Route: Ruby Road Marathon

Ruby Road is, pardon the pun, a true gem. Connecting Nogales, AZ with the tiny desert town of Arivaca, by way of the titular ghost town of Ruby, this route offers beautiful views of rolling hills and towering buttes as it snakes its way through upper Sonoran desert grasslands and oak groves.

This run passes several interesting features of the area including views of the sacred Baboquivari Peak, the aforementioned town of Ruby, Sycamore Canyon, and Atascosa Peak - once the home of a fire lookout tower manned by late author and activist Edward Abbey.  

This marathon-length route is bookended by the Arivaca Nature Trail and Peña Blanca Lake at either end, both with ample parking.