Located near the border of Mexico roughly 65 miles southeast of Tucson, Huachuca City is surrounded by mountains and forests. This rural community springs from the desert to provide a terrific small-town atmosphere to its roughly 1,900 residents, many of whom work at nearby Fort Huachuca. Nearby destinations include the Sierra Vista Municipal Airport and the Fort Huachuca Museum.

The nearby Coronado National Forest provides a vast, rugged landscape to explore. Covering roughly 1.78 million acres of mountains and eight designated wilderness areas, the outdoor adventures are endless: hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, camping, and fishing are all available. You can even go skiing in the winter -- even though this is the desert, Mt. Lemmon's 9,157-foot summit is home to the nation's southernmost ski area.

San Rafael State Natural Area, while not open to the public, is home to several endangered species. Wildlife in the park includes antelope, javalina, cougar, bobcats, coyote, and mule deer. It was once the location of a large ranch, part of a Mexican Land Grant in the late 1800s. The ranch house, built in 1900, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.