Each of these mountain ranges, while somewhat similar to one another, offers its own unique experiences. The towering hoodoo rock formations of the Chiricahuas attract birders and international sightseers alike. The foothills of the Patagonia Mountains offer attractions to both out-of-state hunters and wine aficionados. The Dragoon Mountains, the standing stronghold of Chief Cochise himself, now serve as an adventure playground for rock climbers and a scenic destination for travelers. 

I make a concerted effort to visit Southern Arizona at least once a year. The area exudes a certain feel and character that continuously attracts me. Recently, I traveled south with some friends to escape the cold winter weather. We made plans to enjoy a weekend camping in the shadows of the massive Dragoon Mountains rock formations and exploring the nearby culture.

Camping in a dispersed campsite near the base of the Dragoons gave us quick access to a variety of hiking trails, wooded wash bottoms and rocky outcrops to explore (all of which offer great vantage points for sunrises and sunsets). We had quick access to the nearby towns of Tombstone and Bisbee while still feeling appropriately secluded in the mountains and encompassing grasslands.

Stepping into the town of Tombstone can feel like a step back into the Old West. The town thrives on maintaining a vibe indicative of that bygone era. Visitors may encounter daily faux gun fights on the streets and members of the downtown community dressed straight out of an old Western. With wooden plank sidewalks that creak under foot, dusty streets restricted to foot and horse traffic, the old Tombstone district maintains a certain heritage you have to admire. The nearby neighborhoods feel authentic with southwestern culture and old timey mining town feels, with funky old cars parked in front of colorful houses and towering tangles of Mexican prickly pear cactus growing over yard fences and onto the sidewalks.

A half hour drive south of Tombstone puts you almost into old Mexico but not before the quirky mining town of Bisbee, Arizona. Settled for its rich deposits of gold, silver, copper and other minerals (discovered through the military expeditions during the Apache Wars), the town of Bisbee quickly became a booming archetype mining town of the Old West. Today, a walk through the winding roads, hugged by the surrounding oak hillsides, offer a unique experience. The narrow streets framed by tall buildings feel oddly reminiscent of a European village. Though, with its geographic location, the town exudes a classic border town Old Mexico feel and deep-rooted western heritage. Not free from modern influence, the town of Bisbee continues to progress into a mecca for art culture and eccentricities, as is evident through the vibrant colors and art adorned surfaces. The town still remains abuzz with activity and you may hear the chatter of multiple foreign languages bouncing down the narrow streets and alleyways. The charm of this unique town is simply one of the many flavors of Southern Arizona.

KARTCHNER CAVERNS STATE PARK - South of the town of Benson -- off highway 90 -- sits Kartchner Caverns State Park. The State Park offers visitors a unique, first-hand look at an immense limestone cave system with 2.4 miles of passages and grand rooms. The caves were not discovered until 1974 and were kept a secret for many years to protect them from vandalism. In 1985, The Nature Conservancy acquired the land and offered some veil of protection. A few years later, the Caverns were opened to the public and continue to be open. For a small fee, visitors can explore the cave system through a series of catwalks and paths. 

SLAVIN GULCH TRAIL #332 (Dragoon Mountains) - This Trail gives you a good taste of just how immense and impenetrable the formations of the Dragoons actually are. The drive to the trailhead itself offers visitors a grand view of some of the most spectacular formations of massive rocks. The drive parallels close to the mountains and winds through open grasslands punctuated by 20-foot agave stalks and mazes of manzanita oak woodlands. 

Once at the trailhead, the Trail moves through a broad wooded grassland up Slavin Gulch, starting with grand views of several large rock formations. The basin soon tightens up into a canyon as you enter a narrow rocky gulch which, this time of year, can be found flowing with water. It climbs and increases in intensity, winding one of the few potential pathways through the maze of rocks before it opens up to another large brush covered basin. The farther on the Trail you get, the more insulated away from the world you feel, as you are surrounded by a cirque of towering granite formations. The Trail takes you past an old miner’s cabin and onto a high ridgeline, with grand views all around. You will soon understand how the bands of Apaches were able to make this their “stronghold” home for so many years while leading the U.S. Army on an expensive chase across the West. 

TOMBSTONE BREWNG CO. - In the Old West town of Tombstone, be sure to stop in and check out a brewery with some of the top-rated microbrews in the state of Arizona. The brewery is dog friendly and even makes homemade dog treats out of the brewers’ spent grain. My friend and I enjoyed the Imperial Russian Stout and the Brut IPA while relaxing out back on a sunny patio.

HORSESHOE CAFÉ in BENSON - To break up our long drive to the borderlands, we stopped in the interstate town of Benson to enjoy the old downtown district with a meal at the Horseshoe Cafe. Expecting a sort of greasy, old diner feel, I was pleasantly surprised with a bright open atmosphere feeling like a modern chic farmhouse diner with a deep west history, supported by local cattle brands burned into the wood beams and historic photos of the area adorning the walls. It even has a little tucked away speak-easy style bar in the back corner and a breakfast bar in the dining room which has large windows to watch the flow of downtown traffic.

BISBEE POP-UP ART GALLERY- Strolling around Bisbee, murals and sculptures will appear around every corner. Take a sharp turn into the narrow alleyway -- known as the Broadways Stairs -- and crane your neck to see the tessellated two-story walls of art. This community art gallery has everything from framed thrift store finds to oil paintings done by some of the renowned local artists.

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VACATION RENTALS - Southern Arizona is abundant with vacation rental homes and cabin casitas to support the influx of people flocking to the area for birding, wine tours and unique hunting opportunities. Places like VRBO.com and AirBnB.com are great places to find affordable and unique places to stay, often with fantastic views of the surrounding landscapes. On account of the many activities that attract all sorts of people to the area, the winter months can book out months ahead of time for many rentals. 

DISPERSED CAMPING in the DRAGOONS - For our recent trip to the Dragoons, we wanted to camp in and amongst the powerful formations and unique grassy woodlands which are the real attraction for me to travel to Southern Arizona. A short drive from Tombstone, Middlemarch Road leads you up and over the southern reach of the Dragoon Mountains over Soren’s Pass. This allows you to access the other side of the mountains, known as “Cochise Stronghold.” If you are looking for camping, before going up and over the Pass, you reach a sign for the Coronado National Forest and another road (FR 687), running north to parallel the mountains. We found several opportunities for dispersed camping with fantastic views along this road.