This Haunting Road Trip Through Arizona Ghost Towns Is One You Won’t Forget
Monica Spencer
Author
If there’s any state that could be considered the ghost town capital of the country, Arizona could easily win that argument. With more than 275 abandoned settlements of American origin, many of these places were frontier boom towns iconic of Arizona’s Wild West heritage. Today, many ghost towns in Arizona still exist in various stages of decay and each year, a little bit fades away into the land.
If you’ve been meaning to take some time to explore these long-forgotten areas, you’ll definitely want to take a trip on this special ghost town road trip in southeastern Arizona! On this trip, we’ll be exploring 7 places often designated as ghost towns and some of the history behind each one. Refer to this custom Google map we created just for this road trip for directions and a few facts about each town.
Expect to spend about 20 to 30 minutes here driving through town and looking at some of the old buildings that are in need of renovation. The Cochise Hotel, located at the southern corner of Cochise Stronghold Road and Rath Avenue, is one place that is actually getting some love. Phillip Gessert, the new owner of the deteriorating hotel, stated on a website dedicated to the historic building that it is currently being restored. You’ll also want to check out the Cochise Country Store just across the street and the little Cochise Church on Bowie Avenue.
Pearce is a small place but it does have some interesting areas to photograph and explore. One spot you definitely want to stop for a visit is the Pearce General Store, which dates to 1896 and now serves as a museum and tourist shop. The store is locate at the southwest corner of Ghost Town Trail and Pearce Road. Other nearby sights include the Pearce jails, abandoned buildings, and the Prickly Pear Emporium.
The good times didn’t last though. One decade after its founding, the mines yielded far less copper than was profitable to mine and the town’s population slowly dwindled until the post office officially closed in 1942.
Completely abandoned, there’s not much to see in Courtland these days. Only vague remains sit within the town’s old boundaries but the town jail is one spot that has managed to survive the ravages of time. The two-cell jail was built in 1909 and cost a mere $1,000 to build.
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In 1900, the town came to life again when miner John Gleeson opened the Copper Belle Mine. This lasted for about 30 years when the mines were closed and people slowly moved out of town.
These days Gleeson is a ghost town despite the fact that a few people still live in the area among the ruins. Some of the sights to see here include the Gleeson jail (which was recently renovated), a hospital, a saloon (pictured above), and plenty of other remaining structures. Just remember to be respectful to the remaining residents!
Although some people consider Tombstone to be a ghost town, it’s small but steady population prevented that designation, making it the "town too tough to die." However, its historic status and popularity led to good preservation so that today we can experience what many of the other ghost towns on our list looked like in their heyday.
This is the last stop of the day for good reason: there’s so much to do and see around here! A few suggestions include the Cochise County Courthouse, Boot Hill Cemetery, as well as the saloons and other businesses found along Allen Street. We recommend getting dinner and spending the night here; you’ll have plenty of options to choose from, including guest ranches, bed and breakfast inns, and inexpensive motels. Rest up because tomorrow will be an active one.
These days you’ll still find some remnants of Charleston but it requires some amount of hiking to get to the ruins. In Charleston, you’ll find some adobe and stone foundation ruins, as well as evidence of the old mills in the nearby Millville. You could easily spend a couple of hours here walking along the banks of the San Pedro River and exploring the area.
Drive 8.3 miles from Tombstone, then make a right onto a little dirt road that leads to the Sky Islands Traverse trail. The area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which has made efforts to maintain the ruins and trails leading to them.
Fun fact: The Sky Islands Traverse will take you on a path to our next stop, Fairbank, but it is an 8-mile journey by foot. Unless you really want to hike 16 miles, you might want to just drive to Fairbank.
Today, you’ll find quite a few buildings still standing in Fairbank and some have even been restored, thanks to the Bureau of Land Management. This includes the old schoolhouse, which underwent restoration in 2007. Other building to check out include the remnants of the Montezuma Hotel, houses, a commercial building, and an abandoned railroad bridge. Expect to spend an hour or so on a self-guided tour of the area.
Sounds like quite a trip, doesn’t it? If you want to explore other areas of the state through a road trip, be sure to check out some of our previous articles for ideas!
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More to Explore
Ghost Towns In Arizona
What are the creepiest places in Arizona?
If you're feeling brave enough, you could check out some creepy places in Arizona. A visit to the Yuma Territorial Prison will give you the chance to explore an abandoned old west prison. Over a hundred prisoners died there due to disease, overheating, and overcrowding. According to some, it is haunted by these spirits. Walking around the empty cells can be chilling. Another spine-chilling spot in Arizona is the Hotel Monte Vista, which has a dozen ghosts hanging out within its walls. Would you dare to stay there yourself?
What is the most haunted place in Arizona?
With so many ghost towns, there are many supposedly haunted places in Arizona. According to legend, Bisbee might just be the most haunted place in the state. There are more than 5,000 people living in the town still, but there is an insane amount of paranormal activity that happens there. Businesses throughout the towns - hotels, restaurants, and more - have many stories of hauntings and the mining town's history is rife with tragedy. Many miners died there over the years when the mines were operational, so it is thought that their lingering spirits are the ones that haunt Bisbee.
Are there any urban legends in Arizona?
There are quite a few Arizona ghost stories that'll send chills right up your spine. While there are well-known urban legends like El Chupacabra or Mogollon Monster that might not make you bat an eye, but things like the Navajo legend of skinwalkers are truly terrifying. They're the kind of things that make you want to keep the light on at night, with their link to witchcraft and being incredibly dangerous to run into. A more somber and spooky urban legend in Arizona is that of La Llorona, otherwise known as the Weeping Woman. According to the story, she drowned her children after her husband cheated on her, and ended up deeply regretting it. Children are told not to wander near water at night if they don't want to end up with the same fate!