Sierra Vista, Arizona

Sierra Vista is a city in southeastern Arizona completely surrounded by mountains. Fort Huachuca is an Army base on the northwest side of Sierra Vista that was annexed by the city in 1971 (and I would say that skews the population figures). Sierra Vista is the economic center of Cochise County and for a large part of northern Sonora State in Mexico (about 30% of the daily shoppers at the Mall at Sierra Vista hail from Sonora). Once upon a time there was some mining hapening in the mountains around Sierra Vista but the primary reason for the town's existence has been to serve as "off-post" housing and entertainment for the military at Fort Huachuca. Over the last 20 years Sierra Vista has also become a desirable retirement destination with new residential subdivisions and golf courses. The weather tends to be gorgeous and the elevation helps to keep down the summer temperatures.

South of Sierra Vista is the Miller Peak Wilderness and Coronado National Memorial. East of town is the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area and the Murray Spring Mammoth Kill Site.