A Day In Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County is still sparsely populated and remains an excellent destination for bird and wildlife photographers, hikers, ghost town hunters, kayakers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.

Klondyke is a near-ghost town in western Graham County. In the second decade of the 21st century, the only roads out there are still unpaved. The Klondyke cemetery is just southeast of town. There you will find the graves of the Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” Power and his family. Few know the sad story of these […]

Mescal AZ: A Pictorial

I had been waiting months to return to Mesca AZl and photograph the old western movie set with dramatic monsoon clouds.

Ruby Arizona: Our Best Ghost Town

Ruby Arizona is about 12 miles from Arivaca. About half way there, the road goes from pavement to dirt. But it’s well-maintained and a standard sedan can easily travel on it (unless of course the area gets a hard rain). Again, do not rely on your GPS. ******************** Ruby was a mining […]

Tombstone: The Town Too Tough To Die Almost Did

By the 1930’s, Tombstone was dying. The mining boomtown of the 1880’s was long gone. In 1882, Tombstone residents numbered between 6,000 and 7,000. By the time these photographs were taken, the nation was deep in the Great Depression, and Tombstone was almost a ghost town.

Steins: A Ghost Town With Stories To Tell

Steins (pronounced Steens) is a New Mexico ghost town. It is located very near the Arizona – New Mexico border and its history is very much related to Southern Arizona’s past. It is easy to get to. Driving east from Tucson, stay on the I-10 for a few minutes past … Continue reading

Pinos Altos: A New Mexico Ghost Town

May 2016. One of our day trips while staying in Silver City New Mexico was to the once thriving mining town of Pinos Altos (Spanish for Tall Pines). In 1860, three prospectors stopped for a drink at Bear Creek 7 miles north of Silver City and discovered gold. Soon, 700 … Continue reading

A Hike to the Ghost Town of Charleston Arizona Territory

March 14, 2015 – Having been to many of the more accessible ghost towns, Ms. Rosemary and I (Ms. Karen) decided to hike to the remote ghost town of Charleston Arizona Territory. Led by our docent, Richard Bauer, this was a Friends of the San Pedro River “Members Only” hike, … Continue reading

Fairbank AZ: Ghost Town

Fairbank is a Southern Arizona ghost town, and one of the best preserved, thanks to numerous conservation efforts. It’s located in the San Pedro Riparian Conservation Area about 10 miles west of Tombstone. Here conservation efforts have saved the San Pedro River, a haven for dozens of species of critters and birds.

Kentucky Camp AZ: A Ghost Town With Accommodations!

More than a hundred years ago, Kentucky Camp was the headquarters for the Santa Rita Water & Mining Company, which was formed to extract placer deposits from the Greaterville Mining District in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains 9 miles NW of Sonoita.