---
id: "11288"
name: Patagonia-Sonoita Scenic Road
distance: "52.5"
duration: Take about 2-4 hours to fully enjoy this byway.
description: This route travels through the Santa Cruz River Basin and the Patagonia Lake State Park, Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tubac Presidio State Park and the Empire-Cienega Resource Conservation Area.
path: "{mh~DjyadTsE_J}AgBm@a@{DuA_Dm@cGk@eAWwBuAyEeG{ByBAA??kC{AUWkDcACx@RfCb@hAt@f@lAJ~@Un@o@d@aA??nAoCf@yCD{@EyCa@oBe@uAmAoBkFaF}NgIgDqCoAyAaJiP{IiKuDaFsCgHoJuXkn@yvA{AoCwAmBeOcOgWeVaCkB}KsHoBgAuJ{CsBuAqBkC_c@y`AgAuB}@eAaBuAaAe@{Cu@yD?eJt@{GF{Ge@cNgByCu@ab@mSqCsB{FiF{C_D}`@eo@kB{B{A_Bgk@qa@qIoGoDyCuDuD}MaRs@s@sBoAqBu@wBa@mCGkCNaCj@yJrEyDxAwCf@uBHyAImDg@iJyDmGiB{GeAoPmBsEiAyBgAyBeBkJyJsKiH{@y@sBoCsFsMkC{DwEyDeSsMwJoJ{HsGu]sWgEeCyEkB}C{@wDk@oD[oMe@{Ii@{Eg@uC_AeAi@{ByAcHqFmDyAkCq@}MaAqDGaBFiJxAmE`@eCOuC_@eCq@wBeAwC}BkCiDkH{L_CoCeCcBwDgA_BQ_HQeC[qVkIiDm@cFk@}Bi@uB_AmA{@iAiAiBqCiBeFmByHq@cBqAqBoAqAkJoH{AsBsCqFqAsBiKyJeE}Em@w@eAyBgAkEWkD_@y`@QmGU{BcAqEy@{BuC}Eqp@kcA}AaD_AeC}C{Ka@mA}AoCm@s@_BwAqCyAmRaFmDmAsCaBmB}BcRuVwDgFu@sAsIwQeMcY_HiNeO}[gBaDmCkEsAiByFsGeDsCmDeCgIuEaQcI{JwDwb@wLe`@qJ_IeBiOgCk}A{QoMgBkFgA_JyBke@mMyFgA}Es@uV_Byi@qH_Hu@}VyAcCS_Fy@qFkAuE_BwXqMaDmAiHoBm^}HsEo@uDW{KLo[rD__@`FwIz@{DC}BKqBWoBg@aEcBaEiCiAaAgDkEyCeGiAsDo@gDgPmdAaOmx@gAmFuB}IoDeLsGeOmEiIgBiCcJsLij@kq@sFgH_EcHkDsHcBgFu@qC}AaImAiJeBoUy]?wWa@}z@e@s~@N}|@@yIT_Ip@mKvAqCRqI`BcElAaM|D{HbDeMjGwfBt_Agi@tXcUvM_n@`[oH`Ei[zSsMvKk}@nr@{OdJaFhCqPpGuPbGqCt@uJdAaBd@mItEyM~CaAf@yB`BwBzCcCnEoAbBiAdAyBxAoPbJoSvJkEhAsGReE?qHu@aJcBiAO{DLsBZsDpAmClB}EzEuB~AsA^}ALyBY{E}Cm@S{@IiAHkFpBiB\\kCQ_A]sAmAqAoCcB{KG_CCoGGyAa@yC_D}NyCmLq@yAy@w@_@UiA]mCMqHDuXj@y@Eo@Sk@]_JcKgA]eASwBQuSYaAOaEiBa|@i]yCiByAmAeDuDmBwAiFaB{@g@aD_Eq@i@mB{@qDu@aAi@uAcB}@uB_GeRg@iCk@uJi@}Ea@eByA_DsC_F}EaDyCqAoEk@uLGqBQsBu@cBoAeAoAaCeBoBo@}VcAcDa@kBa@eEsBsGiEeGyFyFuGgEwD}JaGcL_FcHeCsKeBoLaBcGiAiKiGkC_AaVaEmRoC{GqAmD}@uDqAkXcLiFgB{FmAkIq@yGGcDLgWjCgIlAcGdA_IjBwoJpuC}IbDqcAna@cDx@_ALwTjB}Aj@{@f@}@|@_BnC"
websites:
  - url: https://www.thearmchairexplorer.com/arizona/patagonia_sonoita_scenic_road.php
    name: The Armchair Explorer
attractions:
  - url: https://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/patagonia-lake/state-park.html
    name: Patagonia Lake State Park
designations:
  - Arizona State Scenic Byway
states:
  - AZ
ll:
  - -110.93412799999993
  - 31.3419090000001
bounds:
  - - -110.93412799999993
    - 31.3419090000001
  - - -110.65543399999996
    - 32.009418000000096

---

The Patagonia-Sonoita Scenic Road was designated by the Arizona Department of Transportation on September 20, 1985. The road travels through the Santa Cruz River Basin and has semi-arid valleys and narrow canyons separated by mountain ranges rising abruptly from the desert floor. The natural beauty of the Patagonia-Sonoita Scenic Road is evident in the varied scenery as the road winds across the desert floor through rolling hills and surrounding mountain ranges rise to over 9,000 feet. Natural features such as the Patagonia Lake State Park and the Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Sanctuary contribute to the uniqueness of this Sonoran Desert designation.