Several dirt roads pass thought this area but they all lead to the same place – an uncommon sense of stillness in the grasslands of Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, a 42,000 acre preserve designated by Congress in 2000.
Las Cienegas National Conservation Area | Arizona
There are a couple of main roads leading into the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area, one from State Highway 83 on the western edge, and one from State Highway 83 on the southern edge. The roads themselves are very easy to travel on – well maintained gravel tracks through the grasslands. Of course you should use your best judgment when traveling in the backcountry even on roads as easy as these. Generally speaking you could drive in one of the two roads mentioned above and come out on the other one, just passing though. Or you could explore some of the other lesser traveled tracks within the area itself. It only takes about 30 minutes to drive through the area but it is a nice alternative to the main highways. If you have the time, stop at the Empire Ranch, a 22-room adobe building from 1870 on the National Register of Historic Places. While this is not necessarily a destination that you would base an entire trip around, it is nonetheless a pleasant diversion through a peaceful and scenic part of Southern Arizona.
Details
- Location: Southeast Arizona
- Distance: 12 miles plus more if you explore the area
- Difficulty: Easy
- Road Surface: paved, gravel
- Gas, Food & Lodging: Sonoita
- Camping: Coronado National Forest