Tumacacori National Historic Park is my favorite day trip from Tucson. It is about 55 miles south of Tucson on Interstate 19. The grounds preserve in a state of decay one of the missions Father Padre Eusebio Kino established in Southern Arizona. The park service has done a good job with interpretive signing. There is also a guided tour as well as events throughout the year. Visitors can also walk down to the Santa Cruz River and hike along the Anza Trail to the town of Tubac. The Santa Cruz is running in this section because of reclaimed water do not wade or swim. All National Parks, Monuments and State Parks have junior ranger programs to engage the youth.
History: Padre Eusebio Kino established Tumacacori in January of 1691. The first missionaries who lived at Tumacacori were of the Company of Jesus (Jesuits). They maintained Tumacacori as well as two satellite missions: Guevavi and Calabazas. From 1768 to 1848 Fransiscan missionaries managed Tumacacori. In 1848 Padre Liberos was expelled by the Mexican Government after Mexico won its independence from Spain. Afterwards the missions fell into a state of disrepair. As stated before Tumacacori is managed in a state of arrested decay. Guevavi and Calabazas have very little remaining. The park service gives tours of Guevavi and Calabazas during certain months of the year. Today preservationists are replacing many of the old adobe blocks in order to keep the structures standing. (Info from: www. nps.gov/tuma/learn/historyculture/tumacocori).
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