The Incredible Hike In Arizona That Leads To A Fascinating Abandoned Mine
By Melissa Mahoney|Published October 16, 2023
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
Some of us love hiking while others love exploring abandoned places. Well, what if I tell you there’s a fascinating abandoned hike in Arizona that combines the best of both worlds? This easy hike through the Kofa Wilderness in southwestern Arizona leads to an abandoned mine. So, get out there, get some exercise, and discover a historic place that was left behind and abandoned.
If you're anything like me, you find abandoned places utterly fascinating. When exploring an abandoned place, I always try to picture what life was like during its heyday.
Located within the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge by Yuma is an easy 1.2-mile hike on an out-and-back trail that leads to an abandoned mine. Be sure to bring a camera with you as it's a fascinating spot to photograph!
What's left behind and still standing from the Big Eye Mine's heyday is a main cabin that once housed miners working here along with several other structures, a mine with a track, and pieces of old equipment.
As this is a fairly remote area, its probably not the best idea to enter the mine. There are plenty of other abandoned buildings to explore here anyways.
If you're someone who loves some solitude while hiking, the Big Eye Mine Trail is a good one to do as you probably won't encounter others along the way.
So, have you done this abandoned hike in Arizona yet? What other trails that lead to abandoned places can you think of? Let us know! For Big Eye Mine Trail information, be sure to visit AllTrails.
If you love hiking, you have to check out the top-rated trails to visit in Arizona. Each one is unique and scenic, and you may want to do them all! But before you hit the trails, you should download the AllTrails+ app to ease navigating any trail around the state and beyond.
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