Southern Arizona summers: find the cool spots

If you think it’s hot in Arizona in the summer, you haven’t traveled the state much. Here are three ideas for things to do and places to go in southern Arizona to get cool.

Go underground. The average temperature inside Kartchner Caverns is about 70 degrees. Insulated by layers of earth, caves are naturally cooler. While you’re cooling off, you’ll get to explore one of the world’s top 10 living caves. Throne Room tours show amazing stalactites and stalagmites that took thousands of years to form. See these wondrous formations on touts that last about an hour. Info: Kartchner Caverns State Park website

How cool is this?! Kartchner Caverns State Park® Photo by Noelle Wilson ©Arizona State Parks

Get high. No, we’re not pushing drugs. Get high in elevation. Cochise County elevations start at around 3,000 feet, and many of the peaks top out above 7,000 feet. That translates to crisp summer air. Mountain ranges include the Dragoons between Benson and Willcox, Mules where Bisbee sits, Whetstones where Kartchner Caverns is located, Chiricahuas, between Douglas and Willcox, the Huachucas in Sierra Vista, Dos Cabezas near Willcox and more. You’ll find lots of recreational opportunities like hiking and camping in Cochise County’s mountains!

Low-temperature golf at value prices. Sitting at elevations of 3,500-4,600 feet, these courses offer a respite from urban courses. Visitors can tackle the “Rattler,” a 757-yard, par-6 hole—just one of the interesting golf experiences at Cochise County’s seven public courses located in Benson, Bisbee, Douglas, Sierra Vista, Sunsites and Willcox. For more info, check the Cochise County Tourism Council’s golf listing.

You can find out more by contacting any of the Cochise County Visitors Centers: Benson Bisbee, Douglas, Sierra Vista, Tombstone and Willcox.

AZ State Parks: Kartchner Caverns, Tombstone Courthouse face budget cuts

Last year I wrote a post about Kartchner Caverns that has been popular of late.

One of the reasons?

There is such a hullabaloo in Arizona right now on the state budget, and the state legislators are considering taking funds from the State Parks budget to fill the gap.

This has prompted lots of talk about closing parks that are in rural communities. It’s a shame, really, because these parks offer recreation, history, camping and so much more. Kartchner Caverns itself is such a treasure, but it could face closing on certain days of the week.

Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park has gone  from being open daily to opening only 5 days a week. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The economy and the state budget mess has not been kind to Arizona. Subsequently, our State Parks are nearly under siege. Funds seem to be fair game for whittling away the deficit our state lawmakers are facing (and have faced for months).

At any rate, the parks are among the highlights of Cochise County. Tombstone Courthouse has a courtroom that looks much the same as it did back in the late 1800s, and there are loads of exhibits that give you a sense of what life was like in Tombstone. I recommend a visit to the Tombstone Courthouse. It’s only a $4 entrance fee for now. Thier fees might go up to $5 soon, but it’d still be worth it!

If you haven’t been on one of Kartchner’s tours, I highly recommend you go. It is such a cool place! I went last year with my fiance and his daughter, and we had a great time! We also went to Tombstone, Fairbank ghost town (which is on BLM land next to the San Pedro River) and Sierra Vista that weekend.

You can book a tour at Kartchner by calling 520-586-2283. Find out more about the Tombstone Courthouse by visiting the Tombstone Courthouse website.

Other communities in Cochise County include Benson, Bisbee, Douglas, Sierra Vista, Tombstone and Willcox. Visit Cochise County’s Tourism website or click on any of the communities above for more information on things to do and where to stay.