State Route 286 - Sasabe Road
Arizona 286 is a fairly remote road that leads from Arizona 86 at Three Points/Robles Jct west of Tucson down to the border town of Sasabe. The road was added to the state highway system in 1955, but not completely paved until 1982.
The highway begins at the border crossing at Sasabe, which is unique for the lack of paved roads on the Mexican side of the crossing. As a result, traffic is very light across the border crossing.
North
SR 286 begins at the Sasabe Border Crossing and immediately travels north into the unincorporated town of Sasabe (population around 30).
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A sharp left turn leads into the actual town, which consists of around 2 blocks of buildings along the road.
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Leaving Sasabe, SR 286 enters the wide Altar valley, which the road will traverse the entire way to Three Points/Robles Junction.
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Reassurance marker for SR 286. None of the reassurance markers on the road have cardinal directions.
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SR 286 passes through Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge was established to allow native grasslands to reestablish themselves in the valley.
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SR 286 meets Arivaca Road here. Turn right to reach the town of Arivaca (12 miles away), or to travel to Interstate 19 (43 miles away).
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Reassurance marker for SR 286, north of Arivaca Road.
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Distance sign to Robles Junction (24 miles) and Tucson (46 miles).
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Distance sign to Robles Junction (14 miles) and Tucson (39 miles). Interesting how Tucson is only 7 miles shorter despite 10 miles of highway travel.
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This is the final reassurance marker along northbound SR 286.
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SR 286 meets Diamond Bell Ranch Road. The road is getting closer to Robles Junction.
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SR 286 meets Altar Road here. Altar Road is named after the valley that SR 286 travels through, which is named for a mountain that Father Kino felt looked like an altar.
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SR 286 meets Three Points/Robles Junction here.
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SR 286 ends at SR 86 at Three Points/Robles Junction. Robles Junction is named for pioneer rancher B. Robles.
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Turn left to reach Ajo, or turn right for Tucson.
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South
SR 286 begins at SR 86 in Robles Junction/Three Points.
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Distance sign to Arivaca Road (33 miles) and Sasabe (45 miles). These are the only two control points along SR 286.
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SR 286 is subject to flash flooding over most of its length.
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SR 286 meets Altar Road here.
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Reassurance marker for SR 286 southbound.
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Distance sign to Arivaca (23 miles) and Sasabe (35 miles).
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SR 286 crosses Altar Wash here.
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Distance sign to Arivaca Road (13 miles) and Sasabe (25 miles).
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SR 286 passes through the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. The vegetation gets more dense as the road enters the refuge.
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South of Arivaca Road, we see this distance sign for Sasabe, 12 miles.
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This is the last reassurance marker along Southbound SR 286.
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SR 286 approaches the town of Sasabe and the Mexican border. The mountains in the distance are in Mexico.
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SR 286 enters the town of Sasabe here. Sasabe is an unincorporated town in Pima county.
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Sasabe is named for either a Papago or Mexican resident of the area. The town is a small town, with one store (located on the right side of the photo). SR 286 does a hard right turn at the end of the populated section.
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SR 286 ends at the Mexican Border. In the background of this sign, you can see the buildings that comprise the border crossing. The crossing is only open from 8 AM to 8 PM.
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Photo Credits:
- Kevin Trinkle: 07/04/08
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Page Updated Monday July 07, 2008.