# Southeast Arizona: missions, mines and sky islands

> 4-day road trip of about 335 km (208 mi) with 8 stops, from Tucson to Willcox. About 3 h 43 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-sky-islands/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 335 km (208 mi) with 8 stops, from Tucson to Willcox. About 3 h 43 min of driving in total. From Tucson’s White Dove of the Desert to a hidden cave, Old West Tombstone, copper-mining Bisbee and the rock pinnacles of the Chiricahua Mountains.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 335 km (208 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 43 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Tucson → Willcox |
| States | AZ |
| Updated | May 25, 2026 |

## Route description

Just south of Tucson, Mission San Xavier del Bac gleams white in the desert on the Tohono O’odham Nation. Then head east on I-10 and south on AZ-90 to Kartchner Caverns, a living cave with colorful formations; book the guided tour in advance.

AZ-80 leads to Tombstone, where actors re-enact the famous 1881 gunfight. The Courthouse State Historic Park tells the town’s real history. Continue over the Mule Mountains to Bisbee, a steep mining town with Victorian streets, galleries and the huge Lavender Pit.

From Bisbee, cross the Sulphur Springs Valley north to Chiricahua National Monument, one of the sky islands, mountain ranges that rise like islands out of the desert. Bonita Canyon Drive climbs to Massai Point, and trails wind among thousands of stone pinnacles.

End in Willcox, a ranch town at the center of a growing wine region. Winter and spring are the best seasons; in summer, the monsoon brings afternoon storms and high heat to the lowlands.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Tucson** (AZ)
2. **Mission San Xavier del Bac** (Tucson, AZ): A white Spanish mission church from the late 1700s on the Tohono O’odham Nation, with a richly painted interior. It is still an active parish.
3. **Kartchner Caverns State Park** (Benson, AZ): A living limestone cave discovered in 1974 and kept secret for years to protect it. Guided tours only; book ahead.
4. **Tombstone** (AZ)
5. **Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park** (Tombstone, AZ): An 1882 brick courthouse turned museum of the silver boom and the famous gunfight, a calm contrast to the costumed streets.
6. **Bisbee** (AZ)
7. **Chiricahua National Monument** (Willcox, AZ): A wonderland of rhyolite pinnacles in a sky island range. Drive Bonita Canyon to Massai Point and hike among the balanced rocks.
8. **Willcox** (AZ)