Sierra Bonita Ranch, Historic cattle ranch in Sulphur Springs Valley, Arizona
Sierra Bonita Ranch sprawls across 39,000 acres of land between the Galiuro and Pinaleño Mountains within the Coronado National Forest. The operation still manages cattle grazing and alfalfa production today, remaining under the stewardship of sixth-generation Hooker descendants.
Colonel Henry Clay Hooker established the first permanent American cattle ranch in Arizona here in 1872 and expanded it to cover roughly 800 square miles. The land had previously hosted an 18th-century Spanish estate, and the ranch headquarters preserves this layered history through its site and structures.
The main adobe building shows Spanish Colonial style with its U-shaped layout and central patio that opens to the landscape. The defensive design features, including roof gunports, reveal how settlers adapted their homes to the conditions they faced.
The property sits at about 4,000 feet elevation in Sulphur Springs Valley, surrounded by the mountains that define the landscape. Visitors should prepare for rural terrain and take into account road conditions and seasonal weather when planning a visit.
The original barn still bears the marking 'Sierra Bonita Ranch 1872' and stands on the same ground where an 18th-century Spanish estate once flourished. This overlapping of eras reveals how different waves of settlement shaped the same landscape over time.
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