Arizona is a photographer and traveler’s dream, so it’s no surprise that plenty of places in our state have been photographed and visited repeatedly. But what about those lesser-known and often hidden locations? Today, we’re highlighting a few places that are hidden away or rarely visited. Here are our picks for some of the coolest hidden gems in Arizona:
- Aravaipa Canyon
Alan English CPA/Flickr This beautiful spot is found in the eastern portion of the state near Safford, and is a federally-protected wilderness. A permit is required to for any kind of recreational use, which can be found at the Bureau of Land Management’s website.
- Arizona Hot Spring
Cedar/Flickr This natural hot spring is only accessible via hiking into the Lake Mead Recreational Area. The hike is six-miles round-trip, which can be strenuous for some, so plan to spend about five to six hours total for this adventure.
- Cave of the Bells
Gene Wilburn/Flickr This beautiful yet delicate cave is found deep within Coronado National Forest, along the Santa Rita Mountains. In order to protect the cave’s environment, a reservation is required, as well as a $100 deposit to obtain keys to enter the cave, which is refunded when the keys are returned.
- Gila Box
Chris M Morris/Flickr This riparian area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is located near Safford. It is home to four waterways, some cliff dwellings, old homesteads, and an abundance of wildlife.
Address: 11333 Bonita Creek Road, Safford, Arizona, 85546
- Hall of Flame Fire Museum
Daniel Greene/Flickr This unassuming place sits in the same neighborhood as the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden, and is a hidden treat for adults and children alike. It features a comprehensive history of firefighting, and has a lot of vintage fire equipment on display. too.
Address: 6101 East Van Buren Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85008
- Mystery Room at the Arizona Biltmore
Gust/Flickr The Prohibition ended 83 years ago, but there are still small hints of its influence lingering in the Copper State. One example of such is the Mystery Room at the Arizona Biltmore, a speakeasy that’s still a little difficult to find these days. Access requires a password, and the Biltmore occasionally posts clues about the lounge on their social media accounts.
Address: 2400 East Missouri Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85016
- Navajo Code Talkers display at Burger King
Melanie Wynne/Flickr Located in Kayenta in the Navajo Nation, this display is found in an unusual place: the local Burger King. However, this also means that it is easily accessible, and brings history to the public in an easily-accessible way.
Address: Highway 160, Kayenta, Arizona, 86033
- Secret Canyon
Chris Colhoun/Flickr At first glance, most people would assume this is a picture from Antelope Canyon, but it’s actually from another slot canyon in northern Arizona. Found near Page, this one is much less crowded since the touring company that drives people to the location limits visitors to just a few per day.
- Underground suite at Grand Canyon Caverns
Grand Canyon Caverns & Inn/Facebook If this hotel room isn’t hidden away, we don’t know what is. Located 220 feet below ground, this suite offers a unique (though pricey) hotel stay and the darkest, quietest sleep you can possibly imagine. Make sure to check their website for the most up-to-date booking information.
What do you think about this collection of hidden gems in Arizona? Here’s a list of 10 hidden places only the locals know about.
Alan English CPA/Flickr
This beautiful spot is found in the eastern portion of the state near Safford, and is a federally-protected wilderness. A permit is required to for any kind of recreational use, which can be found at the Bureau of Land Management’s website.
Cedar/Flickr
This natural hot spring is only accessible via hiking into the Lake Mead Recreational Area. The hike is six-miles round-trip, which can be strenuous for some, so plan to spend about five to six hours total for this adventure.
Gene Wilburn/Flickr
This beautiful yet delicate cave is found deep within Coronado National Forest, along the Santa Rita Mountains. In order to protect the cave’s environment, a reservation is required, as well as a $100 deposit to obtain keys to enter the cave, which is refunded when the keys are returned.
Chris M Morris/Flickr
This riparian area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is located near Safford. It is home to four waterways, some cliff dwellings, old homesteads, and an abundance of wildlife.
Address: 11333 Bonita Creek Road, Safford, Arizona, 85546
Daniel Greene/Flickr
This unassuming place sits in the same neighborhood as the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden, and is a hidden treat for adults and children alike. It features a comprehensive history of firefighting, and has a lot of vintage fire equipment on display. too.
Address: 6101 East Van Buren Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85008
Gust/Flickr
The Prohibition ended 83 years ago, but there are still small hints of its influence lingering in the Copper State. One example of such is the Mystery Room at the Arizona Biltmore, a speakeasy that’s still a little difficult to find these days. Access requires a password, and the Biltmore occasionally posts clues about the lounge on their social media accounts.
Address: 2400 East Missouri Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, 85016
Melanie Wynne/Flickr
Located in Kayenta in the Navajo Nation, this display is found in an unusual place: the local Burger King. However, this also means that it is easily accessible, and brings history to the public in an easily-accessible way.
Address: Highway 160, Kayenta, Arizona, 86033
Chris Colhoun/Flickr
At first glance, most people would assume this is a picture from Antelope Canyon, but it’s actually from another slot canyon in northern Arizona. Found near Page, this one is much less crowded since the touring company that drives people to the location limits visitors to just a few per day.
Grand Canyon Caverns & Inn/Facebook
If this hotel room isn’t hidden away, we don’t know what is. Located 220 feet below ground, this suite offers a unique (though pricey) hotel stay and the darkest, quietest sleep you can possibly imagine. Make sure to check their website for the most up-to-date booking information.
Tell us about your favorite hidden gems in the Copper State below.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Aravaipa Canyon, Arizona 85192, USAAddress: Willow Beach, AZ 86445, USAAddress: Cave of the Bells, Santa Rita Mountains, Patagonia, AZ 85624, USAAddress: 11333 Bonita Creek Rd, Safford, AZ 85546, USAAddress: 6101 E Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USAAddress: 2400 E Missouri Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USAAddress: US-160, Kayenta, AZ, USAAddress: Secret Canyon, Arizona 86336, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Hidden Gems in Arizona March 31, 2021 Tori Jane What are some secret places in Arizona? Arizona is full of things to do to kill an afternoon (or three). Some of them, like the Grand Canyon and Snow Bowl, are heavily-trafficked places where you’re guaranteed to run into throngs of people on any given day. There are, however, some lesser-known and secret places littered throughout the state, just waiting to be explored! For example, Arcosanti is an experimental living space open to visitors. It’s an intriguing self-sustaining village in the desert, and it’s a must-see for locals and tourists alike. Another great secret-in-plain-sight in Arizona is Mount Graham International Observatory, hunkered down in small-town Safford. It’s the largest telescope in the world and it goes sadly underappreciated year after year. It’s also worth checking out Secret Canyon, the lesser-known sibling of Antelope Canyon because come on - “secret” is in the name and everything. What are some of the best day trips in Arizona? Take your pick from hundreds of possibilities! Kill an entire day (or longer) at the world-famous Grand Canyon, Arizona’s very own resident Natural Wonder of the World. Another amazing, totally-worth-it day trip is a visit to the rolling hills of beautiful Sonoita and Elgin, in the southern region of the state - both of which are made up of scores of heavenly vineyards strewn across little-known and under-appreciated wine country. There’s also the Petrified Forest, which is a bizarre look into the quirks of the natural world and one of the only places like it in the world. Arizona is perfect for day tripping! Need some more ideas? This article might be helpful. Where are some off-the-beaten-path places to visit in Arizona? Arizona is home to lots of things to do, both major and minor. There’s a lot of weird and unusual things to do and see here, for example, the Mystery Castle on South Mountain is a strange, under-appreciated, and under-photographed home made of glass bottles and other unusual things built by an eccentric man over the course of 15 years and left to his estranged family upon his passing. The Coconino Lava River Cave is exactly what it sounds like - an ancient passageway carved out of the earth by a literal river of lava, which eventually emptied out and left a “tube” cave, where the temperature remains the same year-round. There’s also the bizarre ghost town of Santa Claus, out in the middle of the Mohave desert, which was once an attempt at a tourist attraction but is now eerily derelict (but great for photos).
The OIYS Visitor Center
Hidden Gems in Arizona
March 31, 2021
Tori Jane
What are some secret places in Arizona? Arizona is full of things to do to kill an afternoon (or three). Some of them, like the Grand Canyon and Snow Bowl, are heavily-trafficked places where you’re guaranteed to run into throngs of people on any given day. There are, however, some lesser-known and secret places littered throughout the state, just waiting to be explored! For example, Arcosanti is an experimental living space open to visitors. It’s an intriguing self-sustaining village in the desert, and it’s a must-see for locals and tourists alike. Another great secret-in-plain-sight in Arizona is Mount Graham International Observatory, hunkered down in small-town Safford. It’s the largest telescope in the world and it goes sadly underappreciated year after year. It’s also worth checking out Secret Canyon, the lesser-known sibling of Antelope Canyon because come on - “secret” is in the name and everything. What are some of the best day trips in Arizona? Take your pick from hundreds of possibilities! Kill an entire day (or longer) at the world-famous Grand Canyon, Arizona’s very own resident Natural Wonder of the World. Another amazing, totally-worth-it day trip is a visit to the rolling hills of beautiful Sonoita and Elgin, in the southern region of the state - both of which are made up of scores of heavenly vineyards strewn across little-known and under-appreciated wine country. There’s also the Petrified Forest, which is a bizarre look into the quirks of the natural world and one of the only places like it in the world. Arizona is perfect for day tripping! Need some more ideas? This article might be helpful. Where are some off-the-beaten-path places to visit in Arizona? Arizona is home to lots of things to do, both major and minor. There’s a lot of weird and unusual things to do and see here, for example, the Mystery Castle on South Mountain is a strange, under-appreciated, and under-photographed home made of glass bottles and other unusual things built by an eccentric man over the course of 15 years and left to his estranged family upon his passing. The Coconino Lava River Cave is exactly what it sounds like - an ancient passageway carved out of the earth by a literal river of lava, which eventually emptied out and left a “tube” cave, where the temperature remains the same year-round. There’s also the bizarre ghost town of Santa Claus, out in the middle of the Mohave desert, which was once an attempt at a tourist attraction but is now eerily derelict (but great for photos).
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Arizona is full of things to do to kill an afternoon (or three). Some of them, like the Grand Canyon and Snow Bowl, are heavily-trafficked places where you’re guaranteed to run into throngs of people on any given day. There are, however, some lesser-known and secret places littered throughout the state, just waiting to be explored! For example, Arcosanti is an experimental living space open to visitors. It’s an intriguing self-sustaining village in the desert, and it’s a must-see for locals and tourists alike. Another great secret-in-plain-sight in Arizona is Mount Graham International Observatory, hunkered down in small-town Safford. It’s the largest telescope in the world and it goes sadly underappreciated year after year. It’s also worth checking out Secret Canyon, the lesser-known sibling of Antelope Canyon because come on - “secret” is in the name and everything.
What are some of the best day trips in Arizona?
Take your pick from hundreds of possibilities! Kill an entire day (or longer) at the world-famous Grand Canyon, Arizona’s very own resident Natural Wonder of the World. Another amazing, totally-worth-it day trip is a visit to the rolling hills of beautiful Sonoita and Elgin, in the southern region of the state - both of which are made up of scores of heavenly vineyards strewn across little-known and under-appreciated wine country. There’s also the Petrified Forest, which is a bizarre look into the quirks of the natural world and one of the only places like it in the world. Arizona is perfect for day tripping! Need some more ideas? This article might be helpful.
Where are some off-the-beaten-path places to visit in Arizona?
Arizona is home to lots of things to do, both major and minor. There’s a lot of weird and unusual things to do and see here, for example, the Mystery Castle on South Mountain is a strange, under-appreciated, and under-photographed home made of glass bottles and other unusual things built by an eccentric man over the course of 15 years and left to his estranged family upon his passing. The Coconino Lava River Cave is exactly what it sounds like - an ancient passageway carved out of the earth by a literal river of lava, which eventually emptied out and left a “tube” cave, where the temperature remains the same year-round. There’s also the bizarre ghost town of Santa Claus, out in the middle of the Mohave desert, which was once an attempt at a tourist attraction but is now eerily derelict (but great for photos).
