Arizona, as part of where the American “Old West,” had its fair share of boomtowns that went bust. These towns now stand as vacant testaments to the old Western way of life, complete with railroad stops, saloons, jails, and inns for passersby. These towns sometimes get refurbished and set up as tourist attractions, and one weekend, we decided to venture out the Goldfield Ghost Town, just outside of Apache Junction, to check out one such place.
The Old West
The ghost town has tons of rusted goodness for you to explore: Sun-bleached signs and planks of wood make up the shops, post office, and sheriff’s station around town. The town itself is relatively small, having only a few buildings. What brings most people out are the Silver King Mine tours, which I was unable to do due to time constraints. Regardless, I enjoyed seeing all the things from days gone by.
Ziplining
The main reason we were there was to experience zip lining, which I had bought a ticket for on Groupon for my wife. I had never been zip lining before, and my impression was that you zip lined in the middle of a lush tropical jungle and that you soared for incredible distances. I quickly discovered that shorter distance lines also exist, and the one in Goldfield was ranked as one of the safest in the nations. They pull you backward to the starting position, you being seated in their zip line chair. This one played “Revolution” by the Beatles before shooting you downwards back to the platform. The vista from the top of the line was breath-taking: Mountains and desert landscape for miles in every direction.
The region is considered one of the most scenic and beautiful in Arizona, only a few miles down a windy road to Canyon Lake. I hope to return there again to check out more of the region and maybe do some hiking. It is, after all, nestled within the Tonto National Forest.
What natural spots around your area do you like? Have you ever been to an old west town? Tell me about it in the comments!
Two Second Street 