OLD, DUSTY BUT NEVER BORING: Relive the Wild West in Arizona’s southeast

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There’s a gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Other than the cowboys and lawmen, the street is deserted — except, of course, for the cheering audience sitting on the bleachers.

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Even in the 21st century, the West is pretty wild.

They’re actors and they fire blanks, not bullets, but if you’ve ever wanted to take in a real western showdown — all as you sip on a sarsaparilla — Tombstone, Ariz., is your kind of town.

A little more than an hour’s drive southeast of Tucson, Tombstone has leaned into its Wild West heritage in a big, tourist-friendly way. Think Cooperstown for cowboys. The heart of Allen St., which is where you’ll find the O.K. Corral, shops, saloons and more, is a stretch of dirt lined with wood-plank sidewalks and even a few spots to tie up your horse.

No visit is complete without standing on the ground where Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday fired hot lead — made forever famous by films like 1993’s Tombstone and many other westerns — but there are a number of other guns-ablazin’ re-enactments in town. Just stroll down Allen St. and a cowpoke or two will stop by to say howdy.

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If you’re looking for some western history that goes beyond the showy saddles and spurs, check out the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park, just south of Allen on Toughnut St. A proper museum, it also houses a recreation of the gallows used in the boomtown’s hanging days. There’s also the Rose Tree Museum, home of the world’s largest rose tree and a number of Wild West-era artifacts.

Before you leave the place they call the Town Too Tough to Die, stop by Boothill Graveyard, the final home of 1880s outlaws and folk unlucky enough to be caught up in their deeds. Inscriptions on the gravestones range from morbid brevity (“Two Chinese”) to morbid levity (“Here lies Lester Moore, four slugs from a 44, no Les, no more”).

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Tombstone has an outsized reputation, but it is still a small, isolated village in Arizona’s mountainous southeast. Aspiring cowboys will likely get there through Tucson, and the state’s second-largest city has loads of western adventure to offer — so saddle up!

Just west of town is Old Tucson, a wonderful mix of theme park and museum. Visitors wander around real western sets used in Hollywood movies, from classics like Rio Bravo to comedies like Three Amigos.

There are live shows, plenty of photo opportunities and even a haunted house. If you’ve ever wanted to square off in the street and walk 10 paces at high noon, this is the place to do it — if it’s open. Old Tucson closed in 2020, although there is talk about reopening its swinging doors soon.

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On the other end of Tucson is the Tanque Verde Ranch, a dude ranch with a colourful, authentic western history.

“They say Geronimo ran these hills,” says Terry Hanley, Tanque Verde’s general manager. The Apache raids are over, but there’s still excitement in the mountains that ring the ranch. Horseback riding is the signature draw, or you can hike the trails or take a mountain bike and see the impressive saguaro cactus up close. (But not too close — they’re prickly!)

The fun is wholesome and outdoorsy, and the ranch prides itself on being a repeat destination for visitors from all over the continent. TVs are scarce at Tanque Verde — that’s by design — and their top-rate accommodations sure beat sleeping under the stars.

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You could spend days at the ranch, but those cowboys were prone to wandering, and maybe you’ll want to ride on into the next town. Far to the east of Tucson is a sight that’s worth the extra miles, Chiricahua National Monument. This national park has sweeping views of staggering, craggy rock formations that words can’t do justice — nor can photography!

As a bonus, if you’re visiting the Chiricahuas from Tucson, make a stop in Willcox, just south of where Hwy. 10 meets the 186. There’s a park by the railroad tracks, perfect to get out, stretch your legs and get a photo with the statue of singing cowboy Rex Allen.

Now head south to Douglas, Ariz. The border town — yes, it has a wall — is as close as you can get to Mexico without leaving the U.S. At the centre of town is the Gadsden, a grand hotel that dates back to Douglas’ turn-of-the-century heyday.

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“At one point, we were wilder than Tombstone,” says Ginny Jordan, a local historian who knows Douglas better than anybody.

The Gadsden’s a great place to stop for a bite, and if you’re looking for action, the Saddle and Spur Tavern is the place to find it in Douglas.

The hotel was ravaged by fire and rebuilt with a stately art deco sensibility. If you’re looking for somewhere a little more rooted in western sensibility, the Avenue Hotel B&B is packed with eclectic cowboy charm. Proprietress Robin Brekhus will give you a tour through the history of the building, parts of which date back a century. If you’re looking to step back in time in Douglas, this is the place to do it.

Art Car World, across from Douglas City Hall, is at the forefront of the town’s burgeoning tourism and arts scene. For a fusion of old and new Douglas, scope out the Desert Marlin, an old Valiant that’s gone cactus crazy.

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No trip through this part of the state is complete without a stop in Bisbee, a former mining town that has embraced its quirky side. If you arrive early, consider getting breakfast at Mornings Cafe, the perfect dining spot if you’re more nostalgic for the Hollywood westerns of the 1950s than the real outlaws of the 1880s.

You can peer down at the open-pit mine just outside Old Bisbee, or you can hop on a cart at the Queen Mine Tour and go deep underground. The mine was the real deal before it closed for business in 1975 — they pulled ore out of these hills for almost a century!

You can walk up and down Old Bisbee’s steep slopes yourself or try a tour, but why not go all the way and do the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour? Your guide will take you on a late-night trip and give you a glimpse at what was once the town’s seedier side.

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There’s plenty to see in Old Bisbee, from shops to public art to one-of-a-kind buildings made to take advantage of the sharp topography. Highly recommended is Old Bisbee Brewing — appropriately enough, it’s in Brewery Gulch, which was the bad part of town back in the cowboy days. They’ll serve you a great bowl of chili and cold beer — a perfect meal to enjoy as you watch the desert sun go down.

IF YOU GO

Tucson has an international airport, but for many Canadians it will be easier to fly into Phoenix. If you’re renting a car, Tucson is less than a two-hour drive from Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport. The DoubleTree in Tempe is one of many good hotels near the airport if you’re arriving late or flying out early.

Tucson can serve as a good home base from which to explore Arizona’s southeast. For cowpokes who want to hang up their spurs at the end of the day, Tucson’s AC Hotel has modern accommodations right in a cluster of bars, restaurants and a number of ice cream shops that are open late. If you want to stay overnight in Bisbee, the Copper Queen Hotel has been providing luxury accommodations since back when Arizona was a territory.

If you are driving on the highways southeast of Tucson, make sure all non-U.S. citizens bring their passports. Border patrols checkpoints are not uncommon and only a minor inconvenience — it’s like getting stopped at the U.S.-Canada border — but you will be expected to show proper documentation.

Up in the hills, it gets cold at night. Tucson’s elevation is a little lower than Calgary, and places like Bisbee and Douglas are even higher. Prepare to dress in layers and don’t overexert yourself, especially if you do a walking tour in very steep Old Bisbee!

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