Reprinted by permission of the WorldAtlas.
Home to about 800 people, Patagonia sits in the Sonoita Creek valley in Santa Cruz County, hemmed in by the Patagonia and Santa Rita Mountains.
About seven miles south, Patagonia Lake State Park wraps around a reservoir where locals and visitors fish, boat, camp, or just sit on an uncrowded shoreline. The real draw is the birds. The state park and the downstream Sonoita Creek Natural Area pull in serious birdwatchers hoping to spot the broad-billed hummingbird, the verdin, and Lucy’s warbler. If you want to earn the view first, the Overlook Trail near the lake is a 1.5-mile out-and-back that opens onto 360-degree views of the whole valley.
Back in town, the afternoon slows to a stroll. You can browse the Patagonia Trading Post, wander into the Global Arts Gallery and Lillian’s Closet, and stop for a coffee at Gathering Grounds on Main Street. The Patagonia Museum fills in the rest, using exhibits and old photographs to tell the story of eastern Santa Cruz County.