Patagonia Mountains Trail
On this short but scenic trail east of Nogales, climb nearly 2500’ through the Patagonia Mountains. The trail passes rolling grassland and dense vegetation before ending at Harshaw Road at over a mile high.
Where to go:
From southern Nogales on Interstate 19 Bus. / Grand Ave. — continue east on Highway 82. Follow Highway 82 / Patagonia Highway northeast for 4.6 miles. Just after Kino Springs Dr. and a Red Schoolhouse on the right, turn right onto the paved Duquesne Road. The trail continues southeast, turning to dirt after about a mile and a half.
Trail Description:
From Highway 82, Duquesne Road remains pavement for a little over a mile and a half. This area is a busy residential area, so use caution and ignore private roads that branch off. At the 1.6 mile mark the road turns to dirt. The trail curves right and then crosses a normally dry wash through some thick trees. After winding in and out of more trees, the trail turns left to head east. For the next few miles, the road remains mostly uneventful as begins a very gradual climb. Stay straight at 4.4 miles where the paved Kino Springs Road goes right.
The road continues east and passes over a few cattle guards. After the 6.5 mile mark, the trail begins a long steady climb. At 7.5 miles, stay straight where numerous lesser trails go off to the left. This is also a nice open and flat area, so if you would like to camp, this would be the best spot on the trail. The road continues to climb, remaining mostly wide and smooth.
After 10.0 miles, the view opens up as the vegetation thins out. There are a few places you can pull off or stop to get a picture. After 11.3 miles, the trail flattens out as it approaches a pass and re-enters the trees. This is the highest elevation of the trail and it can have some nice cool shade in the summer months, and snow in the winter months. At 12.6 miles, the trail reaches the mining ruins of Washington Camp as it heads back down hill. An old ore hopper remain on the right side of the road, and cement foundations can be seen downhill on the left. Washington Camp was most active from 1880 to 1900, and coexisted with the nearby town of Duquesne. Continue downhill on the trail as the view of the San Rafael Valley and Mexico up ahead are really impressive. The trail comes to Harshaw Road and ends at the 13.0 mile mark. Here you have the option of going back the way you came, or continuing on San Rafael Valley Trail. Turning right heads south through the historic border town of Lochiel and over to Coronado National Memorial. Going left to stay north will take you past the ghost town of Harshaw to the town of Patagonia.
Notes & Trail Ratings:
Overall, this trail is extremely easy. The road is typically maintained very well and you can probably do it with a lower clearance vehicle. Nevertheless, it is a great scenic drive that shows off a lot of southern Arizona’s beauty in a short distance. It also connects you to additional trails (San Rafael Valley) that allow you to continue exploring east or north from Nogales. The 13 miles will take maybe 1-2 hours if you really take it slow. Add more time if you take additional trails. Be advised, due to the proximity to the international border, this area sees a lot of Border Patrol vehicles. Camping may not be advised. Also, the higher elevation sections of this trail can have snow during certain times of the year. Turn around if you question your ability to make it through.