This is the first Bisbee Day Ride that you should do when you come to visit us at the Jonquil Motel. When you do this self-guided motorcycle tour, you’ll experience more places in and around America’s southernmost city than most tourists get to see in a whole weekend. That’s because most of them don’t venture beyond the historic downtown area. Such a shame, but not for you!
Details
- Location: Starts and ends at The Jonquil Motel in Bisbee, Arizona
- Distance: 17 mile loop
- Difficulty: Easy
- Road Surface: Paved
- Time: one hour
- Gas, Food & Lodging: Bisbee
Highlights
• Mule Pass – A sign mistakingly refers to this location as the Continental Divide
• Mule Mountain Tunnel – Bisbee’s “time tunnel”
• Lavender Pit Mine – A huge open pit copper mine no longer in use
• Erie Street – vintage automobiles line the street of this “open air museum”
• Warren Ballpark – the oldest baseball field in America
• Shady Dell and Dot’s Diner – vintage trailers and an outdoor diner
• OK Street – a narrow, winding road in Old Bisbee
• Youngblood Hill – the steepest road in town
• Mimosa Market – an authentic old-time market
• City Park – a place to relax in Brewery Gulch
• High Street Overlook – an amazing view of Old Bisbee and the Lavender Pit
• Castle Rock – another scenic overlook often missed by visitors
• Brewery Gulch – Old Bisbee’s historic drinking spot
• Main Street – more historic architecture than anywhere else in Arizona
• Ironman Statue – An art deco courthouse and good restraints
Description
Gas up at the Circle K right next door to the Jonquil Motel before heading up Tombstone Canyon, once part of Historic US-80, America’s first all-weather transcontinental highway that ran between Savanah, Georgia and San Diego, California. The road meanders its way through the twists and turns of the Old Divide Road to Mule Pass which was one of the highest points on former US-80. A monument at the top of Mule Pass mistakingly proclaims this to be part of the Continental Divide which isn’t exactly true. The actual divide lies over 100 miles to the east in New Mexico.
Turn left on the new Highway 80, constructed in the 1950’s to bypass over the Old Divide Road with its dangerous twists and turns. Mule Pass Tunnel was built in 1958. It’s one of the longest highway tunnels in the state and locals refer to it as a “time tunnel” because once you pass through it’s like you’re leaving the modern world behind and entering a different era.
A sign proclaims entrance into the town of Bisbee, a National Historic District. Off to the left you can see a magnificent view of Old Bisbee and all of the historic homes and buildings lining the walls of Tombstone Canyon.
Continuing further past Old Bisbee for now, the Lavender Pit is a former open pit copper mine owned by the Phelps Dodge Corporation. It was opened in 1950 and closed down in 1974 – a defining moment in Bisbee’s history when the city went from a mining town to the artsy tourist town of today. The pit covers and area of 300 acres and is 900 feet deep.
Directly to the south of the Lavender Pit are the remains of the former community known as Lowell. Once scheduled for demolition, the former downtown area has been preserved as a living outdoor museum which is like a time capsule from a bygone area. Vintage automobiles line Erie Street and buildings and shop windows are made to look like former businesses from the past. The Bisbee Breakfast Club is located here.
The Warren Ballpark is a baseball stadium located in the Warren district of Bisbee. It was constructed in 1909 and claims to be the oldest baseball stadium in America. Warren Ballpark holds a place in American labor history as the location where over 1000 striking miners were held during the Bisbee Deportation in 1917.
The Shady Dell is a vintage trailer court with over a dozen vintage trailers that are available for overnight stays. Dot’s Diner is located onsite and a great place on the weekends to grab a hearty outdoor seating breakfast or lunch.
Heading back into the historic district of Old Bisbee you’ll turn right on OK Street, one of my favorite roads in Old Bisbee. OK Street is narrow and winds its way along the edge of Zacatecas Canyon before descending Youngblood Hill, one of the steepest streets in Old Bisbee. You can stop at Mimosa Market, an historic store which appears to have changed little over time.
Riding further into the historic district you will pass the City Park before climbing to the top of High Street for a magnificent view of the city below. Notice the Lavender Pit in the distance.
Descending from High Street, we’ll travel a short way through the back roads and cobbled streets up to Castle Rock. A short climb on foot brings you to the top of this epic viewpoint.
Next, we will double-back through town into Bisbee’s historic Brewery Gulch. There are many bars in this part of town including St. Elmos, the oldest bar in Arizona and Room 4 at the Silver King Hotel, Arizona’s smallest bar.
We’ll ride along Main Street in downtown Old Bisbee before pausing at the Ironman Statue. Notice the 1930’s art deco courthouse in this area along with a few really good restraints. A few blocks up the street brings us back to the Jonquil Motel where we began.
I really hope that you enjoy your tour of Bisbee, Arizona!