When is the Salsa Trail celebrated?
Governor Jan Brewer proclaimed September to be Arizona Salsa Trails Month. Don’t miss the Annual Salsa Trail pilgrimage to Southeastern Arizona, usually the last weekend in September. Watch for specific news at that time!
Where is the Salsa Trail? Small communities in Southeastern Arizona that participate in the Salsa Trail celebration include Safford, Pima, Thatcher, Solomon, Clifton, Duncan, Willcox and York. These historic little communities are within 40 miles of Safford, and afford the traveler delicious, consistent, down-home Mexican food and salsa. A dozen restaurants, a chile pepper grower, and a tortilla factory offer their specialties and taste-testing samples.
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Who Sponsors the Salsa Trail?
The Graham County Chamber of Commerce partners with Local First Arizona, a non-profit organization working to strengthen communities and local economies through supporting, maintaining, and celebrating locally owned businesses throughout the state of Arizona.
This partnership supports and promotes the Salsa Trail by recognizing communities, and generating tourism. All of the Salsa Trail businesses joined Local First and are featured on their website. Arizona is part of a growing trend as organizations like Local First Arizona are popping up across the country
How to get to the Salsa Trail
From Phoenix take US Highway 60 to Globe. From Globe, take US Highway 70 (the Old West Highway) to Safford, totaling approximately 170 miles. The small towns to visit along the Salsa Trail are within 40 miles of Safford The Graham County Chamber of Commerce at 1111 Thatcher Blvd in Safford (phone: 928 428-2511) will have maps and directions to follow the Salsa Trail, and information about its SalsaFest activities, including Main Street’s Balloon Glow.
Sightseeing opportunities abound along the Salsa Trail
Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties teem with numerous historic sites and inspiring scenic drives that compliment the Salsa Trail experience. Kartchner Caverns , Cochise ‘s Apache stronghold in the Chiricahuas , Mount Graham International Observatory , the Graham County Historical Society Museum , fishing at Roper Lake State Park , Morenci Copper Mine tours , the Rex Allen Cowboy Museum , the Willcox Playa , The Mills Collection (Safford Basin Indian artifacts), Apple Annie’s Orchard , Coronado Vineyards , Discovery Park , the Greenlee County Historical Society Museum , Jerry Berg’s Woodcarver’s Miniature World Museum at 127 E. US 70 in Pima, bird watching, rock hounding in the Black Hills or Round Mountain, hiking in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness , relaxing in hot spring aquifers, and other points of interest beckon the sightseer.
References:
Arizona’s Salsa Trail: A Foodies Guide to Culinary Tourism in Southeast Arizona. Christine Maxa. Graham County Chamber of Commerce. 2009.
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