Sierra Bonita Ranch in Arizona: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Sierra Bonita Ranch was founded in 1872 by Colonel Henry Clay Hooker in the Sulphur Springs Valley, and the National Park Service calls it the first permanent American cattle ranch in Arizona. It is a National Historic Landmark that is still a working ranch, now led by sixth-generation rancher Jesse Hooker Davis, who was inducted into the Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame in 2025.
| Location | Sulphur Springs Valley, about 27 miles north of Willcox, Cochise County, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1872 by Henry Clay Hooker |
| Sectors | Hereford cattle; alfalfa |
| Scale | Descendants operate a ranch of about 39,000 acres, per the National Park Service; peak size under Hooker was about 250,000 acres |
| Why it is elite | National Historic Landmark (1966); Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame honoree, 2025 |
| Ownership | Hooker family descendants; sixth generation leads the ranch |
| Official website | National Park Service page on Sierra Bonita Ranch (no official ranch website found) |
History of Sierra Bonita Ranch
Henry Hooker, a New England native, won a U.S. government contract in 1867 to supply beef to troops and administrators in Arizona Territory, and settled in the valley after driving cattle through it that year. The ranch dates to 1872, on the site of an earlier Spanish estate. He fenced ranges to control breeding, kept a separate milk cow herd and cared for livestock health, practices that were advanced for the period.
The ranch began with Texas longhorns and Mexican corrientes, moved to Durham shorthorn cattle, and switched to Herefords in the 1880s. In March 1882 Hooker allowed Wyatt Earp and his posse to rest at the ranch house. At its peak the ranch covered about 250,000 acres, including land in Graham and Cochise counties.
The family added the words Sierra Bonita Ranch 1872 to the barn in 1972 for the centennial. The ranch was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, and its historic adobe main house, bunkhouse, corrals and barns still stand.
What Sierra Bonita Ranch Grows and Raises
Today descendants of Hooker operate a ranch of about 39,000 acres for cattle grazing and alfalfa, according to the National Park Service. Arizona Highways reports that Herefords remain the foundation of the herd, as they have been since the 1880s.
Jesse Hooker Davis describes his goals as sustainability, advocacy for the cattle business and environmental standards that support livestock, landscape and wildlife. The ranch is not open to the public, which is a practical reminder that historic status does not make a working ranch a visitor attraction.
The ranch sits in a 65-mile valley between the Galiuro and Pinaleno mountains and the Chiricahua Mountains, a semi-arid setting where rangeland management and groundwater for alfalfa are central concerns.
How Sierra Bonita Ranch Makes Money
Cattle
The ranch's income has been built on beef cattle since Hooker's army and territorial contracts. Herefords have been the breed base for well over a century.
Alfalfa
The National Park Service notes that the operation uses its land for alfalfa in addition to grazing, giving a forage crop that can be sold or fed.
Heritage and reputation
No public sources reviewed describe tours, events or direct sales, so no such revenue stream is claimed here. The ranch's historic profile still supports its standing in the Arizona cattle community.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Sierra Bonita Ranch
Breed consistency pays over generations. Staying with Herefords since the 1880s gave the ranch a long record of selection and adaptation to its range.
Succession is a strategy. Six generations on the land required planning, shared goals and a willingness to adapt practices. Operators in Arizona should start succession conversations early, using Extension and FSA resources on estate and transition planning, and consider conservation tools to protect the ranch for the next generation.
A ranch whose barn once had a famous overnight guest list, including a certain posse, has the best story in Cochise County. Readers of farm.FM who enjoy farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes will appreciate that Sierra Bonita has outlasted every legend that visited it, and that its Herefords have never once been asked to appear in a western film. Affectionately, we raise a hat to the Hooker family.
If the name is new to you, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site, with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers on the side. One of its regular writers keeps a whole archive of stories like that.
How to Contact Sierra Bonita Ranch
Website: https://www.nps.gov/places/sierra-bonita-ranch.htm
The ranch is a private working ranch and is not open to the public. No official ranch website, phone or email was found; the National Park Service page was the best verified public reference, November 2026.
Sierra Bonita Ranch Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- National Park Service - Landmark designation, history and acreage
- Arizona Highways - Founding, Hereford breeding and current leadership
- KJZZ on Arizona's oldest ranch - Independent radio coverage of the oldest operating ranches
- Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame - 2025 honoree listing
- USDA Census of Agriculture - Official national and state farm statistics
Sierra Bonita Ranch FAQ
When was Sierra Bonita Ranch founded?
Henry Clay Hooker founded the ranch in 1872.
Is it still a working ranch?
Yes. The National Park Service says Hooker's descendants operate a roughly 39,000-acre ranch for cattle grazing and alfalfa.
Can the public visit?
No. The National Park Service notes that the ranch is not open to the public.
What honor did the ranch's leader receive?
Jesse Hooker Davis of Sierra Bonita Ranch is listed in the 2025 Arizona Farm and Ranch Hall of Fame class.
Sierra Bonita Ranch is proof that a 150-year-old Arizona cattle operation can stay productive across six generations. See the Arizona farms guide for more elite ranches and farms.