queen mine tour bisbee arizona

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Copper Queen Mine Tour

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Queen Mine Tour

The Queen Mine was one of Bisbee's richest and operated from 1877 - 1975. It has seven levels with 143 miles of passageways. The Mine has natural ventilation due to the many shafts and drifts. The average temperature is 47 degrees, so visitors are advised to bring a warm sweater or jacket. Visitors are also issued hard hats, slickers, and miner's headlamps before taking the underground train deep into the former Copper Queen Mine. Retired miners narrate the tour and show how the turn of the century mines operated.

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• 478 Dart Rd
• Bisbee, Arizona 85603
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• (520) 432-2071
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Bisbee Queen Mine Tour

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Queen Mine Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

City of Bisbee: Queen Mine Tours

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Anyone visiting Tucson should consider a day or overnight trip to Bisbee, which lies just 90 miles southeast. During its heyday as a mining town in the early 1900s, Bisbee was one of the richest mineral sites in the world: its mines produced copper, gold, silver, and minerals such as turquoise, malachite and azurite. It was 1975, nearly 100 years after copper was first mined here, when mining operations were no longer profitable and ceased production. With a history so deeply connected to mining, the city decided to “repurpose” the mine to keep its history alive and bring tourists to the area. A section of the famous Queen Mine was cleaned and structurally reinforced, before opening to visitors in 1976. According to the mine’s website, more than a million visitors have toured the mine since it opened. The tour takes about an hour, and reservations are recommended. Before taking the train 1,500 feet into the side of the mountain, visitors are equipped with a hardhat, a bright yellow slicker, and a miner’s lamp. The guides are former miners who share firsthand knowledge of the mine’s history and operation, and all of it is fascinating. Bring a sweater, since the temperature underground is about 50 degrees. After the tour, learn even more about mining at the nearby Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum. And after that? Bisbee has fantastic art galleries, shops, restaurants, and restored Victorian neighborhoods. Don’t miss the Cochise County Courthouse, a stunning Art Deco building.

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Queen Mine Tours

478 N Dart Rd, Bisbee , Arizona 85603 USA

• Independent
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Not Wheelchair Accessible
• Public Restrooms

Learn more about this business on Yelp .

“One of the world's best copper camps!”

BISBEE - a name to stir the interest of mining men everywhere - has been one of the greatest copper camps the world has ever known. In almost 100 years of continuous production before the Bisbee mines closed in 1975, the local mines produced metals valued at $6.1 billion (at 1975 price) one of the largest production valuations of all the mining districts in the world. This staggering amount of wealth came from the estimated production of 8,032,352,000 lbs of copper, 2,871,786 ounces of gold, 77,162,986 ounces of silver, 304,627,600 lbs of lead and 371,945,900 lbs of zinc! Today’s Queen Mine Tour takes visitors deep into the old workings of the famous Queen Mine where great tonnages of extremely rich copper ore was mined in the early days, catching the attention of the mining industry around the world as one of the greatest treasure troves of copper ever discovered. Taking the Queen Mine Tour is to step back through the pages of history. A melting pot of immigrant miners from the mining districts of Europe labored beneath the Mule Mountains to feed the insatiable demand for copper and electricity. The electrical age changed the World from a predominantly rural society to the industrial age, bringing with it the highest standard of living the world has ever known.

Reviewed by Mo O.

Great tour, great experience. If you find yourself in Bisbee, this tour is well worth the time and money. Located just off the main drag, you can either park in the mine tour parking lot, or you... Read more

Reviewed by Lady D.

Neal was our guide and he was fantastic! Lots of great information as a previous employee of the mine. The tour is really interesting to see how miners through the years did the job. You actually... Read more

Reviewed by Shelly W.

The tour is good and you get to see farther into the mine. First thing to know, they have parking and restrooms. Second it requires some agility to get on and off their train everyone rides.... Read more

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Queen Mine Tours

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Queen Mine Tours

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Queen Mine Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

These Are The 10 Best Historic Downtowns In Arizona

• Historic downtowns in Arizona offer a glimpse into the state's storied past, showcasing its frontier days and mining history. Each downtown has its own unique charm and blend of old-world vibes and pioneering spirit.
• From Prescott's Whiskey Row and Sharlot Hall Museum to Jerome's copper mining relics and haunted buildings, these downtowns transport visitors back in time to the Wild West and Spanish conquest.
• Explore the Queen Mine Tour in Bisbee, step into Tombstone's famous Bird Cage Theater, and visit museums and historic sites in Yuma, Flagstaff, Payson, Wickenburg, Sedona, and Tubac to experience Arizona's enduring heritage.

Amid Arizona's larger-than-life landscapes, from the depths of the Grand Canyon—the top tourist attraction in the United States —to the saguaro-dotted desert, lie historic downtowns that transport visitors back in time. These destinations provide an unforgettable glimpse into Arizona's storied past, from its early frontier days to its mining bonanzas.

Meander wooden boardwalks where outlaws once roamed, explore mining museums deep underground and hear tales of fortunes won and lost. Each one of Arizona's historic downtowns offers its own window into the lore and legacy of the Grand Canyon State, blending old-timey vibes with pioneering spirit. From tales of the Wild West to the relics of Spanish conquest, take a journey into Arizona’s enduring heritage by exploring these downtowns' charming main streets and historic haunts peppered all across old-world towns and cities in the state.

Related: These Are 10 Of The Best Historic Downtowns In Virginia

Downtown Prescott: A Frontier Gold And Silver Mining City

Founded in 1864, explore this frontier mining town's old downtown with 500 historic buildings like whiskey row and sharlot hall museum.

With over 500 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, Prescott's downtown area flaunts its Wild West roots through and through. Whiskey Row harkens back to the city’s early days with its iconic saloons, while the sandstone Courthouse Plaza provides a stately centerpiece to this former territorial capital.

Stop by the Sharlot Hall Museum to dive deeper into Prescott’s frontier past or time travel down Montezuma Street, lined with historic homes and charming bungalows. From the historic Palace Restaurant and Bar that once housed Arizona’s first governor to the Hotel St. Michael, the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Old West come alive in Prescott.

• Date Founded : 1864
• Best Time to Visit : May - October
• Top Attractions : Whiskey Row , Sharlot Hall Museum , Downtown Historic Area

RELATED: 10 Things To Do In Prescott: Complete Guide To Arizona's Not-So-Small Pioneer Town

Downtown Jerome: "The Wickedest Town In The West"

Founded in 1876, this former copper mining boomtown clings to cleopatra hill and is a national historic landmark with an old-world downtown.

Once known as the “Billion Dollar Copper Camp,” Jerome offers one of the many historic downtown areas in Arizona; it is a former mining town that clings to Cleopatra Hill with homes and buildings perched precariously along its steep slopes. Designated a National Historic Landmark, Jerome and its downtown provide an authentic glimpse into Arizona’s copper mining past.

Visit the Douglas Mansion and Mine Museum to learn about the town’s boom and bust history or view mining artifacts at the Jerome State Historic Park. Don’t miss the Audrey Headframe Park, home to the largest remaining wood headframe in Arizona. With its crooked streets, saloons, and haunted buildings, stepping into Jerome is like entering a mining town frozen in time.

• Date Founded : 1876
• Best Time to Visit : March-May, September - November
• Top Attractions : Jerome State Historic Park , Gold King Mine Ghost Town , Audrey Headframe Park

Before the day ends, visitors should be sure to see the Sliding Jail in Jerome , which slid 225 feet from where it was built.

Downtown Bisbee: Home Of The Queen Mine Tour

Dubbed "queen of the copper camps", this mining town was founded in 1880 and its downtown offers the queen mine tour, diving into historic copper miners' lives.

Experience the prosperity and perseverance of a boom-era mining town in Bisbee, located among the Mule Mountains of southeastern Arizona. Designated “Queen of the Copper Camps,” Bisbee rose to prominence as one of the richest mineral sites in the world, boasting nearly 3 million ounces of gold and over 8 billion pounds of copper.

Explore Bisbee's downtown and beyond by taking the Queen Mine Tour and traveling by rail 1,500 feet beneath the earth or see its surface attractions like the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum and the galleries along Brewery Gulch. Named after the saloons that once lined the district, Brewery Gulch offers a beautiful snapshot of Bisbee’s late 19th-century architecture and homegrown art scene.

• Date Founded : 1880
• Best Time to Visit : September - May
• Top Attractions : Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum , Queen Mine Tour

Downtown Tombstone: Famed For The Legendary Honky-Tonk Bird Cage Theater

A famous wild west town, founded in 1877, and the site of the legendary o.k. corral gunfight reenactment.

Step back in time and enjoy the Wild West in Tombstone . Dubbed “The Town Too Tough To Die,” downtown Tombstone embraces its Wild West image as one of the last boomtowns in the American frontier. Relive the city’s storied past with a reenactment of the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral or saunter down Allen Street to shop the authentic storefronts. Stop for a sarsaparilla at the Crystal Palace Saloon, considered one of the most haunted places in Tombstone.

Plus, make sure to visit Boot Hill Graveyard, where tombstones etched with ominous epithets like “Hanged by Mistake” mark the final resting place of many frontier folk and outlaws. With its boardwalks, stagecoach rides, and ghost tours, Tombstone and its historic downtown brings the Old West to life.

• Date Founded : 1877
• Best Time to Visit : Year-round
• Top Attractions : O.K. Corral , Historic Allen Street , Boot Hill Graveyard

Downtown Payson: A Historic Rim Country Hub

Founded in 1882, see payson's old west sites like main street, the zane grey cabin, and the "world's oldest continuous rodeo", going since 1884.

Nestled in the heart of Arizona’s Rim Country, Payson takes visitors back to the state’s territorial days. The Rim Country Museum provides an overview of the area’s history through interactive exhibits, Native American artifacts, and even a replica general store.

Historic Main Street transports people to Payson’s early 20th-century downtown, filled with original buildings that house antique shops and galleries. Literature buffs will also appreciate the Zane Grey Cabin, where the famous Western author lived and wrote some of his most popular novels. Meanwhile, the Payson Rodeo, dubbed the “World's Oldest Continuous Rodeo”, first began in 1884, which people can still see.

With its historical markers and preserved buildings from the late 1800s, downtown Payson brings Rim Country’s pioneer past to life.

• Date Founded : 1882
• Top Attractions : Rim Country Museum , Tonto Natural Bridge State Park , Payson Rodeo

Downtown Flagstaff: The Place Where Pluto Was First Discovered

Founded in 1876, explore this railroad town with 900 historic buildings, including the hotel weatherford and riordan mansion.

Flagstaff proudly preserves its Wild West roots as a railroad town, logging community, and the county seat of the vast frontier. Today, downtown Flagstaff boasts one of the largest historic districts in Arizona, home to over 900 buildings listed on the National Register. Must-visit stops include the historic Hotel Weatherford, the Palace Saloon dating back to 1897, and the 1916 Santa Fe Railway Depot that anchors the district.

Nearby Riordan Mansion State Historic Park offers a glimpse into the luxe lifestyles of Flagstaff’s elite lumber barons, while the Pioneer Museum showcases over 10,000 pioneering artifacts. From its speakeasies to its storied hotels, Flagstaff brings the spirit of the Old West to life.

• Top Attractions : Downtown Flagstaff , Riordan Mansion State Historic Park

Visitors hoping to extend their trip in the state should not forget there are still small and underrated towns in Arizona that are great alternatives to Flagstaff , which can be added to the travel list.

RELATED: Finding Fun In Flagstaff: The Ultimate Travel Guide & Things To Do There

Downtown Yuma: Where The First Plane To Touch Down In Arizona In 1911

Founded in 1854, see this riverfront city, home to yuma territorial prison state historic park that housed infamous inmates.

Yuma is known as the sunniest city on Earth , but that's not its only draw; visitors can step back in time to learn about when this city served as a critical Colorado River crossing and key military outpost. The Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park reveals frontier life and infamous inmates through exhibits and its reconstruction of the 1876 prison.

Meanwhile, downtown Yuma’s Main Street features must-see historic buildings like the 1914 Yuma Theatre, the 1909 Hotel Del Sol, and the 1928 Kress Building. History buffs will also appreciate the Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park, which served as the Army’s supply hub for military campaigns in the Southwest. From stagecoach rides to living history demonstrations, Yuma provides an immersive experience of Arizona’s territorial past.

• Date Founded : 1854
• Best Time to Visit : October - April
• Top Attractions : Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park , Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park

Downtown Wickenburg: Arizona's Very First Frontier Town

Founded in 1863, this is arizona's first frontier town, featuring the jail tree and the preserved mining town of vulture city.

Experience the history of Arizona’s first frontier town through Wickenburg’s well-preserved historic downtown filled with rustic wooden structures. The Desert Caballeros Western Museum spotlights the area’s ranching roots and houses an extensive collection of Western art. Learn about the town’s notorious outlaws at the century-old Jail Tree, which held horse thieves and bandits in its sturdy branches.

Venture just outside of town to Vulture City, a preserved 1880s gold rush boomtown where people can tour historic buildings and try their hand at gold panning. From its winding main street to its mining past, Wickenburg truly embodies the spirit of the Old West.

• Date Founded : 1863
• Top Attractions : Desert Caballeros Western Museum , The Jail Tree , Vulture City

Downtown Sedona: Where Architecture Meets Red Rocks

Sedona was founded in 1902 and remains an art colony amid striking red rocks, with mid-century architecture like the chapel of the holy cross.

Against a backdrop of striking red rock formations, Sedona and its vibrant and historic downtown area's roots run deep as an Arizona art colony. Sedona's downtown is locally known as Historic Uptown Sedona or the Main Street District, and it recalls the city’s vintage vibes through locales filled with knotty pine cottages from the 1940s-60s. It also houses galleries, boutiques, and restaurants occupying stone and adobe buildings.

Nearby Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village replicates a traditional Mexican village with cobblestone walkways connecting gallery courtyards. Mid-century modern atomic architecture makes its mark at the 1956 Chapel of the Holy Cross, a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired chapel emerging from the red rocks. With its mix of Southwestern charm and atomic age flair, Sedona and its downtown area provide a hip homage to Arizona’s past.

• Date Founded : 1902
• Top Attractions : Historic Uptown Sedona, Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village , Chapel of the Holy Cross

RELATED: 10 Things To Do In Sedona: Complete Travel Guide To Healing Hikes & More

Downtown Tubac: The Oldest European Settlement In Arizona

Founded in 1752, tubac and its historic downtown are famed for original spanish fort remnants and over 100 art studios.

Experience a unique blend of Spanish colonial, Western frontier, and art history in Tubac, the oldest European settlement in Arizona. The Tubac Presidio State Historic Park contains excavated foundations and displays showcasing the original Spanish fort of 1752. A center of commerce and culture, Tubac and its downtown today houses over 100 art studios and galleries at the Tubac Center of the Arts.

Nearby Tumacácori National Historical Park features the centuries-old mission church of San José de Tumacácori, a glimpse into Spanish missionary life. With its storied past spanning Ancient Sonoran natives to modern creatives, Tubac and its interesting downtown area provide an unforgettable journey through the historic eras of Arizona.

• Date Founded : 1752
• Top Attractions : Tubac Presidio State Historic Park , Tubac Center of the Arts , Tumacácori National Historical Park

'American Idol' Top 8 star McKenna Faith Breinholt honors late mom: 'She's cheering me on'

McKenna Faith Breinholt of Gilbert has sung her way into the final eight on "American Idol," where Lionel Richie responded to her cover of the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" by proclaiming her the "Queen of Smoky Voice" on Sunday, April 28 ' s episode.

The morning after that performance, Breinholt was reminded that he called her that.

"He did," she said, apologizing for her voice, which was sounding even raspier than usual at 8 a.m.

"And that's what you're hearing right now. To a fault," she said.

It's just what happens when she wakes up after singing, Breinholt said, assuring The Republic that she'll be fine when the Top 8 contestants go live on Monday, April 29 .

McKenna to dedicate next 'Idol' performance to her birth mom

She plans to dedicate the song she will sing on Monday's show to her birth mother, Amy Ross Lopez, a singer from Bisbee, Arizona, who was half of the folk duo  Nowhere Man and A Whiskey Girl . Ross Lopez died in October 2013 of complications from lupus.

Breinholt was adopted as a baby before her mother's death. It was a closed adoption, which meant she couldn't find out any information on her birth mother until after her 21st birthday.

The story of Breinholt discovering her birth mother had been a singer was a deeply moving highlight of her audition , where the 25-year-old singer played piano while delivering a heartfelt rendition of "There Was Jesus," a duet by Christian artist Zach Williams and country music icon Dolly Parton.

After telling the "American Idol" judges she'd made plans to meet her birth family in person for the first time three weeks after the audition, Breinholt was surprised to find that her adoptive parents had flown in several members of that birth family to be there for her.

McKenna covered A Whiskey Girl's 'Tumbleweed' twice on 'Idol'

Katy Perry asked if she knew any of her birth mom's songs, and Breinholt sat at the piano to sing "Tumbleweed" as her grandmother broke down in tears while quietly singing along.

When Perry asked if it sounded the same, her grandmother responded, "Oh, it's like a ghost."

Brienholt revisited the song on April 15 after learning she was advancing to the Top 14.

"I just kind of wanted to honor her that way," she said.

'Tumbleweed' connects McKenna to Amy Ross Lopez

What drew her to "Tumbleweed" is that it was the first song she discovered when she started exploring her mother's songs.

"And that's how I connect with her," she said, "it's about leaving your past behind and moving forward on your plans that you've had for yourself, not looking back."

She's hoping to record her version of the song when this season of "American Idol" is over, regardless of who wins.

"A huge goal of mine, right when I'm done, is to get in the studio with my birth uncle and start rewriting a lot of her songs," she said. "Maybe that's the way that I would do that, put my own spin on them."

'American Idol' felt 'super surreal.' But now it's on

Breinholt has been loving her "Idol" experience.

"Honestly, I feel like this whole thing has been super surreal," she said. "But now that I'm in the Top 8, it's getting real. Like, it feels like I'm on 'American Idol' now. It feels like there's competition. And it's intense a little bit."

She chose "Iris," the song that put her in the Top 8 , in part because she's loved it since she was little (yes, it is that old) and in part because of how she ties the lyrics into her own story.

"I just feel like everyone wants to show the world who they really are," she said.

"And we're all scared to be our true selves. I feel like that's what that song was about, for me, just getting myself out there and showing who I really am through the imperfections and the flaws and hoping that the world still loves me, even though I'm putting it all on the line."

Best part of her 'Idol' journey? The friends she's made

The best part of the "Idol" journey, Breinholt said, has been the friends she's made.

"I will keep these friendships for the rest of my life," she said.

It can get weird when the topic of wanting to win comes up.

"But for the most part, everyone is so supportive, and we cheer each other on. I think if any of us were to go home at this point, we would be happy and proud. And we'd want to come back to the shows to keep cheering each other on."

'American Idol' has made McKenna push herself to grow

She's grown a lot since her audition.

"When I first started performing on the show, I was super timid," she said. "I only wanted to stay behind the piano. I didn't really push myself vocally. Every performance, I've pretty much stretched my range and sung higher and higher. I even got out from behind the piano and moved around the stage a little bit."

No matter who wins, Breinholt plans to keep pursuing her career when this season is over.

"I want to get more music out and just get a fan base," she said. "I already have a mini fan base on Spotify. To grow that would be awesome. And to start touring."

'It has felt like my birth mom is figuring out a way to be on stage'

Breinholt said she feels her birth mom has been watching over her these past few shows.

"Honestly, the last three songs, not to be cheesy, but it has felt like my birth mom is figuring out a way to be on stage," she said.

"That sounds so weird. But last night, before my song, I had a huge piece of confetti spin down from the ceiling, just one piece, and land right at the front of the piano, right before I started singing. And before my last performance, I had a breakdown in the bathroom just because I felt so strongly that she's cheering me on. That's probably the coolest thing that's happened on the show so far."

Where and how to watch 'American Idol' tonight

“American Idol” is on at 5 p.m. PT on Monday, April 29, on ABC.

You can watch “American Idol” Season 22 on ABC 15 in Arizona at 5 p.m. You can also stream the new episode with a subscription to FuboTV or Hulu the next day, starting at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30.

Past episodes are available on Hulu if you want to catch up. A subscription to Hulu costs $7.99 a month for the ad-supported plan. Students can get Hulu with ads for $1.99 a month, and Hulu with no ads costs $17.99 a month.

‘American Idol' Season 22: Who made it to the Top 8?

Reach the reporter at   [email protected]  or 602-444-4495. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:   @EdMasley .

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