Scenic Drives
Ruby Road (AZ 289, FR 39)
Good views of rolling hills and towering buttes, a desert oasis inhabited
by rare plants and birds, an old ghost town and two picturesque lakes
provide ample reason to spend a day along this border country drive.
Ruby Road got its name from a once thriving mining camp located a short
distance south of the road on the edge of the Pajarito Mountains. Ruby,
the ghost town, reputedly was named after a pioneer resident who lived
in the town when it opened its first U. S. Post Office. What’s
left of that old mining camp is now private property, so you’ll
have to be satisfied with a look as you drive by, but if old mining ghosts
inspire your interest there are plenty of them along this road.
The country which Ruby Road passes through is covered with grassy savannas
and dotted with various species of oak, while an occasional clump
of desert spoon, yucca or prickly pear cactus add to the high desert
ambience.
One of the first points of interest along this drive is Peña Blanca
Lake. Here, you’ll find excellent birdwatching in season and good
fishing year-round. The Atascosa Trail makes another interesting stop,
where a short hike can take you to dramatic overlooks of mountains and
canyons. One more notable stop is Sycamore Canyon, where there is a Civil
War-era ranch site, a streamside trail and excellent birdwatching.
Back on the road, the drive continues through this area of shallow
canyons and rugged bluffs past abandoned mines and working cattle
ranches to
Arivaca Lake. At that remote fishing and birding spot, you have
the choice of returning the way you came or continuing on to the
town
of Arivaca
and a paved route back to Interstate 19.
Attractions:
Roadside lakes
Historic mining/ranching district
Wildlife watching
Rocky buttes, grassy foothills
Trails
Location: Northwest of Nogales, AZ, in the Pajarito and Atascosa
Mountains.
Access: Leave Interstate 19 approximately 8 miles north of
Nogales, at the Ruby interchange (AZ 289). Drive west to Peña Blanca Lake
where the route number changes to Forest Road 39. Continue on FR 39,
taking a side trip to Arivaca Lake if you choose, then turn north on
FR 216 which leads into the town of Arivaca. From Arivaca, follow Arivaca
Road back to Interstate 19.
Mileage/Driving Time: 55 miles; 2-3 hours driving time.
Season: Year-round.
Road Conditions: Ruby Road is paved for its first 9 miles to
Peña Blanca
Lake. From that point it is a graded dirt road suitable for passenger vehicles
for the next 25 miles to the town of Arivaca. Slow speeds are recommended on
this winding foothills road. Also, take note that unpaved portions of the Ruby
Road may be slippery and rutted when wet.
For further information contact: Nogales Ranger District.
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