We Checked Out The 7 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 is an incredible number of places in our state teeming with the emotions behind their histories. Some are jubilant, some humorous, but most are violent. We’re going to take a look at a few of the most terrifying 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 in haunted Arizona?

Aravaipa Canyon, Arizona 85192, USA

Michael Wifall/Flickr

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 viciously sexually assaulted 144 people and captured a handful of children to sell into slavery. It’s some very dark Arizona history that most people aren’t aware of.

Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, 220 Prison Hill Rd, Yuma, AZ 85364, USA

Ken Lund/Flickr

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:

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Bucket of Blood Street, Bucket of Blood St, Holbrook, AZ 86025, USA

Tristan Tom/Flickr

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.

Check out this video on the Bucket of Blood Saloon by CochiseCounty_Travels - Hvac_Refer_Guy:

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Canyon de Chelly, Canyon De Chelly, Arizona 86503, USA

Rennett Stowe/Flickr

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 a scorched earth policy that ultimately led the Navajo to surrender in 1864.

Canyon Diablo, AZ 86035, USA

Wikimedia Commons

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.

Jerome Grand Hotel, 200 Hill St, Jerome, AZ 86331, USA

Monster/Flickr

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?

Check out this news clip from ABC15 Arizona:

Yuma, AZ, USA

Jasperdo/Flickr

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. As the largest camp, it was hot, dusty, and notorious for poor sanitation conditions.

How many of these places have you visited before? Do you agree that these are some of the most terrifying places in Arizona? Be sure to let us know what your experience was like by sharing it in the comments. And hey, maybe you can find a haunted spot to spend the night at from our friends at Hotels.com.

If you want to check out more creepy Arizona content with a haunted twist, you might be interested in taking a ghost tour around the state! Check out what you’ll find on these ghost tours in Arizona that are sure to spook you.