Ghost towns with names like Harshaw, Mowry and Washington Camp near Patagonia and Oro Blanco and Ruby along route 289 (Ruby Road) bear mute witness to the boom and bust of the railroads and mining industry. Some, like Ruby, are so perfect that it seems the residents mysteriously disappeared while having breakfast. Washington Camp is one of the ghost towns being restored and some have fallen into disrepair with only remnants to remind us of their once bustling past.

Consider a day trip off the beaten path and get a feel for the old west with a drive around the Ruby Road loop through the Coronado National Forest. When Oro Blanco and Ruby were thriving mining communities, the primary stage and wagon route to Tucson was along this now primitive road. The only bank between Nogales and Tucson was in Arivaca, a nearly forgotten community just outside Santa Cruz County where you can still pay for lunch at the local restaurant with gold dust. Pack a lunch and picnic along one of the streams and enjoy the beauty in the safety that the pioneers never had-no Apaches will attack in the narrow canyons or rush from the volcanic cliffs. The road is rough but passable for passenger cars. In Sycamore Canyon, you may find the sparse remains of Hank and Yank, 2 mule skinners and army scouts who operated he Bartlett cattle ranch near the upper reaches of the canyon in the early 1880s. A trail leads down-canyon from the old homestead into an area of sculpted cliffs, clear pools and lush vegetation within the Pajarita Wilderness. Bird watching can be especially rewarding here with a many as 130 frequent visiting species.

Approximately 20 miles southeast of Patagonia is the San Rafael Valley, one of the few intact high elevation grasslands left in America. The headwaters of the Santa Cruz River are in the San Rafael Valley, which has significant biological value. There are numerous rare and endangered species, high quality riparian and grassland habitat and unfragmented wildlife corridors. Stretching into Mexico, this breathtakingly beautiful valley has supported cattle ranching for centuries. As it becomes increasingly difficult for ranchers to subsist in the cattle industry, conservation groups have purchased parts of the valley. Pack a picnic lunch and tour the valley. It is truly magnificent.

Madera Canyon with its easy trail access, campgrounds and picnic areas lies in the northwest of the Santa Rita Mountains where the higher elevation means cooler temperatures during the hot months and snow during the winter. The canyon has a long and colorful history which you can learn more about by obtaining a booklet produced by Friends of Madera Canyon. Contact them at: P.O. Box 1203, Green Valley, AZ 85622. Discover Santa Cruz County 2001