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Unleash the Magic of Cochise County
Embark on guided hiking and motorized tours that will tantalize your curiosity and provide lifetime memories of adventure
Trails and Tales of Cochise County
Discover the Trails and Tales of Cochise County
Explore the rich history and natural beauty of Cochise County with our guided hiking and motorized tours. Our tours will take you through stunning landscapes, in the course of which our tour hosts will share with you the stories and legends of this beautiful part of this great state of Arizona. With over 20 tours, Trails and Tales will fire up your zest for life and satiate your yearning for adventure.
Reserve Your Trail to Adventure
THE ALL ABOUT BISBEE HISTORIC TOUR
The Mule Paths of Bisbee aka The Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
THE ALL ABOUT BISBEE HISTORIC TOUR
This walking tour starts in the heart of Old Town Bisbee at the junction of Tombstone Canyon and Zacatecas Canyon. It was near this spot that one of the world's largest copper strikes took place and through which thousands of miners trod back and forth to their up-canyon homes at the beginning and end of their twelve-hour shifts. It was not a coincidence that this location just outside the miners' place of employment soon acquired the name of Brewery Gulch and developed a reputation as one of the wildest places in the Southwest with a multitude of saloons, gambling establishments, opium dens and houses of ill repute. Beginning with the copper claim filed by tracker Jack Dunn in 1877 and continuing through the early 1900s, Bisbee became the largest and most prosperous town in Arizona. Like all old mining towns, Bisbee suffered many natural tragedies including, a 7.4 earthquake on May 3, 1887, 4 major fires, floods and disease resulting in substantial loss of property and life. Many other deaths resulted from the wild, reckless and dissolute lifestyles practiced by many Bisbee residents. In the course of this tour, tour participants will learn about Bisbee from its very beginning when it was home to many of the 300,000 + Apache Indians that lived in Cochise County, its evolution from a mining camp of tents and shacks to a respectable city and the county seat for Cochise County, its changing morals and the impact of prohibition, and finally what happened to Bisbee after the mines closed in 1974. The length of the tour is approximately 4 miles and lasts about 2 hours.
This tour is scheduled Friday and Sunday of every week. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 5:00 p.m.
where they will be treated to a brief introduction to the history of Bisbee. After that, tour participants will be guided up through Tombstone Canyon to the Bisbee Courthouse, ascend into the old Bisbee residential district and return through Zacatecas Canyon and Brewery Gulch. The tour length is approximately 3 miles. Approximate total time is 2.5 hours.
This not a ghost tour but, at the conclusion of the tour, tour participants will have a definite inkling as to why Bisbee is considered to be one of the most haunted venues in the Southwest.
Click on the picture to learn more about the tour and view. photographs and videos taken by our team and tour participants.
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The BISBEE art walk
The Mule Paths of Bisbee aka The Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
THE ALL ABOUT BISBEE HISTORIC TOUR
In this 6 mile approximately 2.5 - 3-hour stroll through Old Town Bisbee, tour participants will be introduced to the murals and sculptures of some of the West's most creative and prolific artists. Plenty of time will be allocated for photographs and the tour leaders who are an accomplished artists in their own right will share stories about each artist, their influences and their approaches to the subject matter.
In addition to learning about known artists, tour participants will be exposed to the rich and ongoing proliferation of graffiti which adorns every nook and cranny of Bisbee and the art wall in Brewery Gulch.
This tour is scheduled Saturday and Mondays of every week. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 5:00 p.m.
where they will be treated to a brief introduction to the history of Bisbee. After that, tour participants will be guided up through Tombstone Canyon to the Bisbee Courthouse, ascend into the old Bisbee residential district and return through Zacatecas Canyon and Brewery Gulch. The tour length is approximately 6 miles. Approximate total time is 2.5 - 3 hours.
Click on the picture to see a gallery of photos and learn about each of the artists featured in the tour.
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The Mule Paths of Bisbee aka The Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
The Mule Paths of Bisbee aka The Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
The Mule Paths of Bisbee aka The Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
Approximately 4.6 miles in length, this hike follows the same route as the Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb Race that takes place every third Saturday in October. Although the time to beat if one were racing this course is 28 minutes and 36 seconds, this hike, while being a moderate workout, is concerned more with introducing the tour participants to the culture and history of the city, allowing ample time to photograph our unique buildings and murals and, most importantly, savor our laid-back approach to life.
The hike begins and ends at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee at 7:30 a.m. and lasts about 2.5 hours.
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The Tombstone Canyon Loop, Bisbee, Arizona
The Gulch Walk Brewery Gulch, Bisbee, ARIZONA
The Mule Paths of Bisbee aka The Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb
This hike, in and around the City of Bisbee, Arizona is an extended version of the Mule Path hike. Like the Mule Paths of Bisbee, this hike starts at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mineralogical Museum, but it continues further up Zacatecas Canyon and proceeds upwards into the foothills of the Mule Mountains. Along the way, you will see what used to be miners' shacks, an old mineshaft. and grand vistas of the Lavendar Pit Mine and Old Town Bisbee. Walking down Tombstone Canyon Road, tour participants will be regaled with further stories about the history of Bisbee, its status as the county seat and the interesting real-life stories that have made Bisbee more than just another quaint ghost town. Hiking shoes and long pants are recommended. Don't forget your camera. The hike begins and ends at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee at 7:30 a.m. and lasts about 2.5 hours.
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The Gulch Walk Brewery Gulch, Bisbee, ARIZONA
The Gulch Walk Brewery Gulch, Bisbee, ARIZONA
The Gulch Walk Brewery Gulch, Bisbee, ARIZONA
This stroll through time starts at the Grassy Park in from of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee. It also ends there unless one chooses one of Bisbee's fine saloons as their final destination. In the course of this tour, you will come to know not only historical facts about Bisbee which became the largest and wealthiest city between St. Louis and San Francisco but, also intimate details about the lives and recreational proclivities of the men and women who circulated in the saloon and bordello districts. The tour is a historical tour which will cover what is commonly referred to as the Bisbee Noir period, that period of time between 1880 and 1915. Bisbee, back in the day, was not clean and neat like it appears today but, rather, was a sordid and seedy place with a multitude of saloons, gambling establishments, opium dens and brothels. This era of "wickedness" came to an end when Bisbee outlawed gambling and with prohibition. With few exceptions, much of what existed during that time frame has been removed, torn down or repurposed. With that in mind, the tour concludes with an introduction to several of the present-day saloons which now satisfy the needs of adults for adult beverages. This tour begins and ends at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee. The first tour starts at 1:30 p.m. and lasts about 1.5 hours.
This is not a ghost tour, but it is certainly a good way to become acquainted with the spirits of Bisbee. In addition, after learning about the wild and sometimes desperate lives and often tragic deaths of our Bisbee forebears, you will have a definite understanding as to why Bisbee is considered to be one of the wild West's most haunted towns.
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THE BISBEE CROSS SHRINE
The Gulch Walk Brewery Gulch, Bisbee, ARIZONA
The Gulch Walk Brewery Gulch, Bisbee, ARIZONA
The Bisbee Cross Shrine and hike to it is a hidden gem of Bisbee that even Bisbee residents are often unaware of. Situated atop Youngblood hill, it is a shrine to many faiths and traditions and an inspiration to all. The hike is about three miles round trip, starting from the downtown area where all of out hikes commence and end. The elevation change is about 600 feet, so you will do some climbing. It’s a little bit steep and rocky in places and requires moderate effort, but there are plenty of places to stop and rest. I would recommend wearing hiking boots, trail shoes or sturdy athletic shoes at the least, and gloves. Once you reach the top, the view of Bisbee is incredible and there is room to spread out, walk around and take it all in. Throughout this tour, tour participants will learn about the city of Bisbee and how this shrine came to be. On the way back, we will stop at the Buddhist Cave, another secret of Bisbee which, also, celebrates the spirituality of many faiths. This tour takes place on Fridays through Mondays. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 9:30 a.m. Approximate total time is 2,5 hours.
Click on the picture to learn more about the tour and view. photographs and videos taken by our team and tour participants.
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THE Mural Peak Overlook oF Bisbee, Arizona
THE Mural Peak Overlook oF Bisbee, Arizona
THE Mural Peak Overlook oF Bisbee, Arizona
Approximately 7.5 miles in length, this up and down and out and back hike proceeds up Zacatecas Canyon to the top of Mural Peak where one is rewarded with fantastic views of Bisbee, the Phelps Dodge Mine and Sonora Mexico. Along the way you will see a town that looks much the way it did in the early 1900's with its miners' shacks perched on steep mountain slopes and the beautiful flora of this high desert country. On the way back into town, we stop at the cave in which the Buddha Shrine is located. The hike begins and ends at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee at 8:30 a.m. and lasts about 4.5 hours.
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THE GHOST TOWNS OF THE SAN PEDRO RIVER
THE Mural Peak Overlook oF Bisbee, Arizona
THE Mural Peak Overlook oF Bisbee, Arizona
The Cochise County "ghost" towns of Tombstone and Bisbee are fantastic tourist destination spots where tourists are regularly regaled with stories about how the discovery of silver at Goose Flats by Ed Schieffelin in 1879 briefly made Tombstone Arizona's largest, most prosperous and rowdy city and how, not long afterwards, the discovery of copper by Jack Dunn at Apache Springs briefly made Bisbee Arizona's largest, most prosperous and rowdy city. The truth of the matter is that neither of these cities would have achieved their legendary prosperity were it not for the towns of Charleston, Millville and Fairbank located along the San Pedro River. All of these towns contributed to the wealth of Tombstone and Bisbee due to their proximity to a reliable source of water which enabled the steam empowerment of the stamp mills which smelted the ores and the establishment of a rail depot at Fairbank which facilitated the import of mining equipment, the settlement of this remote part of the country and the export of metal and ore. This motorized tour will take tour participants to three separate locations, each of which will have some short walks / hikes, where tour participants will see the preserved remains of these towns. At Millville, Tour participants will, also, see Indian petroglyphs dating back into the 15th century. Each tour will be conducted by a knowledgeable historian of the Southwest who will bring the historical context of these sites together and regale you with stories about the colorful people and pursuits of the people who lived here. There is a lot more to this part of the state than the Earp brothers and the gunfight at the OK Corral. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 7:00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from the tour sites. Approximate total time including transportation is 5 hours.
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The Sandhill Cranes of Whitewater Draw
THE Mural Peak Overlook oF Bisbee, Arizona
The Sandhill Cranes of Whitewater Draw
Enjoy a motorized tour to Whitewater Draw, a wetland with patches of riparian habitat approximately 30 miles North of Bisbee. At Whitewater Draw, you will witness the annual migration of Sandhill Cranes and other bird species such as red winged and yellow headed blackbirds, Mexican ducks, mallards, pintails, plovers and many more. Red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, barn owls, cooper’s hawks, American kestrels, ferruginous hawks, great horned owls, bald eagles, and golden eagles have also been observed there. This is a tour for all ages and young people are especially welcome. The tour begins and ends at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee at 4:00 p.m. and lasts about 2 hours including transportation time.
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THE Coronado Cave
The Brown Canyon, Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon Loop
The Sandhill Cranes of Whitewater Draw
This hike of approximately 1 mile in length, out and back, with an elevation gain of 500 feet will take you to Coronado Cave. This cave may have been used by humans as a shelter and hideout by middle archaic people (up to 8000 years ago) and more recently by the Chiricahua Apache and other Apache peoples, Mexican and European miners, and settlers (however, no archaeological evidence remains in the cave today). The cave is now one of the few open, undeveloped caves in southern Arizona. Coronado Cave is a large cavern 600 feet long and in most places about 70 feet wide.
Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee where they will be transported to and from the cave trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation 3.0 hours.
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The Brown Canyon Ranch Loop
The Brown Canyon, Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon Loop
The Brown Canyon, Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon Loop
. This hike starts at the historic Brown Canyon Ranch which lies in the foothills of the Huachuca Mountains. Step back in time to see how the ranchers lived back in the early days of our State, proceed up Brown Canyon to the spring box, loop over the ridge of Ramsey Canyon and down into Nature Preserve. This hike is approximately 5.4 miles in length with an elevation gain of 740 feet. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee where they will be transported to and from the trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation 4.5 hours.
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The Brown Canyon, Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon Loop
The Brown Canyon, Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon Loop
The Brown Canyon, Hamburg Trail, Ramsey Canyon Loop
This hike which is an extended version of the Brown Canyon Loop (approximately 8.5 miles) continues up Brown Canyon and over the ridge where the trail descends into the lush and scenic Ramsey Canyon where it follows Ramsey Creek. Thereafter the trail ascends the other side of Ramsey Canyon and ends in the Ramsey Canyon Nature Preserve. Bring your camera an= binoculars' because this is one of the most beautiful places in the state of Arizona. In addition to majestic mountains and cliffs, expect to see many species of birds, wild turkey, deer, javelina, coyotes and maybe a coatimundi. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 7"00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from the trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation is 8 hours.
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THE CARR PEAK CLIMB AT THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS
THE CARR PEAK CLIMB AT THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS
Carr Peak, just South of Sierra Vista, Arizona, at 9,229 feet above sea level provides some of the most awesome views available in this part of Cochise County. Tour participants will be transported from Bisbee to the mouth of Carr Canyon where they will experience a remarkably scenic ride via narrow jeep trails from the high desert of the San Pedro River Valley to the pine forests of the Reef Townsite where the hike begins. The trail is an up and down hike of 8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of approximately 2,000 feet. Numerous switchbacks lead the hike through a variety of forest types including oaks, ponderosa pines, junipers, manzanita and aspens. In the summer, one will see the raspberry patches which are popular with bears and at the summit observe the annual migration of ladybugs and monarch butterflies. In addition to the hike, the tour participants will along the jeep trail explore the Carr House ruins, pause at the Carr Falls overlook, see an old mine shaft and view the rugged Ramsey Canyon from Ramsey Vista. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 7:00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from the trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation is 8 hours.
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The Crest Trail from Monument Pass to Miller Peak
THE CARR PEAK CLIMB AT THE HUACHUCA MOUNTAINS
If you want to start the year with a kick ass hike, I recommend the Arizona Crest Trail from Monument Pass to Miller Peak and back. Although it's only 10 miles round trip with a measly elevation gain of 3,000 feet, it will, nevertheless, get your attention. Additionally, located in one of the least despoiled areas in Cochise County, its rugged mountain views are majestic, particularly in the early morning sun. Along the trail, you will pass three mines dating back to late 1800s and early 1900s. Don't forget to bring your camera. You may also see wildlife. The hike begins and ends at the Grassy Park in front of the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum in Old Town Bisbee at 7:30 a.m. and lasts about 8 hours including transportation time.
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Joe's Canyon Trail to Coronado Peak and the Mexican border
Enjoy this moderate hike (approximately 9 miles in length this up and down and out and back hike has an elevation gain of 1,300') which rises from the visitor center of the Coronado National Monument and proceeds up Joe's Canyon to Coronado Peak. From Coronado Peak one can to the South look into Sonora Mexico and to the North see the broad expanse of the San Pedro River Valley. This hike includes a short detour which takes us down to the barbed wire fence border separating the United States from México. Thís is a great photo opportunity to stand with the obelisk memorializing the 1853 treaty between the United States and Mexico. This is a great hike because it goes through 3 different plant zones. and provides a great opportunity to see white tailed coos deer which are exclusive to this area along with javelina and maybe a black bear. Birders will also be amply rewarded. This area is notable for being the intersection of several geologic zones and consequent variety of rock types. Among other things, the hike proceeds through areas of limestone deposits in which one will see many fossils of the marine life which existed when shallow seas covered Arizona 311-290 million years ago. Tour / hike participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee where they will be transported to and from the trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation 8.0 hours.
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Cochise Stronghold at the Dragoon Mountains
Cochise Stronghold at the Dragoon Mountains
In this tour, tour participants will be transported through Tombstone to the base of the Dragoon Mountains where they will follow a rugged jeep trail to the Cochise Stronghold trailhead. In this out and back hike (approximately 10 miles in length out with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet each way), the hiker will see and experience a back country playground of towering pink granite domes with a multitudinous display of cracks, slabs, steep plates and faces. Along the way to the trailhead, tour participants will see Indican rock art, the place where Indian leader, Cochise, in 1872 finally made peace with the White man, and Council Rocks. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 7:00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from the trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation is 9 hours.
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EXPLORING LOWELL AND WARREN
Cochise Stronghold at the Dragoon Mountains
EXPLORING LOWELL AND WARREN
In this motorized tour, we will first view the Lavendar Pit where the tour guide will tell you about the history of mining in Bisbee and the evolution from the smelting to the electrochemical process of separating the copper from the ore. After that, we will visit Erie Street in the ghost town of Lowell which is home to a plethora of vintage cars. Lowell is also the home of the first Bisbee Breakfast Club. Here, also, the tour host will explain why the thriving community of Lowell was abandoned and why it is now in jeopardy of being permanently closed. Next is the Bisbee Farmers Market in Warren which is always a lively place on Saturdays. After that we will visit the Shady Dell to tour its vintage motor homes and cars. Lastly, we will visit the Evergreen Cemetery where the sometimes-colorful residents of Bisbee now rest in the peace. This tour takes place on Saturdays. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 9:00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from the tour sites. Approximate total time including transportation is 5 hours.
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DAYTRIP TO DOUGLAS
Cochise Stronghold at the Dragoon Mountains
EXPLORING LOWELL AND WARREN
In this motorized daytrip, tour participants will be transported to the historic border town of Douglas, Arizona. Douglas was founded in the early 1900's to meet the smelting demands of the Bisbee Copper Queen Mine. but, this town, like Bisbee, suffered after the Phelps Dodge Mining Company terminated its Bisbee mining operations in the 1970s. Unlike Bisbee which then evolved into a booming tourist mecca, Douglas maintained its small-town residential character. Not to say, however, that there isn't a lot to see and do in Douglas. This tour begins at the Slaughter Ranch, both a working facility and a museum to Arizona's ranching history. After that, the tour will visit the Gadsden Hotel, one of the most ornate hotels in all of Arizona. At the Gadsen, tour participants will be regaled with stories recounting how Pancho Villa rode his horse up the steps of the hotel's marble staircase in the course of the Mexican Revolution, the speakeasy that existed during prohibition, the ghost that haunts Room 333 and the experiences of notable Americans such as Thornton Wilder and Johnny Depp. After a short break for street tacos and/or Sonoran hot dogs at the Douglas City Park, tour participants will enjoy a guided tour at Art Car World Museum. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 8:00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from Douglas. Approximate total time including transportation is 8 hours.
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EXPLORING AGUA PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO
EXPLORING AGUA PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO
EXPLORING AGUA PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO
In this motorized daytrip, tour participants will be transported to the Mexican border town of Agua Prieta which is directly South of the Arizona city of Douglas. In this tour, the tour participants will be regaled with stories of the Mexican Revolution and Pancho Villa's incursion into the United States, visit a maquiladora, a Mexican factory which provides goods to the United States, learn about the impact of the border wall on immigration and the local efforts of the Mexican cartel to smuggle illegal drugs into the United States. Tour participants will also have the opportunity to sample Mexican cuisine and buy Mexican souvenirs. A passport is not required, just a driver's license. Firearms are not permitted. Tour participants will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 9:00 a.m. where they will be transported to and from the trailhead. Approximate total time including transportation is 8 hours.
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THE VINEYARDS OF COCHISE COUNTY
EXPLORING AGUA PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO
EXPLORING AGUA PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO
Cochise County, Arizona produces a wide variety of wines, including:
- Red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Sangiovese, Corvina, Tannat, and Cabernet Franc
- White wines: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Malvasia Bianca
- Other wines: Viognier, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, and dessert wines.
This motorized tour consists of two separate daily tours which can be purchased individually or as a package. One tour takes the tour participants to four different wineries that exist in the Western part of Cochise County along the border with and partially in Santa Cruz County. The other tour heads North to the Wilcox area for another four wineries.
Tour participants for each tour will meet at the Grassy Park in old town Bisbee at 9:00 a.m. Approximate total time for each tour is 8 hours.
Make your tour pay for itself. Each winery on this tour will give tour participants a 10% discount on all wine products purchased in the course of the tour.
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