Attractions and Places To See around Sonoita - Top 6

Rune Wines, located in Sonoita, Arizona, is renowned for its award-winning wines and unique tasting experience. Established in 2013, Rune Wines features the only solar-powered and off-grid tasting room in Arizona, emphasizing sustainability. Guests can enjoy panoramic views of mountain ranges and high desert grasslands while sampling wines outdoors under a shade canopy. Rune Wines captures the essence of Arizona's terroir, crafting wines that tell the story of time and place. The winery's commitment to quality and innovation has earned it a distinguished reputation in the wine community.

Sonoita, AZ, nestled in the rolling hills of southeastern Arizona, is a hub for wine enthusiasts, rodeo lovers, and cyclists. As Arizona’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA), Sonoita boasts numerous vineyards and wineries, producing award-winning wines that draw visitors for tastings and tours. This picturesque region is known for its unique terroir, offering a variety of reds, whites, and rosés. Sonoita is also famous for its vibrant rodeo culture, with events like the Sonoita Horse Races and the Labor Day Rodeo showcasing traditional Western skills and attracting competitors and spectators alike. Cycling enthusiasts flock to Sonoita for its scenic routes and challenging terrains, making it a popular destination for road and mountain biking. The annual Tour de Tucson, a major cycling event, often features routes through Sonoita, highlighting its beautiful landscapes and cycling-friendly roads.

This section is the latest addition to the Arizona Trail and one of the largest additions to the Arizona Trail in recent history. It weaves through Temporal Gulch and has many switchbacks going up or down the mountain. There can be a lot of overgrowths during summertime and due to wildlife protection it is not allowed to get rid of it. Wear long pants/sleeves and be prepared for route finding to be difficult.

45,000 acres of rolling grasslands and woodlands in southeastern Arizona are protected under the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area (NCA). The region’s oak-studded hills connect several "sky island" mountain ranges and lush riparian corridors. The perennial Cienega Creek supports a diverse plant and animal community. The Empire and Cienega ranches, along with portions of the adjacent Rose Tree and Vera Earl ranches, are now under public ownership and managed by Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Las Cienegas is located 45 miles southeast of Tucson, Arizona. Heading south on Arizona Route 83, near milepost 40, turn east into the ranch entrance. Wildlife viewing, birdwatching, primitive camping, picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, historic site, hunting, photography and scenic drives. Unique and rare vegetative communities including five of the rarest habitat types in the American Southwest: cienegas (marshlands), cottonwood-willow riparian forests, sacaton grasslands, mesquite bosques, and semi-desert grasslands. The Las Cienegas NCA could also be a Mecca to fans of classic films about the old west. John Wayne, Barbara Stanwick, Charlton Heston, Paul Newman, Lee Marvin, Kirk Douglas, William Holden, Burt Lancaster, Shelley Winters, Jennifer Jones, Steve McQueen, Gregory Peck, Spencer Tracy, Jimmy Stewart and others have made such classic films as “Red River,” “Duel in the Sun,” “Hombre,” “Winchester 73,” “The Big Country” and many others on or near the Empire Ranch. The historic Empire Ranch remains a working cattle ranch, complete with enchanting old headquarters, now operates under an innovative rangeland management style unique to the area. Primitive camping is allowed on existing sites only. Camping may not exceed 14 consecutive days. You must camp at least 0.25 mile from cattle and wildlife water holes. You will need to bring your own water and firewood. The nearest lodging is available in Sonoita, 5 miles south on Highway 83, and in Patagonia. https://www.blm.gov/national-conservation-lands/arizona/las-cienegas

To make hydraulic mining in the dry desert possible, around 1904 miners built a dam to store thousands of gallons of water. Today you see a long mound of earth and rock which once was a dam 10 feet high and 100 feet long. It was part of an eight and a half mile water system designed by James Stetson, an engineer of the Santa Rita Water & Mining Company.