Home › Journeys › North America › Southern Arizona: Tucson to Bisbee

Southern Arizona: Tucson to Bisbee – Route Guide

Last updated:

Saguaro National Park sunset — Southern Arizona: Tucson to Bisbee
Photo: dconvertini · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Old West with the myths intact and the food underrated: Tucson's saguaro forests and white-domed San Xavier mission, the O.K. Corral shootout re-staged daily at Tombstone, and Bisbee, a copper boomtown turned artist warren stacked up a canyon, with a mine tour that drops you in on rails. Sonoran hot dogs; that's it; that's the tip.

Southern Arizona: Tucson to Bisbee is a 145 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 2–4 days; the plan below is the 3-day version for March, built from 182 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

2–4
days
145km
distance
3
Stops
182
curated stops

Plan your own version → 2-day plan · 3-day plan · 4-day plan · best time to go

The route

Tucson & Saguaro→ 115 kmTombstone→ 30 kmBisbee

What you'll see

Center for Creative Photography
Browse renowned photography works, including Ansel Adams's collection.
Tucson & Saguaro
Rose Tree Museum
Marvel at the world's largest rose tree and browse historical exhibits.
Tombstone
Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum
You will see exhibits on the town's mining past and the stories of its people.
Bisbee
Pima Air & Space Museum
See over 400 historic aircraft displayed across vast hangars and grounds.
Tucson & Saguaro
Charleston & Millville Historic Townsite
Discover remnants of two abandoned towns along an interpretative trail.
Tombstone
Lavender Pit
Stand on the viewing platform overlooking this massive former open-pit copper mine.
Bisbee
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Encounter diverse desert wildlife and botanical exhibits in an open-air setting.
Tucson & Saguaro
O.K. Corral
Witness the iconic gunfight reenactment at this famous landmark.
Tombstone

Choose your length

2-day plan12 stops · 4.0 h transit6 stops/day · 2 h transit/daySee the full plan →3-day plan19 stops · 5.2 h transit6.3 stops/day · 1.7 h transit/daySee the full plan →4-day plan25 stops · 7.0 h transit6.2 stops/day · 1.8 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: November, December, January, February, March, April

Sonoran winter is the whole point — saguaro forests in walking weather, Sonoran dogs after dark, and Bisbee's gallery stairways at their friendliest.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →