WEEKEND EXCURSIONS - ELGIN / SONOITA / PATAGONIA

By TucsonStyle.com Reporter: Melissa Candek

Southeastern Arizona’s ever-changing landscape includes rolling hills, lush canyons and waterways. You can experience all of this easily in a weekend, just one hour south of Tucson. From the wineries of Elgin and Sonoita to the natural beauty of the state parks, the area is a showcase for Southeastern Arizona’s recreational appeal.

If you enjoy wine tasting, a great place to start your tour is the area’s wineries. The Village of Elgin Winery, Sonoita Vineyards and Callaghan Winery grow and sell a great variety of wines. The Village of Elgin Winery offers the most types of Arizona wines anywhere in the state: 26. Among the varieties available are Tombstone Red, Bisbee Copper and White Port. The winery is open daily for tastings from 10-5. For more information, call 455-9309.

Sonoita Vineyards is open daily for tastings from 10-4. Sonoita’s varietals include Sonora Blanca, Arizona Dry and Pinot Noir. Call 455-5893 for more information. Callaghan Vineyards has a Mourvedre, Syrah and a Riesling/Viognier blend available. The winery is open for tastings Friday-Sunday from 11-3. Call 455-5322 for more information.

The Nature Conservancy's Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve is one of the most popular birding spots in the country. Over 300 species can be found throughout the year on the preserve’s 740 acres. The preserve also has three miles of walking trails, and in the summer you can enjoy the wildflowers blooming. The preserve is open Wednesday-Sunday, and for more information call 394-2400.

Parker Canyon Lake recreation area offers 132 acres for fishing, camping and hiking. The lake is a prime fishing spot, with bass, sunfish, catfish and rainbow trout. For more information, call 378-0311.

Patagonia State Park contains a man-made lake and the Sonoita Creek State Natural Area within its 250 acres. Other popular activities are water skiing, camping, picnicking and hiking. For more information, call 287-2791.

If you’re an experienced hiker, you can access the historic Arizona Trail outside of Patagonia. The trail runs from Mexico to Utah, and covers a total of 790 miles. To reach the trail, take Harshaw Road east of Patagonia about 3 miles, until you see the Arizona Trail sign.