# Tumacácori National Historical Park

> Tumacácori's origins go back to 1691, when the Jesuit Eusebio Kino first visited the villages of the region; the mission was originally called San Cayetano…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/places/tumacacori-nhp/

The ruins of an 18th-century Spanish mission church stand in the Santa Cruz River valley south of Tucson, with a museum and quiet adobe grounds. Visit in the cooler hours and combine it with the old road to Tubac.

Tumacácori's origins go back to 1691, when the Jesuit Eusebio Kino first visited the villages of the region; the mission was originally called San Cayetano de Tumacácori. After the Pima Revolt of 1751 it was relocated and became San José de Tumacácori. A small church stood by 1757, while the large church ruin you see today was begun by Franciscans around 1800, with work continuing into the 1820s. The last residents left in 1848. Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the ruins a national monument in 1908, and since 1990 the site has been a national historical park.

The 1937 museum is built in traditional mission architecture and also explains the park's two other mission sites, Guevavi and Calabazas. The grounds with the church ruin can be seen in one to two hours. A stretch of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail runs through the park and makes a pleasant walk. Summers are very hot here, so the cooler morning hours are best. Ask the park how to visit Guevavi and Calabazas.

- **Nearest town:** Tumacácori, AZ
- **Category:** History & culture
- **GPS:** 31.5688, -111.0524

## Good to know

**Best time to go:** The most pleasant months are usually February–April and November–December. Still fine, with some compromises, in January and October. Hot in May–September. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## Sources

- [Tumacácori Timeline – National Park Service](https://www.nps.gov/tuma/learn/historyculture/timeline.htm)
- [Tumacácori National Historical Park – Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumac%C3%A1cori_National_Historical_Park)

## Nearby

- [Mission San Xavier del Bac](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-san-xavier/) – 37 mi
- [Kartchner Caverns State Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-kartchner/) – 45 mi
- [Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-desert-museum/) – 47 mi
- [Saguaro National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/saguaro/) – 51 mi

## FAQs

### Where is Tumacácori National Historical Park?

Tumacácori National Historical Park is in Tumacácori, AZ, at GPS 31.5688, -111.0524. It is about 45 mi from Tucson.

### Can you camp near Tumacácori National Historical Park?

Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Arivaca Lake Dispersed Camping, about 12 mi away; within 25 mi there are 75 campsites and motorhome stopovers.

### What is there to see near Tumacácori National Historical Park?

Places worth a stop nearby: Mission San Xavier del Bac (37 mi), Kartchner Caverns State Park (45 mi), Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (47 mi) and Saguaro National Park (51 mi).

### When is the best time to visit Tumacácori National Historical Park?

The most pleasant months are usually February–April and November–December. Still fine, with some compromises, in January and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)