Enjoy spectacular views at the Rio Rico Resort

Rugged, rustic and surreal are just a few of the words that might describe Rio Rico. For thousands of years people have found this area along the Santa Cruz River to their liking. But in the post NAFTA era, this planned community of 11,000 just might become a model for bi-cultural communities of the future (the local market still accepts pesos as readily as dollars).

Once part of a vast land grant from the King of Spain, Rio Rico finds itself in the unique position of balancing a luxury Four Diamond resort with an unspoiled rural residential ambiance. While coyotes still howl under crystalline skies and the cattle roam free, its par 72 Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course is listed as one of the finest in the state. Rio Rico's major attraction is a resort lifestyle, affordable housing, and its proximity to Mexico. More Info: Rio Rico Resort 

Pena Blanca Lake, Near Rio Rico, offers residents a pleasant picnic getaway

 Long before Geronimo and Will Rogers walked these trails, Rio Rico was home to a pre-historic race known as "The Forgotten Ones." When the mastodons and swamps disappeared, sometime between the birth of Christ and 400 AD, they gave up their caves for primitive dwellings. An 18-acre village constructed by the Forgotten Ones was rediscovered in 1954. Fortunately the village was partially rebuilt by the Upper Pima Indians, providing the first link to modern history.

Pena Blanca Lake, near Rio Rico, offers residents a pleasant picnic getaway.

The centerpiece of the modern community is the Rio Rico Resort and Country Club, a pampered oasis surrounded by rugged mountains and pristine Sonoran landscape. During the summer months heat-weary guests from Phoenix and Tucson come to enjoy the brisk climate and legendary cuisine. Hiking, horseback riding and golf can be enjoyed year around-even July and August.

The Par 72 Robert Trent Jones, Sr. golf course is frequently top-listed and one of the finest in Arizona. Critics have called the front nine, "The most beautiful and beastly stretches of golf in Arizona."

For more information: Rio Rico Chamber of Commerce 520-377-9336 / 520-377-9613