The Old West, all around you.
Ghost towns, caverns, wine country, and wild rivers — all an easy drive from the canyon.
Cochise County packs an astonishing amount into one corner of Arizona. Drive times are approximate from the inn.
Ramsey Canyon Preserve
The Nature Conservancy's ~380-acre preserve — one of southern Arizona's most popular nature-viewing areas, home to 20+ rare and sensitive species, with the Hamburg Trail climbing into the high Huachucas. Steps from the inn's front door. Open Thursday–Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday): 8 a.m.–5 p.m. March–October, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. November–February. Modest admission; Nature Conservancy members free.
Arizona Folklore Preserve
Live folklore performances every Saturday and Sunday, 2–4 p.m. (tickets $10–20), a short stroll down the canyon. Reservations recommended — (520) 378-6156.
San Pedro Riparian NCA
A world-class riparian corridor along the San Pedro River — 300+ bird species and abundant wildlife. A must for birders (see our birding page for the eBird hotspot).
Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary
The Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory's renowned hummingbird garden in the Huachuca foothills — the most reliable place in the U.S. for the Lucifer Hummingbird (late March to mid-October), with feeders, water features, and viewing blinds. Open Friday–Wednesday dawn to dusk and Thursday afternoons (closed Thursday mornings); a donation supports SABO, and parking is limited. See our birding page for the eBird hotspot.
Coronado National Memorial
Commemorates the first European expedition into the Southwest. The drive up to Montezuma Pass gives breathtaking views into Mexico and the San Pedro and San Rafael valleys, with great birding and hiking along the way.
Tombstone
"The town too tough to die" — the O.K. Corral, the Bird Cage Theatre, the Crystal Palace, Boothill, and the original Cochise County Courthouse take you straight back to the 1880s.
Kartchner Caverns State Park
"The secret too big to keep" — a stunning living limestone cave with guided underground tours and a Discovery Center. Tour reservations strongly recommended: (520) 586-2283.
Bisbee
A charming turn-of-the-century mining town in the Mule Mountains: the historic Copper Queen Hotel, the Mining Museum, Brewery Gulch, the Lavender Pit, and the Queen Mine tour.
Wineries of Sonoita, Elgin & Willcox
Southern Arizona's high-desert wine country, with tasting rooms scattered across rolling grasslands — an easy, scenic day out.
Patagonia Lake State Park
A desert lake for boating, swimming, and excellent waterbird birding — pairs well with a stop at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds in Patagonia.
Chiricahua National Monument
A fantasyland of balanced rock spires in the Chiricahua Mountains, once home to Cochise and Geronimo. A longer day trip, but unforgettable.
For the history behind it all, see Cochise County history.