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City/Town Snapshot: City of Sierra Vista
Sierra Vista serves as the retail, health care, and education hub of Cochise County. It's a diverse community with a wealth of natural assets that make
it an attractive place to live, visit, and recreate. The City is home to Arizona oldest active military installation, Fort Huachuca, and that's where
Sierra Vista's story starts. This historic Army post was founded in 1877 and continues to serve as the community's major economic driver.
Since incorporating in 1956, the City of Sierra Vista has worked closely with Fort Huachuca to launch innovative partnerships in municipal services, a
joint use airport, and water conservation. The Arizona Defense Communities recognized Sierra Vista in 2016 with its Community Excellence Award, stating
that Sierra Vista's collaboration with Fort Huachuca serves as an example for military communities nationwide.
Fort Huachuca has a rich history dating back to skirmishes with Apaches led by Geronimo and Cochise. It's often called the home of the Buffalo Soldiers,
as every original regiment of these trail-blazing African American soldiers was once stationed there.
Today, Fort Huachuca is well-suited to meet the needs of a modern military. It's home to the Army's Unmanned Aircraft Systems training, the Electronic Proving
Ground, NETCOM, and the Military Intelligence Center of Excellence. The post's influence contributed to Sierra Vista's recent ranking by SmartAsset as one of
the 10 best U.S. cities for tech workers and the City is working with Cochise College and University of Arizona South to further establish Sierra Vista as a
hub for the cyber security sector.
Though it's sometimes seen as one of Arizona's hidden treasures, Sierra Vista may not stay under the radar for long. The community of about 44,000 residents is
becoming widely known as a destination for cyclists, mountain bikers, birders, snowbirds, and nature lovers. Nat Geo Wild noted that Sierra Vista's extraordinary
sky island environment ranks as the second most biologically diverse ecosystem on the planet in a recent feature highlighting the area's uncommon avian diversity.
The nearby San Pedro River serves as a migratory super highway for birds and other wildlife, while the Huachuca Mountains host another world of flora and fauna
as they rise above 9,000 feet.
At an elevation of about 4,600 feet, Sierra Vista itself has an ideal year 'round climate to enjoy the great outdoors. Its 30-plus mile network of multi-use paths
offers safe, scenic bicycle routes around town and feeds into some of the most popular local hiking and mountain biking trails. The City also recently launched a
Bike-Friendly Business Program that is the first of its kind in Arizona.
With such an ideal climate and ample public amenities, it's no surprise that Sierra Vista recently joined Avondale as just one of two Arizona cities to earn all
five gold medals under the Let's Move! Cities, Towns, and Counties initiative to curb childhood obesity. Our residents enjoy an active lifestyle, a thriving
farmers market, and a new hospital with a level III Trauma Center.
A military town with deep roots, Sierra Vista is a dynamic community coming into its own as one of Arizona's best destinations, whether it's for a weekend or for a
lifetime. As we like to say here, life is better where earth and sky meet.
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League of Arizona Cities and Towns
1820 W. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: 602-258-5786
Fax: 602-253-3874
http://www.azleague.org
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