Gateway: Sonoita

Sonoita is home to Arizona’s Wine Country, located in the rolling grasslands and oak forests at the junction of Highways 82 and 83 east of the Santa Rita Mountains. The Sonoita valley used to be known for its cattle ranches, and then for its part in the movie industry (Oklahoma was filmed nearby).

Access

Mile 88.6 – Sonoita is 0.8 miles east on FR 4072 and 10 miles south on Hwy 83.
Sonoita Map is below.

Elevation

4,987

Population

1,000

Post Office

3166 State Hwy. 83, Ste. 1, 85637, (520) 455-5500

Internet

Sonoita Community Library (3147 Hwy. 83), (520) 455-5517

Grocery

Sonoita Mercantile Country Store (3235 Hwy. 82), (520) 455-5788. Deli, gourmet food items, local wines, gas station, ATM.
Sonoita Mini Market (3160 Hwy. 82), (520) 455-5613. Groceries, local wines, lunch wagon.

Food

The Steak Out Restaurant & Saloon (3200 S. Sonoita Hwy), (520) 455-5205. Mesquite grilled steaks and a rural steakhouse atmosphere.
Tia Nita’s Cantina (3119 Hwy. 83), (520) 455-0500. Barbeque and Mexican food.
The Café (3280 Hwy. 82), (520) 455-5044. Open for lunch, with a good vegetarian selection.

Lodging

Sonoita Inn (3243 Hwy. 82), (520) 455-5935. Rustic accommodations in the rolling grasslands of Sonoita.
Crown C Ranch (139 Crown C Ranch Road), (520) 455-5739. Single rooms, guest house, ranch house available for groups up to 18.

Urgent Care

The nearest emergency facility to Sonoita can be found in Sierra Vista or Green Valley. Please see those Gateway Community pages for a list of care facilities.

Massage

Cynthia Carlisi (520) 394-2104, canyonwmn@theriver.com

Feed & Tack

Sonoita Feed (3254 Highway 82), (520) 455-5544

Shuttles

Finding True North provides shuttle service from Tucson to Southern Terminus, Kearny, and everywhere in between. They also accept and hold resupply boxes. Text/call 520-344-2775 from phone, Garmin, or Spot; findingtruenorthconcierge@gmail.com

Area Attractions

Sonoita Wine Trail – Take a break from the Arizona Trail to hop on the Sonoita Wine Trail which visits vineyards between Sonoita and Elgin.
Parker Canyon (520 455-5847) – A beautiful 130-acre lake located in the high, cool rolling hills of southern Arizona. Services include the mercantile and marina store, restrooms, drinking water, boat ramp, fishing pier, lakeside trail, and a 65-space campground with restrooms, picnic tables and grills.
Empire Ranch (Hwy. 83 at milepost 40), (520) 439-6400 -The Empire Ranch House is a 22-room adobe and wood frame building which dates to 1870 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The ranch sits at the heart of the 42,000-acre Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Tours of the ranch are available, and miles of trails through towering cottonwoods along the flowing cienega.