACIENDA EL LABRADOR, URES, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
Desemboque
E15
Magdalena de Kino
E
Cuauht´emoc
T
El Soldado Marsh
Small but rich with wildlife, especially aquatic birds that require
wetlands as they migrate along
the Pacific flyway.
Yaq
ui
Nuevo
Y´ecora
E
Altar
E
Pitiquito
RA
ER
SI
NACAPULE CANYON, SAN CARLOS, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
E
Pozo
E
E
El
4
i´ o n
Asunc
Arizona and Sonora grew up together, mining copper and herding cattle. Today copper still comes
from huge open pits on the edge of Cananea, Son.
and elsewhere. You’ll see earth-moving equipment
bigger than many houses and third-generation miners punching in for their shifts. Learn about mining
operations at New Cornelia Mine in Ajo or the
mine tour in Morenci. As for cattle ranches, the
21st century presents challenges brought on by
endangered species, grazing-policy concerns, rising land prices, and competing recreational uses
on public lands.
Reserve and
E
hi
15
La Proveedora Petroglyphs
A
E
R
San Nicol´as
Caborca E
Ímuris
uc
nc
su
E
Oquitoa
Santa María Magdalena Temple
Arched walkways filled with handicrafts surround the large open
plaza in front of the Santa María
Magdalena Temple, originally founded by Father Kino in 1705.
Mining & Ranching
Fronteras E
National Forest
n
ca
Onavas
37
E
Aribabi
E
Coc´ospera
Ba
n
i´o
Avispas
64
2
E
Ajos-Bavispe
E
Tubutama
EAtil
E
E
Las
in a warm, romantic atmosphere.
E
Yaqui
(S E A O F C O R T E Z)
Tajitos
SOUTHERNMOST SONORA
To Hermosillo
Alta
31°
S
GULF OF
CALIFORNIA
and paintings. Be mindful of sacred sites, accessing only
by invitation and respecting the site with quiet reflection.
r
E
choose one that’s conservation-oriented, and patronize
restaurants that buy food from local ranches and farms.
es, but it’s a dry heat.” OK, sure, it’s hot here in summer—and
startingly cold under a quarter moon on a clear winter night.
The Sonoran Desert has always tested us, yet we’ve fashioned
cities and towns and learned how to live in it and entertain ourselves in it. Geotourism involves travel based on geographical distinctiveness, and we have that aplenty. My first six months here I lived in
a small adobe rental, and every morning I’d wake up and look out my
bedroom window at a saguaro next to a wooden fence. I was convinced I lived on a movie set. Now, more than 35 years later, that
same sensation takes hold, but it quickly yields to a fuller appreciation of the land, of how we’ve tamed it and how it’s tamed us.
Camping out west of Nogales I first encountered the international
frontier as a twisted barbed wire fence on the ground, and I gleefully
hopped back and forth over it from one nation to the other. Charmed
by this indication of the region’s friendly anarchy, that evening I babbled to my friends over carne asada—grilled beef—that this land was
really one country, with culture and language, for the most part,
ignoring the arbitrary line that runs through it.
It all makes for a rich mix, sweetened by a most inviting and comfortable climate. To bring you the information on this map, scores of
communities in two countries have sent in hundreds of recommendations—about food, wildlife, ranching, music, history—places and features that provoke special pride for us who live here.
Explore this remarkable region and it will sustain and reward you.
—Tom Miller, author, Tucson
CATTLE DRIVE, NEAR TUCSON, ARIZ.
DAVID BURCKHALTER
Sonora_MapSide_MASTER
110°
of Greenwich
NORTHERN JAGUAR RESERVE
This newly developing preserve promotes
jaguar conservation in the “sky island”
habitats of Sonora's mountains. The
endangered cats need to move among the
peaks, but their migration into proposed
Arizona preserves faces two barriers:
growing subdivisions in the valleys and
a hardening international border.
What is geotourism all about?
According to National Geographic, geotourism “sustains or enhances
the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.” Geotravelers,
then, are people who like that idea, who enjoy authentic sense of
place and care about maintaining it. They find that relaxing and
having fun gets better—provides a richer experence—when they get
involved in the place and learn about what goes on there.
Geotravelers soak up local culture, hire local guides, buy local
foods, protect the environment, and take pride in discovering and
observing local customs. Travel-spending choices can help or hurt,
so geotravelers patronize establishments that care about conservation, preservation, beautification, and benefits to local people.
National Geographic and the people of Arizona and
Sonora present this Geotourism MapGuide to the
Sonoran Desert region.
Funded by the Arizona and Sonora Offices of Tourism and
the U.S. Department of the Interior–Bureau of Land
Management. Prepared by National Geographic Maps and
the National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations
in collaboration with the Sonoran Institute and the
Geotourism Councils of Arizona and Sonora. Text by Tom
Miller; map notes by Abigail Rome.
Visit www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/geoturismo-en-sonora.htm
and www.arizonaguide.com to learn more about points of
interest in the Sonoran Desert region.
Sonora_ThemeSide_MASTER
1/18/07
12:07 PM
Page 1
12TH
ST
Points
t
10
(Robles Junction)
E
Benson
Green Valley E
90
80
Las Cienegas N.C.A./Empire Ranch
View marshlands, desert grasslands,
oak-studded hills, and sky island
Tombstone E
E
mountain ranges. Catch the annual
Sonoita
E
San Empire Ranch Round-Up near the
Huachuca City
Miguel E
83
82
historic 1870’s ranch.
E
Sierra
Vista
Sasabe
19
E
S´asabe E
CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
92
E
Nogales E
La Noria
Nogales E
E
Lukeville
E
Sells E
G
SONORA
112°W
111°
110°
Bob Lutes, part owner, Lutes Casino, Yuma:
“My Dad opened this restaurant in 1945. Our
most popular item has always been the especial, a combination hot dog and hamburger.
We’ve got all manner of junk on the walls, pool
players on the floor, and domino players when
they feel like it. Tourists and snowbirds come
back year after year. We’re pretty much an
institution, though I’ll never figure out why.”
circle. Cooks are now using crops from
generations ago—mesquite pods, cactus
fruit, squash. When the early settlers
and miners came, basic foods like beans,
beef, and cornbread replaced those
ingredients. The railroad came, and the
Mexican style of cooking grew up. In the
early 1990s there was an explosion of
culinary interest, with well-trained chefs
who knew how to layer flavors coming
to Arizona restaurants. There was
renewed interest in the original foods.
Now you can find Pima yellow watermelon soup in Chandler and carnitas
Napoleon with green chile-tomatillo
sauce in Phoenix.”
Borderlands Folklorist Jim Griffith:
“I swear by street vendors in cities and
food stands in the countryside. I usually
stop for their carne asada (grilled beef).
They sell it with cucumbers along with a
green sauce made from chiles blended
with avocado and pickled red onion. If
you’re lucky they’ll also have grilled
green onions with large bulbs. Lots of
stands carry quince (mountain apple)
GRILLING BEEF, HERMOSILLO, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
CENTRAL MARKET, NAVOJOA, SON.
ELSA OLIVARES
RAIN OVER DESERT, SONOITA, ARIZ.
MATILDA L. ESSIG
and regional cheeses. People get creative and traditional at the same time—
the Ronstadts have a family recipe of
sweet bean tamales.”
Regional cookbook author Carolyn
Niethammer:
“Southwest ingredients have gone full
A Spiritual Heritage
The Pima Indians—descendants of the
Hohokam—were an agricultural folk with
a developed economic, cultural, political, and linguistic system when the
Italian horseback Jesuit, Eusebio Kino,
appeared in the late 17th century and
established missions on behalf of the
Spanish monarchy and the Catholic
Church. San Xavier del Bac, south of
Tucson, is the only one whose congregation remains primarily the same people
for whom Kino initially established the
missions. There were some 15 of them in
all, and while many have been destroyed
and rebuilt and others have suffered
water damage, today all exude a peaceful blend of history and spirituality.
Parish priest Greg Adolf of Sierra Vista,
Ariz., leads nondenominational tours of
missions throughout the region. He’s
performed mass at most of them. He
serves lunch on the banks of the Altar
River near Tubutama’s impressive chalk
white church. Some travelers, he
reports, come with easels for painting,
others with guitars to strum—whatever
best celebrates these focal points of
energy, self-awareness, and civic pride.
CORONADO
10
S
El Presidio and Barrio Libre
Historic Districts
SAGUARO
Walking tour on the footprint of the
NAT. PARK
18th-century fort explores eclectic
architectural styles, Tucson Museum
of Art and Historic Block, Fox Theatre,
Old Town Artisans, and Barrio Libre’s
historic adobe buildings.
86
TOHONO O’ODHAM
E
Three
Points
NATION
(Robles Junction)
Haivana Nakya
32°N
NATIONAL
77
Jewish Heritage Center
The first Jewish house of worship
in the Southwest, built in 1910
and fully restored, tells the story
SAGUARO of Jewish settlers from Germany
NAT. PARK and Russia.
FOREST
r
Tucson
E
San Xavier del Bac
Mission
Dragoon
E
Mt. View
Tumacácori National Historical Park
Visit three of Arizona’s oldest
E
Green
Spanish colonial missions. The
Sells
Valley
visitor's center next to the neverE
Continental
finished San José de Tumacácori
E
Topawa
church recounts its history.
TOCA
19
The Tohono O’Odham Community
Action group’s basket shop is one
E
E
Madera
of several TOCA programs to retain
Amado
Canyon
and revitalize indigenous culture.
86
E
Pantano
E
83
10
Benson
E
ARIZONA
E
BUENOS AIRES
N.W.R.
San Miguel
Arivaca
286
S´asabe
Tumacacori
E
Patagonia
Sonoita
E
Duquesne
Tombstone
E
E
Huachuca
E
City SAN PEDRO
EElgin
RIPARIAN
N.C.A.
Fort
Huachuca E E
Sierra Vista
Nicksville
E
92
E
UNITED STATES
E
Nogales E
MEXICO
Spirit Tree Inn Bed and Breakfast
Named for the large Fremont
Santa Cruz E Cottonwood tree, sacred to the
Hopi people, next to the old adobe
ranchhouse.
G
SONORA
E
Fairbank
82
CORONADO
NATIONAL
FOREST
G
Nogales E
San Pedro and San Pablo Church
This well-maintained village was
once the hub of mission activity.
Note the church’s elaborate carved
plaster relief work inside and out.
90
Canelo E
E
82
289
Los Molinos
80
LAS CIENEGAS
N.C.A.
83
C ORON ADO
N ATION AL
F OREST
ESasabe
E
E
St. David
CORONADO NAT. FOR.
E
Tubac
E
La Purísima Concepción de
Caborca Temple
Exterior walls of the white, twintowered church built in 1809
display bullet holes from the
successfully repelled attack in
1857 by filibusters, U.S. military
agitators.
ELGIN VINEYARDS
Elgin’s iron-rich, gravelly soil is
favorable for wine production.
Tour the grounds of the awardwinning Sonoita and Callaghan
vineyards and sample wines.
LAS PALMERAS RESTAURANT
Diners can enjoy the sites and
sounds of the plaza in Álamos
(Son.) while sampling traditional
Mexican dishes.
San Antonio de Padua
Temple and Town
See the palm-filled plaza, the
flat-roofed church with a unique
copper baptismal font, and ruins
of an ancient flour mill powered
by waterwheel.
31°
2
64
Tubutama
EAtil
E
110°
E
El Quemado
S´aric
Nuestra Señora del Pilar and 15
Santiago de Cocóspera ruins
Amidst the desert fertile valley stand
the ruins of this elaborate church
built by Father Kino, attacked by
Apaches, and rebuilt by Franciscans.
Cuitaca
E
Caborca
Altar
E
Oquitoa
E
San Ignacio E
EPitiquito
´ n
io
A s u nc
2
112°
E
2
Cananea E
118
E
Coc´ospera
E
Ímuris
San Diego de Pitiquito Temple
The plain church built by
Franciscans is famous for its
striking frescoes, long hidden
under layers of whitewash until
discovery in 1966.
E
G
E
E
Willcox
SAN XAVIER DEL BAC MISSION
The 200-year old restored church, founded by
Father Kino and long protected by the current
Tohono O’odham landowners, is an architectural
marvel. Inside its six foot stucco walls, domes and
arches dazzle with color from paintings, carvings,
frescoes and statues. Nearby are the mission
school, a museum, and arts & crafts sales.
Father Kino Mausoleum
Here lie the remains of Father
Kino, the Italian missionary, who
died while dedicating a new chapel
to San Francisco Xavier.
EMagdalena de Kino
0 mi
111°W
ECuauht´emoc
20
20
0 km
SAN XAVIER DEL BAC MISSION, NEAR TUCSON, ARIZ.
GREG PROBST/CORBIS
PARADE OF HUMANITY, NOGALES, SON.
YONKE
music, dance, and literature. We’ve
already built a sophisticated art gallery,
and we’re constructing other buildings
right now. Our plans include extended
workshops, with visitors staying in the
homes of local residents. It’s igniting the
economy of this old ranching town with
construction, culture, and the arts. The
townspeople support us, and the
youth—a lot are staying now.”
For a moment in the mid-20th century,
Ímuris, Sonora became the epicenter of
Sonoran Desert food. There a modest
restaurant opened featuring a new dish
using old ingredients: cheese and flour.
Doña María Ceferina Mejia Cortés has
been serving quesadillas—warm flour
tortillas folded over soft cheese—to hungry travelers ever since then, and seen
her invention become a staple on menus
throughout the region and beyond.
Marana E
E
Silver Bell
BETWEEN BISBEE AND HERMOSILLO
E
Tumacacori
SOUL OF SONORA
Cultural Wellspring
In this land of horses and rancheros,
from the mountains to the southern
anchor of the Sonoran Desert, lie the
roots of Sonoran culture, of the cowboy
way of life. Learn, for instance, the story
of a 1957 horse race in Agua Prieta,
when a chestnut named Relámpago, beat
El Moro, the local favorite from the
obscure central mountain pueblo of
Cumpas. The race was immortalized in
the song “El Moro de Cumpas,” giving
national fame to this small village. You
can see a statue to El Moro at Cumpas
(as well as ones to Relámpago and songwriter Leonardo Yáñez in Agua Prieta),
and the epic contest is celebrated annually at the mid-April horse races.
Cumpas, nearby Moctezuma, and neighboring pueblos are where the cowboy
culture’s roots grow deepest.
The big city at the end of the trail is
Hermosillo, where street musicians play
nightly for tourists and lovers. They’ll
play “El Moro” for you, and if you’re
lucky you might hear octogenarian José
Sánchez Ramírez sing the state song,
“Sonora Querida”—Beloved Sonora,
which ends “O cherished land, I’ll worship you in my heart forever.”
19
GA R I Z O N A
Nogales E
Agua Zarca
S´aric E
31°N
EAtil
San Ignacio E
Magdalena de Kino E
Santa Ana
UNITED STATES
E
La Noria
E
E
Trincheras
EBenjamin
Hill
MEXICO
Douglas Historic Business
District and Church Square
This 100-year-old copper mine
boom town has 335 buildings on
the National Register of Historic
Places. Visit Church Square, with
its four distinctive churches, and
check out the Gadsden Hotel’s
grand lobby.
2
EFronteras
AJOS-BAVISPE
Museum of the Workers Struggle
EAribabi
15
Learn about copper mining here.
NAT. FOREST
EÍmuris
You can visit a working mine and
the museum, once the prison of
Ímuris
RESERVE AND
workers who started the famous
Famous for its quesadillas made
mining strike of 1906, precursor to
with local cheese. Doña María,
WILDLIFE REFUGE the Mexican Revolution.
100 years old in 2006, produced
some of the first ones here.
Presa
La Angostura
E
Bavispe
Huachinera Arts
17
and Cultural Center
E
ENacozari
Bacerac
Catch the energy in the gallery
de García
at this developing arts center,
ECucurpe
where residents and well-known
artists, such as founder and
Los Janos E
E
Huachinera
AJOS-BAVISPE
sculptor Jess Davila, work to
Villa Hidalgo E
provide jobs, arts education,
NATIONAL FOREST
and heritage conservation.
ESan
30°
Francisco
Meresichic
E
EBan´amichi
Posada de Banámichi
Learn to cook Sonoran-style amid
cheerful decor at this brightly
colored, environmentally and
socially conscious inn.
(SEA OF CORTEZ)
Pesqueira
E
SONORA
Ures
Guadalupe E
E
Casas Grandes
0 mi
0 km
30
30
112°
16
29°
Moctezuma E
111°W
14
Bacad´ehuachi
E
E
N´acori
Chico
EDivisaderos
Mazocahui
E
Sahuaripa
Visit artists' workshops for fine
leatherwork, wood furniture, and
flagstone products made from
locally mined stone.
E
San Pedro
de la Cueva
Villa Pesqueira
Presa Abelardo
L. Rodríguez
Hermosillo
Granados
Moctezuma
Presa Plutarco
E Elías Calles
E
GB
El Coyote
E
Hu´asabas
E
E
Bavi´acora
Ray´on
Carb´o
E
15
E
La Fortuna
Plaza Zaragoza
Colorful, modern murals in the
courtyard of the government
palace recount Sonoran history,
especially that of its indigenous
peoples. On weekends, the square
fills with people listening to live
music in front of the Cathedral.
Isla Tibur´on
MOCTEZUMA
This ranching town, the first to form a cattleman’s
association, produces saddles, belts, boots and
other leather goods. Head to century-old La
Montosa Ranch for horse rides and cattle drives.
E
21
E
Aconchi
118
Polvareda
GULF
OF
CALIFORNIA
BACANORA
Try the famous bacanora, a traditional drink made
by many villagers for more than 300 years. The
Sonoran liquor, produced from wild agave plants,
was legalized in 1992.
WILDLIFE REFUGE
Cumpas
E
EHu´epac
E
E
Douglas E
Agua Prieta E
92
Old Bisbee
Take the self-guided walking tour to
Cruz
view 1900s-era homes perched on
the hillsides. Browse the art galleries
and museums, and grab a java at
Bisbee Coffee Company.
ECuitaca
Cananea
E
EQuerobabi
El Oasis E
29
NEW
MEXICO
RESERVE AND
Las Cuevitas
ELa
Bisbee
E
E
80
ESanta
G
E
Hereford
Bernardino
E
191
80
82
Nogales E
E
El
Desemboque
E
Sierra Vista
EPatagonia
CORONADO NATIONAL FOREST
e
Bavisp
Xicoténcatl Murrieta, natural
resources consultant, Hermosillo:
“Water is a scarce resource, and
its intensive use comes with a
price. From low-tech methods like
dowsing and ditches to sophisticated pumping and irrigation
technologies, Sonora deals with
its limited supply. Desalinating
Gulf of California water to supply
Hermosillo is one possibility
under consideration. Fortunately
water also brings pleasure, with
286
E
Food and Produce
extraordinary vistas of seasonal
flowers, an eruption of colors and
living organisms, and the rich
experience of seeing rivers and
arroyos full of a reddish liquid
gushing between their banks.”
Julia Fonseca, hydrologist, Tucson:
“Tucson’s bone-dry Santa Cruz
riverbed was a riverine mesquite
forest into the 1940s. The only
time it fills now is during the summer rain, the great secret of the
Sonoran Desert. We’re enchanted
with desert storms and their
smell. There’s a real explosion of
life in the monsoon season—sudden flowers, growing cactus. Outsiders don’t appreciate the power
and ferocity of our summer rain.
The winter rain is lighter, steadier,
and less intense. You can hear
raindrops on tile roofs. It gets
stored in the soil, and you see
results in springtime.”
TOWN OF TUBAC
This first European settlement
in Arizona has gone from mining
boomtown to ghost town to
artists’ colony. Walk the meandering streets to visit galleries,
the Tubac Center of the Arts.
PUBLIC ART OF TALLER YONKE
Taller Yonke, “junk studio,” is
the workshop of Alberto
Morackis and Guadalupe
Serrano, whose provocative
murals and sculptures adorn
public spaces along the
Nogales (Son.) border.
VIOLIN PLAYERS, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
STATUE OF FATHER GARCES AND YUMA INDIANS
NEAR ST. THOMAS INDIAN MISSION, YUMA, ARIZ.
JOAQUIN MURRIETA-SALDIVAR
History has marched through this river crossing for centuries, from the Native Peoples
(Kwapas, Quechans, and Mohaves) to conquistadors to gold-rushers to César Chávez
and his United Farm Workers. Recognizing the
importance of this gateway to the American
West, the U.S. Congress formally declared
Yuma Crossing as a National Heritage Area in
2000. Its lifeblood is the Colorado River, a
once-muscular waterway now tamed and
depleted by dams and diversion. The river
offers visitors the chance to boat, fish, birdwatch, and hunt. The Mexico side of the
Colorado River has lost most of its water, but
the Ciénega de Santa Clara, a marshland created by accident, is now a splendid birding site.
Daily passage across the border is a way of
life for residents. Americans travel south to
San Luis Río Colorado for baseball and the
upper Gulf of California. Mexicans cross north
to Yuma for shopping and to visit family.
Jess Dávila, sculptor, Huachinera, Sonora:
“This was, frankly, a poverty-stricken village with its young leaving for education
and bright lights. We’ve taken some land
above the Bavispe River and we’re turning it into a regional center for the arts,
Water
Desert dwellers are obsessed
with water since they get so little
of it. Numerous methods—manmade and natural, underground
and surface—preserve what
water they have and put it to
good use. When thick summer
clouds warn of impending deluges, humans and animals rush
to take cover, and the cactus
prepares for its annual big gulp.
E
Three
TOHONO O’ODHAM
NATION
G
LIQUOR JUGS, BACANORA, SON.
BARBA EDITORES/JORGE A. GUERRERO
4TH
1ST
Y U MA
(Rocky Point)
Tanque Verde
E
Tucson
86
Sonoyta
El Pinacate and Great Altar Desert
Biosphere Reserve
Stand at the rim of this mile-wide
volcanic crater and you may feel as if
you’re on the moon. This land of
ancient lava, sand, and cinder cones
is sacred to the O’Odham people.
Today, those on the Sonora side of the
border call themselves “Pápago.”
8
Mammoth E
CORONADO NAT. FOR.
Tohono Chul Park
In this “desert corner” you can
indulge in nature, art, and culture.
Catalina E
Wind through themed garden trails,
Marana
E
learn basketweaving, or listen to
77
Native American percussion.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Experience the desert’s diversity in
this well-presented 21-acre zoo,
IRONWOOD
botanical garden, and museum.
FOREST N.M.
Get close to cougars, Gila monsters, and hummingbirds. Examine
cacti, cave fossils, and gemstones.
E
ITE
DS
TAT
ME
ES
XIC
O
Puerto
Pe˜nasco E
ARIZONA
E
Eloy
Sahuaripa E
20
E
Mazat´an
110°
El Novillo Dam
Bacanora E
Bacanora
E
Arivechi
109°
HANDMADE LEATHER SADDLE SHOP, MOCTEZUMA, SON.
JAMES DION
ST
E
79
8
UN
32° Los Vidrios
Gi
la
347
Casa Grande E
Cabeza Prieta
N.W.R.
2
Florence
MARICOPA
(AK CHIN)
E
Organ Pipe Cactus N.M.
85
Tour this Sonoran desert ecosystem to see wildflowers and
28 species of cacti, including
two found nowhere else. Watch
for Gila monsters, six varieties
of rattlesnakes, and 200
species of birds.
Ajo E
CABEZA PRIETA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Recent rain sends waves of bloom across this
refuge, shelter for pronghorn and over 300
other animals. It is best visited in cool weather
with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The name—
“black head” in Spanish—refers to a remote
lava-topped granite peak.
BG
Yaqui
12TH
N
BRIDGE AT YUMA CROSSING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA, ARIZ.
YUMA CROSSING NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA CORPORATION/
ROBERT HERKO PHOTOGRAPHY
ST
8TH ST
114°
Gila
Bend
P A S S I O N AT E P E O P L E S
LA PALOMA DE TUBAC, TUBAC, ARIZ.
JAMES DION
8
AV
A
7TH
Ca
na
l
10TH
1
AV
AV
0 km
Michael Gregor y, poet and arts activist, and
Rose Johnson, artist, Bisbee, Arizona:
Michael: “I came here to get away from
the art scene elsewhere, to find peace and
escape to the frontier from standard art.”
Rose: “The strangeness of the desert
comes through the art. When I painted
my peace wall on Main Street I got a lot of
support from the other artists.”
Michael: “We’re not an arts colony. We’re
an arts community. At the Central School
Project here intensely individualistic
artists share one building. Every week or
so, some event is open to the public.”
Arts take root in small towns, using
their desert surroundings for inspiration.
Major museums in Hermosillo and
Phoenix exhibit the best of the region.
Visit Ajo, Patagonia, Bisbee, and Tubac
in Arizona, and Huachinera and Cananea
in Sonora. You’ll find energetic dance,
lively music, inventive art, and contemporary crafts, not to mention the creative attitudes that go with them. Many
artists welcome visitors to peak in their
studios behind the storefront galleries.
CALLAGHAN WINERY HARVEST, NEAR ELGIN, ARIZ.
RYAN B. STEVENSON/ARIZONAPIX.COM
5TH ST
ST
E. M
ain
1
0 mi
Arts
LAS PALMERAS RESTAURANT, ÁLAMOS, SON.
COFETUR/JUAN LUIS FERNÁNDEZ M.
Popular town hangout
City Hall
(SEA OF CORTEZ)
la
Gi
188
BETWEEN TUCSON AND CABORCA
MEXICAN FOLKLORICO DANCERS AT LA FIESTA DE TUMACÁCORI, ARIZ.
TUMACÁCORI NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK/ROCKY KLOSTER
ST
Lutes Casino
2E
3RD
AV
AV
MAGNOLIA
Carver
Park
Court House
GULF OF CALIFORNIA
40
0 km
Phoenix
Sonoran Desert
National Monument
Almost 500,000 acres with
saguaro forests and high altitude
woodlands. See prehistoric rock
art and the Juan Bautista de Anza
National Historic Trail.
uz
al
W. Main Can
Colo
rado
40
33°N
10
87
FORT MCDOWELL
C
Yuma Territorial Prison
State Historic Park
ST
Southwest of Phoenix you cross the
bone-dry Gila River—the perfect habitat
for that venomous “monster,” the lizard
whose name it shares. A town grew
along the river, and for decades Gila
Bend has been known for two distinct
features: gateway to the Sonoran Desert
National Monument, and the Space Age
Lodge and Outer Limits Restaurant.
South of Ajo, now making a valiant
comeback from its copper years with
retirement housing and the arts, the
desert’s heart thumps most proudly at
the adjoining Organ Pipe Cactus National
Monument and the Pinacate Biosphere
Reserve, with only the border in
between. Organ Pipe, one of America’s
great public treasures, lies rich with lush
cactus groves, brittlebush, and hundreds
more incomparable plants, an ecosystem
troubled only by clandestine border
crossings. South of the line, the
Pinacate’s extinct volcanoes, lava flows
and sand dunes create a Twilight Zone
ambiance. In both, the secret allure is
the air, its clarity and its weightlessness.
0 mi
FORT
PapagoSPark
APACHE
Hike among red sandstone buttes to
E
Fountain Hills
E
Peoria
Hole-in-the-Rock. Visit the Phoenix
Glendale E
Scottsdale
Zoo, Desert Botanical Garden, and
E
Arizona Historical Society Museum.
E
E
E
E
Avondale
Mesa Apache Junction
SAN CARLOS
Tempe
San Carlos E
E
Chandler EGilbert
ESuperior
60
Boyce Thompson Arboretum
ESun Lakes
70
Home to 3,200 species of desert
GILA RIVER
E
plants from the Sonora and beyond
Bylas
10
E
Kearny
E
17
ta
Yuma Crossing
State Historic Park
8TH
Yuma Crossing and
Colorado River Delta
CALIFORNIA
ARIZONA
Heart of the Desert
TONTO NATIONAL FOREST
MCDOWELL
SONORAN
PRESERVE
60
an
Sanguinetti House Museum and
Garden (Arizona Historical Society)
Traces the history of the lower Colorado
River region from the 1540s to the
1900s with exhibits on early Indian residents, Spanish settlers, “Mountain Men”
trappers, and turn-of-the-century life in
Yuma. Visit the gardens and aviary and
enjoy lunch in the Garden Café.
8
1ST
the regional diet three centuries ago, and
that hasn’t changed much, either.
Each of these three results from migration, the essential constant in life within
our 100,000 square miles. From those
early rock artists to a family newly settled in metro Phoenix, migration has
shaped and reshaped this area. It began
long before Plymouth Rock and is still in
motion. Everyone who arrives brings a
little of their last stop with them; those
who leave carry some Sonoran Desert to
their next anchor. I’ve heard wonderful
corridos—Mexican folk ballads—in
Arizona, and driving heavy-metal rock in
Sonora. After a while you have to check
your map to know which state you’re
in—as if that mattered.
—Tom Miller, author, Tucson
Artist Reuben Naranjo, Jr., one of the
20,000-member Tohono O’Odham Nation:
“Water is crucial to us all. To live in the
desert we’ve always had a need for
water. Many of our ceremonies are
devoted to water. Except for littoral people like the Seri, all the Indians of the
region are agricultural. American Indian
spirituality is just as diverse as the rest
of the country. We have atheists, traditional, progressive, and everything in
between. Some Indians don’t care,
others balance both worlds. We have fall
fiestas at Magdelena (Son.) and the Día
de la Santa Cruz (Feast of the Holy
Cross) in the spring. Increased govern-
BOUNTIFUL BEAUTY
CABEZA PRIETA N.W.R., ARIZ.
GEORGE H.H. HUEY/CORBIS
T H E E B B A N D F L O W O F P E O P L E S L E AV E S A R I C H L E G A C Y
Purchase authentic art at TOCA’s basket
shop in Sells. Tour in the days leading
up to Easter and you’ll be enlightened
by Tucson’s Pascua Yaqui dancers.
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK
The protected home of the
slow-growing, iconic cactus of
Arizona. The Tohono O’Odham
have long used its fruit for jam,
syrups, and ceremonial wine,
and its woody ribs for building
shelters and fences.
LA PROVEEDORA PETROGLYPHS
Thousands of 1,000-year old
petroglyphs are easy to see on
the rocky mountainsides:
Pregnant animals, human stick
figures and geometric designs
of uncertain meaning.
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK, NEAR TUCSON, ARIZ.
AOT/JOEL GRIMES
MAYO DANCERS, NAVOJOA, SON.
ENRIQUE YESCAS
Sonoran Heritage
The Human Story
Yuma Crossing
National Heritage Area
As one of the only safe places to cross
the mighty Colorado River in the 1800s,
Yuma was famous as a transit center,
military post and agricultural hub. Now,
after years of ecological and cultural
degradation, the river front and the historic downtown are being restored.
ment regulations have changed our art.
Places where pot makers traditionally
went for clay are now National Parks.
Urbanization has reduced the bear grass
that weavers use for binding baskets.
This affects what and how much we create, and ultimately what people see of
our art.”
For starters, throw your stereotypes of
Native Americans out the window. Then,
begin to rebuild your impressions as you
travel through the region. Indians living
on the south edge of Phoenix balance
tribal identity with metropolitan influences. The Seri, numbering under one
thousand on Sonora’s west coast, enjoy
minimal outside contact. The ten-thousand strong San Carlos Apache live on
the Nation’s wooded 1.86 million acres in
eastern Arizona. On the 2.8-million-acre
Tohono O’Odham reservation, tune in to
the tribal radio station for local flavor.
BETWEEN PHOENIX AND PUERTO PE ÑASCO
al
The First Peoples
geo.tour.ism (n): Tourism
that sustains or enhances the
geographical character of a
place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and
the well-being of its residents.
Our good fortune to live in the land
between Phoenix and Hermosillo comes
from the way we adapt to desert living
with engineering, art, and food. Witness
the window-mounted swamp cooler—a
terrific and simple invention that sucks
dry hot air through cool damp straw.
Often called the poor man’s air conditioner, it’s a somewhat more sophisticated version of throwing a damp towel
over an electric fan. As for artworks, the
oldest I’ve seen were well-preserved
petroglyphs of animals, plants, hillsides,
and people etched onto boulders outside
Caborca, Sonora. They are said to date
from about ten centuries ago, created by
Indians headed to the coast for salt. As
for food, Father Kino, the missionary,
established wheat and beef as staples in
LA PROVEEDORA PETROGLYPHS, NEAR CABORCA, SON.
BARBA EDITORES/JORGE A. GUERRERO
SANTA MARÍA MAGDALENA TEMPLE, NEAR MAGDALENA DE KINO, SON.
BARBA EDITORES/JORGE A. GUERRERO
Copyright © 2007 National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.