Southeast Arizona

Understand

Travelers speeding by on I-10 between western New Mexico and Tucson could be forgiven for assuming there's not much to see in this remote corner of Arizona. The only real clue is the Texas Canyon rest stop on I-10; there's little else to suggest that there's more here than tumbleweeds and rocks. Leave the interstate, however, and soon you find yourself in storied cowboy and Indian country: the land of Wyatt Earp and the Clanton brothers, and of Geronimo's last stand. There's much more than that here, though, as the oldest documented evidence of human inhabitants anywhere on North America is in this region. To really experience all of this the traveler should leave the highway, and, ideally, the pavement.

Culturally there is a long history of human activity here, beginning with the Clovis culture approximately 9000 BCE, and continuing through the pre-Columbian and early Spanish periods. Besides scattered petroglyphs and pictographs and adobe ruins, however, there's little from this early history for the traveler to easily appreciate. In contrast, the region's more recent Apache, Mexican, and American history is inescapable. With the exception of the Chiricahua Apaches, who were sadly forcibly removed in the 19th century, the influence of this cultural melange continues to the present day.

Geographically the region is characterized by basin and range topography punctuated by Madrean Sky Islands, a landscape which is unique to southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Sonora, Mexico. The desert valleys are hot and arid, while the mountain ranges are covered by cool pine and oak forests, with corresponding cooler temperatures.

Read

• Richard Shelton, Going Back to Bisbee. In this engaging memoir and travelogue, the Tucson-based poet describes a day trip taken from Tucson to Bisbee while recounting his earlier experiences in the region, beginning with his posting as a soldier in Fort Huachuca in 1956. Interspersed are numerous and entertaining observations of the ecology and regional history.

Cities

• Benson – a historic rail town and convenient base.
• Bisbee – an old mining town, now an artist colony.
• Douglas – a border town with some early 20th-century architecture.
• Sierra Vista – the region's largest town, with a historic military fort.
• Tombstone – an iconic Wild West town most famous for the conflict between Wyatt Earp and the Clanton.
• Willcox – a historic town and gateway to Chiricahua National Monument.

Other destinations

• Chiricahua National Monument – one of the National Park Service's more remote units, with a unique landscape of stone hoodoos.
• Chiricahua Mountains – The area features excellent bird watching and wildlife viewing opportunities, as well as hiking, horseback riding, and camping.
• Dragoon Mountains – A range of mountains about 25 mi (40 km) long, running on an axis extending south-south east through Willcox. They offer excellent hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and camping opportunities.

Get in

By plane

Tucson International Airport (TUS) is the closest airport with commercial service. There is a shuttle service available to Sierra Vista.

By train

Benson is the only city with an Amtrak station at 105 E 4th St. It is served by two routes: the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle.

By car

Interstate 10 (I-10) is the main thoroughfare, with access from the northwest from Tucson and from the east from New Mexico.

Get around

A car is essential as there is no public transportation. To access some of the more remote off-road areas, a four-wheel drive is recommended.

Stay safe

Outdoors

As with any outdoor activity in the desert southwest, the standard precautions should be taken here, especially in more remote areas.

Wildlife

Drug and human trafficking

Southeast Arizona is a corridor for traffickers, although in the 2010s, the problem has abated somewhat as smuggling routes have shifted to the east and west. Still, it may be inadvisable to camp in some areas as smugglers travel most often at night; day hiking however in the same areas may be safe. Inquire locally about current conditions, or contact the nearest Border Patrol office (+1 800-232-5378) for guidelines.

The Border Patrol maintains two checkpoints monitoring all north-bound traffic heading toward Interstate 10: the Highway 90 checkpoint north of Huachuca City, and the Highway 80 checkpoint north of Tombstone. Drivers passing through should lower their windows; agents may ask limited questions regarding residency or immigration status of any driver or passenger, although frequently they will simply wave cars through. You do have the right to refuse to answer such questions, but this could result in detention while your immigration status is verified.

Go next

Tucson is within an hour's drive, as is neighboring southwest New Mexico. Visit Mexico for the day (via Douglas or Nogales), or visit nearby Tumacácori Mission and Tubac in South Central Arizona. Or head north towards the Mogollon Rim for more green and cooler temperatures (with snow in the winter).