Pinal County Historic and Interpretive Sites
Picacho Peak State Park: An Anza Trail interpretive exhibit is installed at a day use camp site on the west side of the park overlooking a campsite area and the Anza route through the Santa Cruz River valley.
Casa Grande Ruins: Located on state highway 87 outside the town of Coolidge, the Casa Grande ruins were visited and named by Father Kino in 1694 when friendly Pimas took him to see the already abandoned mysterious complex. The Anza expedition camped approximately five miles to the northwest, and on October 31, 1775 Font and Anza visited the ruins in order to check the accuracy of Kino’s descriptions and measurements. At this time, Font recorded the Bitter Man story of the Pima. The ruins are a National Monument administered by the National Park Service.
Expedition Camp #21: The Picacho Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) roadside rest offers an opportunity to interpret this camp in view of Picacho Peak.
Expedition Camps #22, 23, 24, and 25: These camps were at the Pima Villages, noted by Anza and Font, where the expedition was well-received and cared for. The sites are within the boundaries of the Gila River Indian Reservation today. The Sacaton ADOT roadside rest provides potential to interpret these camps.
Courtesey NPS