Phoenix to Tombstone drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Phoenix to Tombstone by car is 184 miles, with a 2h50m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Phoenix to Tombstone drive are Picacho Peak State Park, Tucson and Colossal Cave Mountain Park.
Planning a Phoenix to Tombstone road trip itinerary
The Phoenix to Tombstone drive takes you from the capital of Arizona to a remnant of the Wild West.
A stay in Phoenix is at its best when you explore the surrounding Sonoran Desert. That might be in a hot air balloon flight, on an ATV tour or on a guided sunset hiking adventure. You can also do day tours along the Apache Trail.
For other Phoenix experiences, try a downtown food tour, a street art tour or a spooky nighttime ghost walk.
Attractions that you might wish to buy advance include cell phone-friendly tickets for include Phoenix Zoo, the Sea Life aquarium or a drunk Shakespeare performance.
For Phoenix accommodation options with a bit of character, try the art-splashed Foundre or the resort-like Raintree at Phoenix South Mountain Preserve.
Tombstone, Arizona, is a fabulously silly place that buys whole-heartedly into Wild West mythology. The Boot Hill graveyard has comic epitaphs, and the streets look as they would back in the days of the Earp Brothers. Costumed actors stage a gunfight at the OK Corral, blacksmiths work the forge and there’s a bizarre collection of mini-museums and attractions
It’s also possible to do a series of themed walking tours that bring Tombstone even further to life. Choose from ghosts and gunslingers or bullets and bordellos.
Phoenix to Tombstone distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Phoenix to Tombstone is 184 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 50 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-10 and AZ-80.
The best stops to add to a Phoenix to Tombstone road trip itinerary are Picacho Peak State Park, Tucson and Colossal Cave Mountain Park.
For more suggestions, see the guides to the Phoenix to Tucson drive and Tucson to Tombstone drive.
Best stops between Phoenix and Tombstone: Picacho Peak State Park
Picacho Peak is a part of a volcanic flow that has been eroded away over the centuries. Jutting 1,500ft out from the Sonoran Desert, Picacho Peak has long been an iconic landmark.
There are a series of short, easy walking trails with interpretive signs in Picacho Peak State Park. The difficult and very steep two mile Hunter Trail will take you to the top, though. Come after winter rains, and you’re likely to see an explosion of wildflowers.
Best stops between Phoenix and Tombstone: Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is often used as a base for exploring the Sonoran Desert. But it’s a proper city with an arty streak, a Spanish-tinged history and excellent Mexican food.
Top Tucson experiences include exploring the city’s many murals, taking a self-guided audio tour through Saguaro National Park and canyoneering at Mt Lemmon.
There are also several good bike tours you can do in and around Tucson. Choose from a history-focused ride through the city, e-biking in Saguaro National Park and taco-tasting on two wheels.
For resort-style accommodation in Tucson, take a look at the impressive Casino Del Sol Resort. To stay downtown, within walking distance of several restaurants, try the Leo Kent Hotel.
Phoenix to Tombstone drive: Colossal Cave Mountain Park
Near the town of Vail, Arizona, Colossal Cave Mountain Park offers two rather different cave tours. The first is a 40 minute guided walk, which gives a family-friendly version of the cave’s history, albeit including ghosts and robbers. There are 363 steps to tackle, but the reward is flowstone, stalagmites and stalactites.
The more challenging take on Colossal Cave includes squeezing through narrow passages, clambering on rock bridges and ascending ladders.
More Phoenix road trips
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