MichelleAlthough I enjoyed the Green Valley area, I was eager to move on and see Patagonia, AZ. It is just on the East side of the mountains from Green Valley (a little south) in a beautiful area with long needled pines, juniper, and multiple deciduous trees including Oak and Sycamore. I’m not sure if I’ve seen Sycamore before, but the bark is pure white and really stands out against the blue sky.
I found a very nice free campsite about 5 miles from Patagonia, on a paved road which was a treat! Although Patagonia is small it is very nice with a long park buffering between the highway and downtown. You can tell they’ve put some money into making the town a draw to visitors passing through. It had been a while since I’d had Mexican food and being in very southern AZ near the Mexican border, I decided I couldn’t go wrong. El Pancho Villa had great reviews and was very inviting with its bright colors and outdoor seating. It was a perfect sunny, perfect temp day. I ordered a shredded beef quesadilla, and it was delicious! It was served with pico de gallo and pickled onions (which were really good). One reason I wanted to visit Patagonia is for the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. As I’ve said before, this area is known for great birdwatching. The Paton Center is very small but has beautiful green grounds with pathways winding through separate sections. In all areas there were hummingbird feeders along with every other type of bird feeder, and oranges on posts to draw the Orioles. A covered area was available to stand under if the sun got too hot, but this day was perfect even in the sun. Tons of birds here! I spent several hours trying to get good bird pictures. I did get a few but those buggers are fast. It was amazing how many hummingbirds would be at each feeder, chasing each other off so they could get a sip of nectar.
Another mile up the road was the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve. This area was natural with Sonoita Creek running through the trees. Multiple trails could be walked for short or long trips if multiple trails were combined. It was so cool and refreshing next to the creek in the shade of the trees. I walked two trails connected to make a loop. One wound through the trees following the creek, and the other crossed through a grassy meadow area surrounded on the edges by tall trees. It was such a fun day and I’m so glad I stopped here. Unfortunately, I was running out of water in the RV with nowhere to fill the tank, so I moved on after 3 nights. This is going on my list of places to return since there are many things I didn’t have time to experience.
The Escapees RV Club (SKP) that I belong to built some RV parks back in the 1980s for members over 55. They are Co-op parks having RV lots that can be leased for long term use, or you can stay on a nightly, weekly, or monthly basis. Rates at these parks are significantly lower than most RV parks. I knew some sizzling hot 90+ degree days were coming, and I would need electricity for AC. I moved to the SKP Saguaro Co-op in Benson, AZ for one week. The park is super nice and well kept by all of the tenants who live there. There is not a lot going on in Benson itself, but just down the highway is Tombstone, AZ, site of the famous OK Corral shoot-out. I took one day to visit Tombstone, and Bisbee which is even further south. As expected, Tombstone is very touristy, but has an authentic western town feel. Even the downtown main street is ‘dirt’ to make it feel just like the ‘ol days’. I wish I’d known that the day I was there would be a festival and parade. Many people were walking around in old time western costumes. I could have worn my western looking square dance outfit and cowboy boots to fit in. Bummer! Anyway, there are many museums, restaurants, and shops. But beware, every activity costs money including the staged fight at the OK Corral. There was plenty to see and do without having to spend money. After several hours, I headed further south to Bisbee, AZ. I had heard it was a cute town but didn’t know what to expect. The drive there is rather desolate until you ascend to higher elevation where the trees grow. Bisbee is set in a canyon with mountains on either side. The entire town is built on hillsides with the downtown area at the bottom winding through the canyon. Even downtown is not flat. It starts high at one end and twists its way down into the canyon to the other end of town. There are shops and restaurants all along the main street. It is beautiful! I wished I’d spent less time at Tombstone and more time at Bisbee. Shops in Bisbee were all different and unique from one another, not just trinkety souvenirs. I believe Bisbee was founded in the late 1800’s during the mining years. The architecture on the buildings was definitely from that era. There are multiple mines in the region that you can tour. I didn’t have enough time for that so Bisbee will also go on my list of places to come back again.
