Exploring Bisbee & Patagonia, Arizona: Mining History, Hummingbirds & Southern Arizona Scenery
Southern Arizona has a way of surprising you.
You can spend the morning wandering through a colorful historic mining town, drive through miles of beautiful desert and mountain scenery, spend the afternoon watching hummingbirds, and finish the day beside a lake under an incredible Arizona sunset.
That’s exactly what we found when we explored Bisbee, Patagonia, and Patagonia Lake State Park.
We were staying in Whetstone, Arizona, while exploring this part of the state, which put us within easy driving distance of several southeastern Arizona destinations. After visiting Tombstone, we headed south to see Bisbee before taking another day trip to Patagonia.
And Bisbee was nothing like we expected.
Bisbee Is Not a Ghost Town
Bisbee sometimes gets lumped in with Arizona’s old mining and ghost towns, but that’s really not what it is.
This is very much a living town.
The first thing we noticed was the way houses seemed to cling to the hillsides. The second was the color.
Bisbee is filled with artwork, unusual shops, historic buildings, painted walls, staircases and homes tucked into places where you wouldn’t expect anyone to build a house.
It’s quirky, historic and wonderfully different.
From Copper Camp to Colorful Arizona Town
Bisbee owes its beginning to mining.
Copper was discovered in the area in 1877, followed by rich deposits of other valuable minerals, including gold and silver. Bisbee became known as the Queen of the Copper Camps.
The community grew quickly. Bisbee was incorporated in 1902, and by 1910 its population had grown to more than 20,000.
Open-pit mining began in 1917.
Mining continued to define the community for decades, but eventually the ore deposits were depleted and the mines began closing in the 1970s.
That could easily have been the end of Bisbee.
Instead, inexpensive homes attracted retirees, artists and people looking for a different kind of lifestyle.
They helped transform the old mining community into the colorful Bisbee visitors see today.
Bisbee Is Much Bigger Than It Looks
Another thing we hadn’t realized before visiting was just how spread out Bisbee is.
What we usually think of as Bisbee is actually a collection of different districts stretching across several miles.
Old Bisbee contains many of the historic buildings, shops and hillside homes visitors associate with the town.
Nearby is the enormous Lavender Pit, the open-pit mine that dramatically altered the landscape.
Just south of the pit is Lowell, once a separate community. So much of Lowell disappeared as the mine expanded that little remained except a portion of the original town.
Today, walking through Lowell can feel a little like stepping back into the 1950s.
The Warren District developed as an area for mine management and wealthier residents and was designed around a central park.
Farther south is the San Jose District, where much of modern Bisbee’s everyday business takes place.
From San Jose to Old Bisbee is roughly six miles, so don’t assume everything you’re going to see is concentrated into a couple of downtown blocks.
Exploring Old Bisbee
Once we reached historic Bisbee, it didn’t take long before something caught our attention.
Stairs.
Lots of stairs.
We found one staircase covered with artwork and naturally had to climb it to see where it went.
That’s part of the fun of Bisbee.
You can have a destination in mind, but something colorful, unusual or downright strange is likely to distract you along the way.
And sometimes that’s where the best parts of a trip are found.
Bisbee’s Crazy Stairs
Because the town was built into steep hillsides, stairways became an important way for residents to get from one level to another.
Today, these staircases are one of Bisbee’s most distinctive features.
Some are decorated with murals and other artwork. Others simply disappear between buildings and homes.
They give the town a character unlike almost anywhere else we’ve visited.
Bisbee isn’t a place I’d rush through. Give yourself time to wander and see what you find.
Historic Buildings of Bisbee
Bisbee has preserved an impressive collection of buildings from its mining days.
Among the historic structures we saw were the Silver Queen Hotel, built in 1900, and the Copper Queen Hotel, built in 1902.
There is also the Stock Exchange Building from 1905, the Presbyterian Church from 1902, the Bisbee Gym from 1903, Pythian Castle from 1904, St. Elmo Bar from 1902 and the Bisbee Grand Hotel from 1906.
And that’s only the beginning.
Part of what makes Bisbee so interesting is that these buildings aren’t gathered together as part of a recreated historical village.
They’re simply part of the town.
The Copper Queen Hotel
One of Bisbee’s best-known landmarks is the Copper Queen Hotel.
Built in 1902 during the height of Bisbee’s mining era, the hotel has become one of the most recognizable historic buildings in town.
Even if you’re not staying overnight, the old hotels are worth looking for as you explore Bisbee because they help tell the story of just how prosperous this mining town once was.
More Historic Bisbee Landmarks
We encountered history almost everywhere we looked.
The Copper Queen Library and Bisbee Post Office occupy a building originally constructed in 1882 as a corner grocery store. The post office was established in 1900 and the library in 1907.
Other buildings include the old Phelps Dodge Clinic, the Bisbee Review newspaper building, the Masonic Lodge and the Inn at Castle Rock.
Then there is Castle Rock itself, with a wonderful piece of artwork at its base.
Bisbee rewards anyone who enjoys looking beyond the obvious tourist attractions.
The Lavender Pit
It’s impossible to tell Bisbee’s story without talking about the Lavender Pit.
The enormous open-pit mine is a striking reminder of the industry responsible for building the community.
Mining didn’t merely provide jobs here. It shaped the landscape, neighborhoods and ultimately the future of the town.
Seeing the Lavender Pit after walking through Bisbee’s historic streets puts everything into perspective.
Those beautiful hotels, homes and commercial buildings existed because of the mineral wealth pulled from these hills.
Lowell: A Town Nearly Lost to the Mine
On the southern side of the Lavender Pit is Lowell.
Lowell was once a separate community, but expansion of the mine consumed much of the town until essentially one street remained.
What survives has a wonderful frozen-in-time quality.
It looks as though someone walked away sometime around the 1950s and forgot to come back.
If you’re already exploring Bisbee, Lowell is worth adding to your visit because it’s such an unusual contrast to colorful Old Bisbee.
Mule Pass Tunnel
Getting into and out of Bisbee from the north means traveling through the Mule Pass Tunnel.
Built in 1958, the tunnel stretches about 1,400 feet through the mountain.
Even the drive into town gives you a sense that you’re entering someplace unusual.
And then you emerge into this historic community tucked between the mountains.
Bisbee’s Creative Side
The mines created Bisbee, but artists helped reinvent it.
That combination is visible everywhere.
Old brick buildings stand beside colorful murals. Historic storefronts contain quirky modern businesses. Stairways become outdoor galleries.
One interesting example we found was the Bisbee Social Club, a newer business occupying a historic building and styled after the speakeasies of the Prohibition era.
That’s Bisbee in a nutshell.
It doesn’t hide its past, but it doesn’t live entirely in the past either.
From Bisbee to Patagonia
Our next adventure took us from our campground in Whetstone toward Patagonia, Arizona.
The drive itself was worth doing, with beautiful southern Arizona scenery along the way.
Patagonia has a completely different atmosphere from Bisbee.
It’s smaller, quieter and particularly well known among bird watchers.
That last part was especially important to Ed.
Ed’s Lifelong Interest in Birds
Ed’s interest in birding goes all the way back to the 1980s.
He would travel to the local Audubon Society to photograph birds, and he still keeps a bird book where he records new species he identifies along with the date and location.
One of the unexpected benefits of traveling around the country has been the opportunity to see birds we never would have encountered if we’d remained on the East Coast.
And hummingbirds are a perfect example.
Hummingbirds of the American West
Growing up and living in the East, we were accustomed to seeing essentially one hummingbird species.
Traveling through the West opened an entirely different world.
There are several hummingbird species that can be encountered in this part of the country, including birds Ed hadn’t yet been able to check off his list.
That made our next stop especially exciting.
Visiting the Paton Center for Hummingbirds
The Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia was a special treat for Ed.
The area is known for its birding, and the center gives visitors an opportunity to sit quietly and watch hummingbirds and other species come to the property.
For someone who has been keeping a life list of birds for decades, this wasn’t just another sightseeing stop.
Ed was able to identify hummingbirds he hadn’t previously recorded in his book.
Sometimes the best travel experiences aren’t the famous attractions.
They’re the places connected to something you already love.
For Ed, this was one of those places.
Exploring Patagonia, Arizona
We also spent some time looking around the little town of Patagonia.
After busy historic destinations like Tombstone and Bisbee, Patagonia felt wonderfully relaxed.
It’s the sort of small town where you can slow down, look around and simply enjoy where you are.
And sometimes you find things you weren’t looking for at all.
An Unexpected Roadside Shrine
While driving through the area, we passed something unusual beside the road.
Naturally, we had to turn around.
A family had built a shrine directly into the side of a rock along the roadway.
We hadn’t planned to stop there. It wasn’t something on an itinerary.
But those unexpected discoveries are one of our favorite things about traveling.
You see something interesting.
You turn around.
You investigate.
And suddenly you’ve added another memory to the trip.
Patagonia Lake State Park
We finished our adventure at Patagonia Lake State Park.
The scenery alone makes the park worth visiting.
Between the lake, surrounding landscape and wildlife, it provided another completely different side of southern Arizona.
For bird watchers, the area is particularly interesting. For everyone else, it’s simply a beautiful place to spend some time outdoors.
And then we got the sunset.
A Southern Arizona Sunset
Arizona knows how to put on a sunset.
At Patagonia Lake State Park, we were treated to one of those evenings when the entire landscape seems to change as the light fades.
After a day of birds, back roads, small towns and beautiful scenery, it was a pretty perfect ending.
Bisbee or Patagonia: Which Should You Visit?
Why choose?
Bisbee and Patagonia offer completely different experiences, and they’re close enough to combine as part of a longer southern Arizona trip.
Choose Bisbee for mining history, architecture, quirky shops, colorful streets, art and unusual neighborhoods.
Choose Patagonia for birding, small-town atmosphere, natural scenery and a slower pace.
Choose Patagonia Lake State Park when you’re ready to get away from town altogether.
Together, they show just how much variety is packed into this corner of Arizona.
Add Tombstone to Your Southern Arizona Trip
If you’re exploring Bisbee, Patagonia and southeastern Arizona, Tombstone is another easy addition to the trip.
We visited Tombstone separately and found it to be one of the best-preserved Old West towns we’d seen.
That makes for a fantastic combination.
Spend one day immersed in Wyatt Earp and Old West history in Tombstone.
Explore Bisbee’s mining history and artistic side another day.
Then head toward Patagonia for hummingbirds, wildlife and a peaceful afternoon beside the lake.
Instead of racing from attraction to attraction, give this part of Arizona several days.
There’s much more here than we expected.
Is Bisbee Worth Visiting?
Definitely.
Bisbee was one of the most unusual Arizona towns we’d explored.
It’s historical without feeling frozen in time. It’s artistic without losing its mining-town identity. And it’s filled with the kinds of little discoveries that make wandering around worthwhile.
Patagonia provided the perfect contrast.
For Ed, visiting the hummingbird center was especially meaningful. For both of us, the scenery and Patagonia Lake State Park made the trip worthwhile.
If your Arizona travels take you south of Tucson, don’t assume Tombstone is the only reason to keep going.
There is a lot more waiting for you in southern Arizona.
We’ll see you down the road…and Over the Hills!
Continue the Journey
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