Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008 - (Page 10)

REGION S outhern Arizona covers the northern part of the Sonoran Desert and the northwestern tip of the Chihuahuan Desert. This area extends from Picacho Peak, south to the U.S.-Mexico border, west to Ajo, and east to the New Mexico state border. Interstates 10 and 19 both lead through this area and converge in Tucson. Horseback riding in Oro Valley AMY HASKELL ORO VALLEY The suburban town of Oro Valley is located a few miles northwest of metropolitan Tucson at the base of rugged Pusch Ridge in the western foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The Tortolita Mountains to the north and the Tucson valley to the south add to its panoramic natural beauty. The town covers more than 34 square miles at an average elevation of 2,620 feet above sea level, and it has a population of about 40,000. The name Oro Valley is a combination of Spanish and English. Oro means gold in Spanish, and the name reflects the area’s history of gold prospecting in the Cañada del Oro riverbed that runs through the town. This riverbed also provided water to a regionally renowned cattle ranch, the Steam Pump Ranch. The ranch’s founder, George Pusch, settled the area in 1874—100 years before the town’s incorporation. Today, Oro Valley is home to several first-class golf courses, country clubs, and resort hotels that contribute to the town’s reputation as one of the most affluent communities in the southwestern United States. Excellent golf and resort-leisure opportunities include Oro Valley Country Club, Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort, Stone Canyon Golf Club, Sun City Vistoso Golf Club, and The Golf Club at Vistoso. Additionally, the town has an emerging base of biotechnology firms as well as a regional hospital. Oro Valley is a gateway to State Highway 77 and Catalina State Park—a desert oasis preserved for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and bird watching. The town also hosts a number of major athletic events, including the Holualoa Tucson Marathon and the annual A r i z o n a D i s t a n c e C l a s s i c . Th e University Medical Center El Tour de Tucson cycling event passes through Oro Valley in November, and the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort hosts the U.S. Tennis Association’s National Winter Championship and Copper Bowl tournaments for youth. ROBERT GARCIA NORTHERN PIMA COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 297-2191, www.the-chamber.com TOWN OF ORO VALLEY 229-4700, www.ci.oro-valley.az.us 10 TUCSON OFFICIAL DESTINATION GUIDE WWW.VISITTUCSON.ORG http://www.the-chamber.com http://www.ci.oro-valley.az.us http://www.visittucson.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008

Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008 Contents Welcome to Tucson Maps & Transportation Accommodations Culinary Heritage & Culture Outdoor Adventure & Nature Golf Attractions & the Arts Shopping Newcomers & Services Index

Tuscon Official Destination Guide - Fall/Winter 2008

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