Arizona Highway #83 to Montezuma Pass Scenic Drive

The drive from Sonoita to Montezuma Pass passes through an area of rolling hills and shallow canyons where distant mountain ranges mark the horizons. About midway through the drive, Parker Canyon Lake makes a good place to stop to walk and relax near the lake’s blue waters which is the end of Arizona Hwy 83. If you’re not in a hurry, you might want to take time out to do a little birdwatching, too. A trail that follows the shoreline provides good opportunities to see a variety of waterfowl that are usually present on the lake and occasionally a bald eagle or osprey soaring over it. Most of the countryside you’ll pass through on this drive is ranching country. The extensive grasslands that cover this area have been used for grazing livestock since Spanish missionaries first brought cattle into the area in the late 17th and early 18th century. As you wind in and out of the shallow canyons that cut this 5,000 foot high plateau, you’ll see a number of ranch houses just off the roadside or tucked away among the trees. After leaving the lake, the dirt road on FS Rd 48 and FS Rd 61 angles steadily toward the Huachuca Mountains, and the higher peaks of that range come into view. Miller, Carr, and Granite peaks are just a few you may be able to identify. The route winds to the top of Montezuma Pass, where you’ll be a lot closer to those mountaintops and be able to enjoy panoramic views that stretch well into Mexico.