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Southeastern Arizona
Information, History & Attractions

Welcome to the Sulphur Springs Valley which is located in Cochise County, Arizona.  Nestled in a broad valley basin surrounded by mountains the high desert grasslands average an elevation of 4500' which provide a year-round temperate climate.  Rich in scenic, historic and cultural attractions this portion of Arizona is full of geological wonders.

Birding
Sunsites
Cochise County
Towns & Attractions
Cultural Attractions & Museums
Nature's Natural Wonders & Man's Endeavors

 

Cochise County

Cochise County is named after the Chiricahua Apache Chief "Cochise".  This was the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache until they were relocated in the late 1800's to St. Augustine, Florida and then eventually to Oklahoma and New Mexico.  Cochise is buried somewhere within the area we call "Cochise Stronghold" which is a natural rock fortress, located in the Dragoon Mountains. The only ones who know of the final resting place of the great Apache chief kept their secret well and the location of his grave is still unknown.  Cochise Stronghold is part of the Coronado National Forest with several hiking and horseback riding trails throughout the Stronghold and the surrounding Dragoon Mountain Range.  The rugged stronghold shows why the Apache Indians were so adept at alluding the soldiers stationed at Fort Bowie, the Butterfield Stage stop, and Fort Huachuca, established to protect settlers in the new frontier.  Cochise County was truly wild and lawless in the days of the old west, the town of Tombstone is a perfect example.  A visit to the cemetery at Tombstone, attests to the national fame of Cochise County as a place remote from law and order and a haven for outlaws in the late 1800's. 

Home to many unique geographical features such as "Sky Islands"*, natural wonders, historic and ghost towns, Cochise County offers a great variety of things to see and do. Below you will find more information, please contact us if you don't find what you need!

*Southeast Arizona is at an ecological crossroads, where habitats and species from the Sierra Madre of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts all can be found. The abrupt rise of mountains like the Chiricahua's from the surrounding and grasslands creates 11 sky "islands" harboring rare species and communities of plants and animals.  The southeastern part of Arizona is rich in history, natural wonders, birds and native vegetation.

Towns & Attractions

Benson - is the western gateway to the scenic and historic attractions of Cochise County and is the "Home of Kartchner Caverns". The City of Benson was founded in 1880, when the Southern Pacific Railroad came through southern Arizona. Until 1910, Benson was the railroad hub of southern Arizona. It was named for judge William B. Benson, a friend of Charles Crocker, then-president of the railroad.  

• Arts & Historical Museum

• Gammons Gulch (Ghost Town Movie Set)

• Kartchner Caverns

• San Pedro & Southwestern Railroad

 

Bisbee - Nestled in the mile high Mule Mountains of southern Arizona, Bisbee has maintained an Old World charm seldom found anywhere in the United States.  The fine collection of well preserved turn of the century Victorian structures are full of old west history and copper mining lore.  Former saloons are now quaint shops, antique stores or art galleries, cafes and restaurants. A popular activity is Bisbee's excellent self guided fully illustrated Walking Tour, which details each historic structure and guides the visitor with a map.  Other activities include the Queen Mine Tour, a trip down into the now inactive copper mine, a visit at the Bisbee Mining an Historical Museum, a must for history buffs, the historic Muheim House, an outstanding example of 19th century architecture and elegance, and the Lavender Pit Open Mine.  

• Arizona Cactus & Succulent Research, Inc.

• Bisbee Restoration & Historical Museum

• Historic Copper Queen Hotel

• Lavender Open-pit Mine

• Muheium Heritage House

• Queen Mine Tours

 

Douglas - Located on the border of the U.S. and Mexico, it's Mexico sister border town is Agua Prieta. Here you will find the historic Gadsten Hotel, infamous for Pancho Villa riding his horse up its majestic marble stairs and many other historic buildings and sites. Restaurants, shopping, movie theatre and a hospital are all available here along with the Mexico border crossing into Agua Prieta.

• America's First International Airport

• Border town to Agua Prieta, Mexico

• Cochise County Historical Museum

• Historic Gadsten Hotel

• San Bernardino Ranch

• Slaughter Ranch

 

Sierra Vista-Fort Huachuca - Ft Huachuca was established in 1877. As a camp, and later as a fort, the post was the home base of the famed "Buffalo Soldiers" of the 9th and 10th Cavalry. The missions of the post at that time were to secure the southern borders of the expanding United States and to protect settlers from Indian attack. Several major commands now operate on Fort Huachuca, including the U.S. Army Information Systems Command, the Army intelligence Center and School, and the Electronic Proving Grounds. Now the largest city in Cochise County, Sierra Vista came into being as a tent camp providing provisions, saloons and entertainment to the soldiers. Nicknamed the "Hummingbird Capital of the United States," bird watchers from all over the world flock to the nearby Ramsey Canyon Preserve and other local canyons to observe and photograph hundreds of different species.  There are museums on Ft. Huachuca about the rich history of the military in the area.

• Coronado National Monument/Forest

• Historic Fort Huachuca

• Huachuca Mountains

• Parker Canyon Lake

• Ramsey Canyon (Nature Conservancy

 

Pearce - Sunsites - Located on the western side of the Sulphur Springs Valley close to the Dragoon Mountains is Sunsites, a small but growing community with an emphasis on retirement living.  An 18-hole golf course located here along with numerous small businesses including a library, bank, hotel, community center and health clinic.  Cochise Stronghold is 10 miles west of Sunsites.  Due to the high desert elevation of 4200' the climate here is temperate year round. High desert grasses, native mesquite and yuccas cover the area and closer to the mountains there are oak and junipers.  Just minutes up into the mountains you can enjoy tall pines, gently gurgling streams and the absolute sounds of nature.  Sunsites has much to offer whether your relocating or retiring.  It's an easy commute to the main job centers of Sierra Vista and Tucson via I-5.

• Cochise Stronghold

• Pearce - An almost ghost town - visit Ghost Town Trails

 

Tombstone - is located in the San Pedro Valley in Cochise County and is a worldwide tourist destination, next only to the Grand Canyon in Arizona. One of the most famous mining town in America it was named by a prospector who was told he would only find his tombstone in the San Pedro Valley.  He named his first silver claim Tombstone, and it later became the name of the town.  Located on a mesa between the Dragoon and Huachuca Mountains the area became infamous for the shootout at the OK Corral, saloons and gambling.  Underground water flooded the mines however and the boom ended in 1904 with the fall of silver prices.  The town became known as "The Town Too Tough To Die" in the 1930's after surviving the Great Depression and the relocation of the county seat to Bisbee.

• Bird Cage Theatre

• Big Nose Kate's

• Boot Hill Graveyard

• O.K. Corral

• Rose Tree Museum

• Silver Hills Trading Co.

• Tombstone Courthouse

• Tombstone's Historic Allen Street

 

Willcox - Located at an elevation of 4,167 this old west town is locate at the beginning of the  "Magic Circle of Cochise".  Local attractions include the Rex Allen Cowboy Museum and the annual "Wings over Willcox" a Sandhill Crane festival.  There are many original old buildings on Railroad Avenue.  Within easy driving distance of some of the best birding areas in the state, including the nearby Playa which is home to the Sandhill Cranes in the winter.  Portal, Ft. Bowie, Chiricahua National Monument, Wonderland of Rocks, and the Muleshoe Ranch Nature Conservancy are among some of the nearby attractions.  

• Chiricahua National Monument

• Cowboy Hall of Fame

• Fort Bowie

• Muleshoe Ranch (Nature Conservancy)

• Museum of the Southwest

• Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum

• Willcox Playa (Sandhill Crane & Various Waterfowl)

Cultural Attractions & Museums

Amerind Foundation Museum - Internationally known Southwest Archeological Research Facility and Museum.  Tours are available.  Located on Dragoon Road of off I-10 and 
Exit 318 in Texas Canyon.  
Foundation Office: (520) 586-3666

Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum - This museum explains how mining was done in the Bisbee area with unique exhibits.  Great pictures, artifacts and some minerals from the mine are located here and chronicle the colorful history of Bisbee's past. 
(520) 432-7071

Douglas -Williams House Museum and Genealogical Library - Beautiful house with furnishings from the period in which it was built. 
Hours: Sunday and Thursday 1:00pm - 4:00pm   Wednesday  9:00am to 4:00pm
(520) 364-7370

Fort Huachuca Museum  - Collections and displays of the history of the military and the Southwest.  Fort Huachuca is an Army outpost that was established in 1877 and the history is shown from then to now.  Home of the famous Buffalo Soldiers so named by the Apache because of their hair.  Located by Brown's Parade Field, you can also drive around the parade field and see some of the original officer's homes which are still in use today. Fort Huachuca is an operating military base, located outside of Sierra Vista.  National Historic Landmark.
(520) 533-5736

Museum of the Southwest - Housed in the Willcox Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, the museum is about the history of the local area, once known as the "Cattle Capitol" of the nation. Displays contain Indian and Calvary artifacts from the 1880's which depict Indian wars, the movement of the Apache in Arizona, and the Butterfield Stage Line. Information on turn-of-the-century thru present day ranches of Cochise County.
Chamber office: (520) 384-2272

The Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum and the Cowboy Hall of Fame - Located in historic downtown Willcox on Railroad Avenue.  The museum houses memorabilia of Rex Allen, the famous cowboy, movie star and entertainer.  The Cowboy Hall of Fame is a portrait gallery of local cattlemen and women.
Museum Office: (520) 384-4583

San Pedro Valley Arts & Historical Museum - Antique displays and collectibles from throughout Cochise County.
(520) 586-3070

Slaughter Ranch/San Bernadino Land Grant - This National Historic Landmark is a tribute to turn-of-the-century ranch life.  Named for John Slaughter, a former Texas Ranger and County Sheriff.  The 300 acre site provides pristine bird watching and natural springs.  Located 17 miles east of Douglas.
(520) 558-2472

Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park - The 1882 Cochise County Courthouse is one of the oldest territorial courthouses in Arizona.  Today it is a state park and museum with exhibits and artifacts that tell of  Tombstone's colorful past.
Park Office: (520) 457-3311

Queen Mine Tours - Located in Old Bisbee on Highway 80, visitors ride in mine cars into the mines.  Tours are narrated by miners themselves.  Temperatures inside the mines are 47º F year-round.  Open everyday except Christmas, Thanksgiving and the Friday before Mother's Day.  Call for tour times and reservations.
(520) 432-2071

Nature's  Natural Wonders
& Man's Endeavors

Arizona Cactus and Succulent Research, Inc. - A scientific and educational research center for the study of native cacti of the Americas. Extensive library, presentations and samples of desert plant life. Located in Bisbee. 
Research Center: (520) 432-7040

Chiricahua National Monument - The monument covers a small section of the Chiricahua Mountains in the extreme southeast of Arizona, and contains large expanses of volcanic rocks eroded into dramatic pinnacles and spires, an interesting variety of vegetation and some unusual wildlife species.  Due to the relatively high elevation, the climate in the Chiricahua Mountains is quite different to that of the surrounding deserts. This means that unusual species of plants and animals are present, many of them native to Mexico and not found elsewhere in the USA. In particular, rare species of birds such as the elegant trogon and Mexican chickadee may be seen (will most likely be seen on the east side of the mountain range) also there but rarely seen are mountain lions and ocelots.  Javelinas are commonly seen in the streambed northeast of the visitors center and if you keep your eyes open you will see some coatimundi's also.  This is a National Park and has camping and hiking.  The Chiricahua Mountains are one of the "sky-islands".  

Cochise Stronghold - Cochise Stronghold is located to the west of Sunsites, Arizona in the Dragoon Mountains at an elevation of 5,000 ft. (About a ten minute drive from Golden Rule Ranch).  This beautiful woodland area lies in a protective rampart of granite domes and sheer cliffs which were once the refuge of the great Apache Chief, Cochise, and his people. This rugged natural fortress was, for some 15 years, the home and base of operations for the famed Chiricahua Apache Chief, Cochise.  Cochise and about 1,000 of his followers, of whom some 250 were warriors, located here.  Sentinels, constantly on watch from the towering pinnacles of rock, could spot their enemies in the valley below and sweep down without warning in destructive raids.   Upon his death, he was secretly buried somewhere in or near his impregnable fortress.  The exact location has never been revealed or determined.  Part of the Coronado National Forest and has camping facilities and hiking trails.

Coronado National Memorial - Wonderful birdwatching opportunities (140 species recorded here) and outstanding views of the valleys through which Coronado led his band of explorers centuries ago. A picnic area near the visitor center is open from dawn to dusk. There is camping in the adjacent Coronado National Forest and at Parker Canyon Lake, 18 miles west.

Kartchner Caverns - This is a unique "living" cave and is part of the Arizona State Parks.  Still alive and developing stalagmites and stalactites this truly wondrous living ecosystem is a must see when visiting southeastern Arizona.  To guarantee that you will get in please call ahead for reservations.  A limited number of people are allowed in daily, this is what will keep this wonderful cave system alive and healthy.  Half of the rooms are open at present, the rest of the cave system will be open on a seasonal basis in a couple of years.  The Cave Tours are guided by a Park Interpreter through the Throne and Rotunda Rooms.  The complete tour lasts about 60 minutes and the tour length is 1/3 of a mile.  Cave conditions are a comfortable 68º F year round.  The Discovery Center explains many aspects of the cave, including geology, bat population and paleontology.  Interactive exhibits help explain the discovery of the cave and how formations developed.  Picnic ramadas and outdoor dining areas are available.  There is an additional fee to enter the park.  
(520) 586-CAVE (2283)

Muleshoe Ranch (Nature Conservancy) - The Muleshoe Ranch is a truly proof that an environmental group and the government can work together.  The Muleshoe Ranch Cooperative Management Area (CMA) is 49,120 acres of rugged beauty, lush riparian areas and an array of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. This area is jointly owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. These diverse groups are working together to conserve and enhance the unique ecosystems found here and to protect endangered species, as well as the areas they depend upon.  The watershed area for seven permanently flowing streams are in this preserve and are some the best remaining water habitat's in Arizona.  About 80% of the area wildlife depends on these water sources and habitat at some time within their lives.  The importance of the area to early settlers is to found in the many ranches and homesteads that have been in the area over the last 150 years.  Water is the key for survival in any habitat.....especially the desert.  The Muleshoe provides many activities for the outdoor enthusiast and there is great birdwatching in the area.

Old Fort Bowie   - National Historic Park can be reached after a medium hike.  Here you will find the remains of the Fort which was an important outpost during the Apache conflicts. Interesting hike with great views, you'll get a feel of what Arizona was then.

Ramsey Canyon Preserve (Nature Conservancy) - Located in southeastern Arizona, this preserve is renowned not only for it's hummingbirds (14 species) but the variety and beauty of the plant and animal life that can be found here.  A year round spring-fed stream flows here providing the canyon a moist, stable environment with high canyon walls.  You'll find sycamores, maples, and columbines along the creek bank and yet a few feet away are different types of cactus, yucca and agaves.  Located in the Huachuca mountains this preserve has about every type of "community" habitat, from semi-desert grassland to pine-fir forest within it's boundaries.  The Huachuca Mountains are one of the "sky-islands".

San Pedro Riparian Area National Conservation - The 47,000 acre Conservation area was acquired in 1986, in order to protect and maintain the lush riparian ecosystem along 40 miles of the San Pedro River. The wildlife populations include 400 species of birds, 82 species of mammals, and 45 species of reptiles and amphibians. Public use of the lands includes regulated fishing and hunting, permitted camping, birdwatching, horseback riding, picnicking and hiking. A visitor center is located at the recently renovated San Pedro House, a 1930's era ranch house, which is operated by the Friends of the San Pedro River.
BLM Area Headquarters: (520) 458-3559

Willcox Playa - The Playa is located outside of Willcox and provides premier birdwatching of all types of waterfowl and other birds including in the winter including the Sandhill Cranes.

Peggy Parks
Recker Realty & Investments, Inc.
PO Box 900
585 N. Frontage Road
Pearce, AZ 85625
Phone: 520-444-1023
Fax: 520-826-0162
peggy@peggyparks.com

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