This patchwork of small towns, desert trails, and mining-town grit is only a short drive from both Phoenix and Tucson, yet it feels worlds away. It’s one part Western-town time capsule, one part wild desert escape – the kind of place where you can sip a margarita in a historic saloon, wander ancient Native American ruins, and hike rugged canyon trails all in the same day.
What is the Copper Corridor?
The Copper Corridor is a stretch of mountainous desert located in southern-central Arizona. Once the heart of the state’s copper-mining boom, these communities are now home to vibrant art scenes, award-winning food, endless miles of hiking and OHV trails, and some of the friendliest people (and ghosts) you’ll ever meet. The Copper Corridor’s core communities include Superior, Globe, Miami, Kearny, and Oracle, along with several smaller historic towns scattered along the route.
This story was created in partnership with the Cooper Corridor, Arizona.
Why This Route Works – Especially if You Start in Phoenix
Since the Copper Corridor is just a short drive from Phoenix (and easily reachable from Tucson), it makes the perfect quick escape: remote-feeling but incredibly accessible. From Phoenix Sky Harbour Airport, you can be in the Copper Corridor in under an hour – yet the desert becomes so quiet and the night skies so dark that you’d swear you were hours away from the closest city.
The byway that ties these communities together was officially designated a scenic route, meaning the journey itself is part of the experience. Towering saguaros, desert mountains, winding canyon roads, and more trailheads than you can fit on a map line the entire drive.
The best part? The landscape here is surprisingly diverse, shifting from desert scrub to riparian river valleys to high-desert hills. It’s one of the few places in Arizona where you can feel the state’s ecological variety in such a compact stretch.
And if you’re up for a longer, unbelievably beautiful road trip, you can treat the Copper Corridor as the scenic middle leg between Phoenix and Tucson. It’s a detour that’s absolutely worth it – the kind of stretch that turns a basic city-to-city drive into a real adventure.
Must-Sees Throughout The Copper Corridor
From some of the most beautiful hiking trails in the state to historic towns that (literally) always have a new business to check out, the Copper Corridor lets visitors strike the perfect mix of adventure and leisure. It’s the kind of place where you can be standing on a cactus-filled ridgeline one minute, and sipping a prickly pear margarita only an hour later.
Globe
- Besh‑Ba‑Gowah Archaeological Park: Step back centuries by touring this restored Salado-culture pueblo ruins dating to ~1225 CE. With 200+ rooms, archaeological exhibits, and dramatic desert-creek overlooks, it’s one of the best ways to learn more about the first people to occupy the land that is now the Copper Corridor.
- Stairizona Art Trail: This corner of Arizona has a way of attracting some of the country’s most talented artists, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the town of Globe. Follow this 6.5-mile walking trail that takes visitors through the charming small town and past countless public art installations along its steep streets.
Miami
- Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum: This historic school-building-turned-museum dives into the mining, ranching, Native American, and community heritage of the region. The museum is a great stop to give context into the historical significance of the area – and to meet some of its oldest residents during a ghost tour.
- Historic Downtown: Sip coffee, browse antique shops, sample locally made mead, and wander mural lined historic streets. Miami’s downtown area is a quaint – yet vibrant – walk back in time that shows how this area has embraced its mining-town roots, while moving into the future with open arms.
Superior
- Boyce Thompson Arboretum: Arizona’s oldest and largest botanical garden is home to 392 acres of desert plants, trails, and wildlife. Because of its comparatively cooler habitat and broad variety of plants, many visitors to the arboretum stumble upon desert wildlife including coatis, javelinas, birds, and more. It’s an easy-going but stunning first stop for those wanting desert nature without tackling a strenuous hike.
- Hiking & OHV Trails: From mellow to rugged, the Copper Corridor offers a bit of everything. It’s home to one of the largest OHV trail networks in the country, and boasts endless adventures for hikers and mountain bikers. You can rent ATVs right in the town of Superior and spend the day covering miles of wide open desert in style. For those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground, the LOST trail features jaw-dropping segments of trail right out of town.
Kearny
- Arizona Trail: The famous Arizona Trail travels 800-miles through the state, and intersects the Copper Corridor right in Kearny. There’s even a pizza shop here that delivers pizza right to the trail if you’re looking for an insanely unique lunch experience.
- Rivers & Lakes: The Copper Corridor isn’t just desert and saguaros. The region has plenty of river access opportunities as well. From waterfront campsites along the Gila River to Kearny Lake, there are plenty of places to cool off from the desert heat.
Oracle
- Zip Lining: I can’t think of too many sights prettier than seeing the desert from above, and one of the best ways to do that is by buckling into a zipline. Between the adrenaline rush and the sweeping views, you’ll come as close as you can to forgetting about your fear of heights!
- Lavender Farm: Support and learn about local agriculture at Oracle’s very own lavender farm. See how the flower is grown, and learn why it thrives in this desert climate. Even better is that there are plenty of locally made lavender products for you to bring back home as a souvenir!
The Real Arizona
If you’re craving a genuine taste of Arizona (AKA a trip filled with the sun on dusty roads, some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, and the hush of a saguaros filled desert view at dawn), then the Copper Corridor isn’t a detour – it’s your destination.
It sits right at the edges of the modern Southwest: close enough for convenience, far enough for solitude. You don’t need a huge budget or a week off. All you need is a long weekend and your sense of adventure (and likely some sunscreen too).
