We Checked Out The 8 Most Terrifying Places In Arizona And They’re Horrifying
These lands are rich in history and stories. From the red rock buttes to strong mountain tops to sweeping canyon vistas, there’s an incredible number of places in our state that are teeming with the emotion behind history. Some are jubilant, some humorous, but most are violent. We’re going to take a look at a few of the scariest places in Arizona that deserve to be remembered for the horrific moments in history that have taken place and some that continue to hold those emotional memories through haunted encounters. Would you dare visit some of these places?
Just before sunrise on April 30, 1871, a huge vigilante party of 140 American, Mexican, and O’odham men attacked a camp of Aravaipa and Pinal Apache, most of whom were women and children. Believing the group was responsible for raids in Tucson, they ultimately killed, mutilated, and raped 144 people and captured a handful of children to sell into slavery. It’s some Arizona history that most people aren’t aware of.
The name of this place sounds pretty gruesome and it actually relates back to an event that took place nearly 144 years ago. The Battle of Turret Peak took place on March 27, 1873, when the U.S. Army ambushed a camp that led to the death of some 25 to 50 Natives. The Bloody Basin massacre was a horrible tragedy, to say the least. Most sources tend to say it was the Tonto Apache who were ambushed but while they were the main targets, it may have actually been the Yavapai people who died that morning.
Arizona clearly has a bloody history and the name of this saloon and street in Holbrook certainly makes that clear. A town once known to be "too tough for women and churches," it became a key area for outlaws, rustlers, and gang members in the 1880s (along with quite a few other Arizona towns). In 1886, a fight and then a shootout in the saloon resulted in it appearing as though a bucket of blood had been poured on the saloon floors. Bucket of Blood Saloon is definitely one of the scariest places in Arizona.
Walking up to this beautiful, quiet area, you wouldn’t be aware of the number of attacks that took place within the canyon’s walls. It became an area where many Navajos sought protection as the U.S. Army swept through to move the people to a reservation but was also the site of killings, destroying homes, and scorched earth policy that ultimately led the Navajo to surrender in 1864.
Canyon de Chelly, Canyon De Chelly, Arizona 86503, USA
Another rough and tumble Western town, Canyon Diablo was a small railroad town that sat northwest of Winslow. Not much exists of the town these days (and it’s pretty inaccessible) but in the 1880s, it had a vicious reputation. You didn’t want to be here. Saloons, brothels, gambling houses, and other sordid establishments were open 24 hours where outlaws and railroad workers intermingled. To give you an idea of how violent this place was, the first marshal died within five hours of being sworn in and all others died in the line of duty.
Does this hospital-turned-hotel even need an introduction? In its hospital days between 1927 and 1950, it saw both the emergence of life and succumbing to death occur almost daily. Hotel guests and workers regularly report creepy hauntings happening here, such as items moving from their original locations, hearing people inside or just outside their rooms in an otherwise empty space, and electronics turning off or on for no reason. Would you stay in a hotel that's deemed one of the creepiest places in Arizona?
One of several internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II, the Poston War Relocation Center operated for approximately three years in this small place on the Colorado River Indian Reservation. The tribe objected to building the camp as they recognized the event as related to their own sufferings but the decision was overruled by the U.S. Army and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The largest camp, it was hot, dusty, and was notorious for poor sanitation conditions.
This prison operated from 1876 to 1909, hosting a wide range of criminals, including murderers, robbers, jilted lovers, and polygamists. The conditions were not good, as inmates faced diseases, crowding, infestations, solitary confinement, and death. The most common cause was tuberculosis, which was the cause behind about half of the inmate deaths. This is one of the creepiest places in Arizona.
Check out this very informative video by Cactus Atlas:
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, 220 Prison Hill Rd, Yuma, AZ 85364, USA
How many of these places have you visited before? Do you agree that these are some of the scariest places in Arizona? Be sure to let us know what your experience was like by sharing it in the comments.
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Scariest Places In Arizona
June 27, 2020
Leah
Can I visit any abandoned places in Arizona?
Yes, you can certainly visit abandoned places in Arizona. From ancient ruins to decrepit towns (especially along the historic Route 66) there are long-since-forgotten structures being overtaken by nature and time. Check out this fun Abandoned Places In Arizona Road Trip that will fill your whole weekend with them.
What is the most haunted place in Arizona?
Some of the most haunted places in Arizona include:
Jerome Grand Hotel
The Old Miner's Cemetery in Jerome is supposedly haunted
The restaurant beneath the historic Hotel Connor
What are the most popular ghost stories in Arizona?
One of the most popular ghost stories in Arizona is that of a ghost that is said to haunt a park in Mesa, Arizona. At Jefferson Park, if you visit it between 11:30 PM and midnight, you might see a spooky paranormal being walking from tree to tree. It's said that this is the ghost of a woman who was assaulted and then murdered there. Her restless ghost remains and will be stuck there for eternity. Being there at night can really send a chill down your spine.
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Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
