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Patagonia

Patagonia.jpgCalled the “Jewel of the Sonoita Valley” for its unspoiled natural beauty, Patagonia is a quaint hamlet, situated in a narrow valley, and surrounded by the Santa Rita and Patagonia Mountain ranges. Founded in 1898 and incorporated in 1949, the town and surrounding mountains take their name from the Patagonia Mine that existed here in the 1800s.

Most widely known as an international bird watching destination due to the 200 species of rare birds that traverse its airways, Patagonia is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. The historic Arizona Trail runs through Patagonia, and the town is host to the Nature Conservancy’s Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve. Patagonia Lake State Park—a manmade boating and fishing recreational site—sits about seven miles west of town on State Route 82.

As an experience, Patagonia might best be described as a small, slow-paced walking town with a big heart—a place where people still gather in coffee shops, work together to orchestrate community efforts, and volunteer their time and resources toward preserving the local historic and natural treasures that dwell in harmony here.