Safford, AZ Road Trips

1 Experience the Gila Valley, 1051 W Thatcher Boulevard, ☏ +1 928-428-2511, [email protected]. (updated Sep 2020)

1 Sanchez CCC Camp (just north of the Safford airport), ☏ +1 928-348-4400. Daylight hours. Well-preserved remains of a Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps camp, with several buildings remaining. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended; detailed driving instructions are given on the BLM web page. Free. 2 Mount Graham International Observatory, 1651 W Discovery Park Blvd (Discovery Park Campus), ☏ +1 928-428-6260, [email protected]. May-Oct, depending on weather. Operated by the University of Arizona in the Pinaleño Mountains west of Safford, this observatory offers periodic tours for the public. Reservations required, preferably two or more weeks in advance. Tours depart from the Discovery Park Campus. $40/person, includes lunch.

Salsafest, ☏ +1 928-428-2511, toll-free: +1 888-837-1841. Last weekend of September. An annual celebration of local Mexican food. Festivities include hot air balloon rides, salsa competitions, a jalapeño-eating competition, and other entertainment. 1 Pinaleño Mountains (west of Safford). Part of the Coronado National Forest, this range is crowned by Mount Graham, considered sacred by all the area's Native American tribes. The mountains offer excellent opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and camping, and provide a cool respite from the heat of the summer. Information and maps are available at the Safford Ranger District Office. 2 Safford Ranger District Office, 711 14th Ave #D, ☏ +1 928-428-4150. 3 Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area (Gila Box RNCA) (20 miles NE of Safford). A 23,000-acre preserve managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which contains pre-Columbian cliff dwellings, historic homesteads, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and over 200 species of birds. This is a popular area for birdwatching, hiking, fishing, kayaking, and camping. A color brochure and map can be obtained from the Safford Field Office. 4 BLM Safford Field Office, 711 14th Ave, ☏ +1 928-348-4400, fax: +1 928-348-4450. M-F 8AM-4PM. 5 Black Hills Rockhound Area (north side of Hwy 191, 18 miles east of Safford). This area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The most common and valuable gemstone to be found here is fire agate. The area can be tricky to find, a helpful map can be downloaded.

1 Casa Mañana, 502 S 1st Ave, ☏ +1 928-428-3170, [email protected]. M-Th 11AM-8:30PM, F- a 11AM-9:30PM. Operating since 1951, this is one of the most well-known restaurants in the area. 2 La Paloma Restaurant, 5183 E Clifton St, Solomon, ☏ +1 928-428-2094. Good Mexican food, popular with locals. 3 Los Jilbertos Restaurant, 215 E Hwy 70, ☏ +1 928-428-4887. Very popular Mexican restaurant. 4 Safeway, 2125 W Hwy 70, Thatcher, ☏ +1 928-428-2771. Daily 5AM-midnight. Has a full-service hot and cold deli, as well as onsite pharmacy.

Most hotels are distributed along Highway 70 within Safford and neighboring Thatcher, including branches of several national chains. 1 Best Western Desert Inn, 1391 West Thatcher Blved, ☏ +1 928-428-0521, toll-free: +1 800-707-2336, fax: +1 928-428-7653. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Free breakfast and wi-fi, pets accepted. $76+/night. 2 Budget Inn, 1215 W Thatcher Blvd, ☏ +1 928-428-7850. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM-noon. Clean and basic. Free wi-fi, microwave and fridge, pool. From $48. 3 Cottage Bed & Breakfast & Bakery, 1104 S Central Ave, ☏ +1 928-428-5118, [email protected]. Check-in: 1PM-8PM, check-out: 10AM. Nonsmoking, weekly rates available. $90-110/night. 4 SpringHill Suites Thatcher, 2855 W Hwy 70, ☏ +1 928-428-6900, fax: +1 928-428-6905. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Nonsmoking, free breakfast and wi-fi. $104-119/night. Pinaleño Mountains, ☏ +1 928-428-4150. Dispersed camping is possible in most areas in the Pinaleños (free), and the Forest Service also maintains seven organized campgrounds, all of which have picnic tables and grills, and toilets. Further information can be obtained online or from the Safford Ranger District Office (listed above). 5 River View Campground, Gila Box RNCA (20 miles northeast of Safford), ☏ +1 928-348-4400. Located within the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area, much of this campground is situated on an abandoned fraudulent gold mining area which has since been rehabilitated and returned to a more natural state. Restrooms and potable water available but no showers; no hookups.

The only access is by car. Highway 70 provides access from the northwest from Globe, and from the southeast from Lordsburg, New Mexico. Highway 191 connects Safford with I-10 in the south, a short distance east of Willcox.

Safford is bisected by Highway 70, also known as Thatcher Boulevard. There is no public transportation, so a car is essential. 1 Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 2161 W Hwy 70 (Thatcher), ☏ +1 928-428-0955, toll-free: +1 800-736-8222. M-F 8AM-5:30PM. (updated Feb 2017)