Tubac is a historic village and destination for the arts! It has art galleries, museums, enchanting shops, and jewelry stores in a beautiful high desert rural environment.
Go on an unforgettable excursion along the Arizona borderlands. See historic Tubac, Tumacacori and Nogales, Arizona from a unique, engaging and fun perspective. See places only known to true locals and witness a natural desert freshwater wetland. Tours to Elgin/Sonoita Wine Country and old town Nogales available.
Tumacácori sits at a cultural crossroads in the Santa Cruz River valley. Here O’odham, Yaqui, and Apache people met and mingled with European Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, settlers, and soldiers, sometimes in conflict and sometimes in cooperation. Follow the timeworn paths and discover stories that connect us to enduring relationships, vibrant cultures, and traditions of long ago.
This canyon was named “Madera” (which means lumber or wood in Spanish) because it served as a major source of timber for the city of Tucson over a century ago. It wasn’t long, however, before this accessible haven was better known for the diverse wildlife it sheltered and the cool relief it offered from the desert heat. Today, Madera Canyon continues to be a popular destination for wildlife watchers and nature lovers who come to see the more than 240 species of birds (including more than a dozen species of hummingbirds) that live in its nurturing environment. April and May are the best months for most species, June and September are best for hummingbirds. One of the best ways to get to know this unique environment is by visiting the Madera Nature Trail. The trail is accessible from a roadside trailhead, four picnic areas, one campground and a private resort, all located in the canyon.
Flying Leap Vineyards was founded in 2010. Initially envisioned as a collaborative small business venture, primarily as a small-scale wine grape farming operation, the Company began in earnest developing what would later become its Block 1 vineyard in a small, rural agricultural growing area south of Willcox, Arizona known as the “Kansas Settlement”. These initial vines were planted in April 2011, and developed & trellised over three full growing seasons. During these years Flying Leap purchased a small farm winery called “Canelo Hills” located in the heart of Arizona’s most scenic wine country south of Tucson. Flying Leap operates five wine tasting rooms and one distilled spirits tasting room in the Arizona market.
The chili company was founded in 1943 Gene and Judy England. Judy was raised in a Mexican castle, Rancho El Alamo, built by her father. Gene grew up in Texas, and worked as a cowboy and on the oilfields as a welder. He arrived in Arizona as a young man with extraordinary drive and varied interests. Gene was a Hollywood stunt rider, pilot, silver and coppersmith in addition to his extensive ranching endeavors. Their crops included a variety of chilies but the mild Anaheim was an original hit. Using re-purposed WWII equipment and the expertise that he developed as a welder in the oil fields, Gene developed a process and built a plant that cooked the fresh chilies with pressure cookers and then ground them into a bright red chili paste. The company store in Tumacacori across from the old mission.