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Lavender Pit

4.1 (15 reviews)

Lavender Pit Photos

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The Lavender Pit
Renee N.

We found this historic pit purely by accident. We were heading to find our lodging for the evening and as we were driving by, we decided to pull over to see what we could learn. While enjoying this birthday trip, I learned a lot about the great state of Arizona. One thing is that Arizona is known for mining copper. This pit is a former open pit copper mine right near the famous Copper Queen mine. It was opened in 1950 and they mined here till 1974. Turquoise was also found in this pit and is known as Bisbee Blue turquoise. This turquoise is famous and it is some of the finest known through out the world. The pit is 900 feet deep and apparently there is still some copper left that may be mined in the future. There was plenty of signage to review and learn from and I am glad we made the stop. Very interesting!

Mandy T.

If you are in Bisbee you should make a stop at this site to read about the lavender pit and take some pics.

Plaque
Jessica S.

We were out and about with my parents, on our way to Old Town Bisbee. My dad - ever the tour guide - suggested stopping here, and because he was driving and we were captive, stop here we did. You get a sense of the size of the pit from the car, but getting out, the immensity of what was dug out and all that entailed is a bit staggering. They do a good job of sharing information on the history of the pit, the people involved, and the "why" behind it all. There are informational panels scattered around the ridge; we were able to view a handful of them before hopping back in to leave. It is worth a stop for the history and perspective if nothing else. The views are impressive and - if you take the time to ponder it all - the impact can either depress or impress your soul.

Tammy E.

What a cool piece of history here along the main road in Bisbee. The last time I was in the area I didn't realize there was a turnout viewing area, but this time I had my lunch with me and needed a place to stop to eat it anyway. I had no idea what was down there so I'm glad I stopped to learn all about it. I had wondered why the town on the other side of the highway down the road looked like an old mining town - I can be a little dense sometimes! This place is worth a stop if you are in the area. So much of this area's history was built upon the copper mine's success in the early days when our country needed an abundance of copper. There is a fence between the visitor area and the big drop off beyond but there are several cutouts all along the path for you to take pictures from. Note that there are no restrooms here at the viewing area.

Angelina R.

Traveling through, I didn't expect to see much after the random 'Copper Prince' mine shaft entry right off the side of Highway 80 a few miles prior. This is hard to miss! Basically a HUGE former mining pit, and World War II memorial. I'm not a fan of heights, so I didn't stay too long (or get too close to the fencing, even though it acts as a barricade, lol). But, this was very cool, and worth the stop to look & learn a little! The entirety is fenced w/ a paved walkway. Every few feet they've created cutouts in the fencing just large enough to adequately capture photos of the abandoned mining pit. (The Cooper Prince entrance off the side of the road a couple miles prior is totally closed off for good reason!) But the first thing you'll notice here, besides the gorgeous rock formations/color & strong sulphur smell is the DEEP sea blue color of the large pool of water at the base. It's absolutely stunning & no photos do it justice! Off to the right, there's also a couple of smaller pools- one bright Orange & another slightly opal in color. It's very apparently mineral rich. The roadside attraction/educational signs are quite faded & hard to read. But the World War II memorial is quite stunning in person. A beautiful tribute in a very beautiful area of scenic Arizona. It is definitely worth the stop to check out.

Information Plaques
Richard F.

We heard about the pit so when we visited Bisbee we just had to stop. They have a very nice parking area where you can pull in and park safely and get out to view this monstrous hole in the ground. It is unbelievable how big this hole is. There are information boards under a small shelter where you can read all about what happened here and the impact the mining company had on the area. There are places in the fence where they cut out the fence fro you to take a clear picture. Just look, you can't miss them. There is a lot of history here so make sure you stop for a few minutes to see this.

A rare cloudy rainy day over the pit!

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Review Highlights - Lavender Pit

There are some plaques which explain more about the history of mining and the use of open pit mines.

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Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum

Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum

(27 reviews)

This review is for the gift shop! We came to the shop on the way out of town as we'd found they…read moresold a local book one of our group wanted. The gentleman up front was very nice as was the woman in the shop. We snagged the last copy -- which was also signed! - then proceeded to pick up some souvenirs. They have a really nice selection of local books, art, crystals, and items like miners tags. I got a really cute little tree made of copper wire and green stones, and a mixed silver and copper ring. Recommend stopping by even if you don't have time for the museum. Its a nice little shop and as a Smithsonian affiliate, there's no tax!

Steve was our tour guide and he was awesome! He spent his whole career working in the mines, so the…read morestories and details he shared really brought everything to life. Honestly, this was the best mine tour we've done in Arizona. You check in about 30 minutes before the tour. There's a little shop to browse, a spot to sit, and a short movie in the back that gives you a great background on the mine and how copper is made. The tour itself is about an hour, all underground. You ride in on a little train that you sit on kind of like a bike, and the temperature stays a cool mid-60s the whole time. They give you a hard hat, light, safety vest, and even a number tag - just like real miners use - so they know nobody gets left behind. Along the way, the train stops a few times so you can get off, check out artifacts, and walk into different areas while Steve tells more stories. When you come back up to the surface, have your sunglasses ready - the sunlight feels unbelievably bright after being underground. It was the highlight of our full day in Bisbee and something you do NOT want to miss.

Amerind Foundation

Amerind Foundation

(21 reviews)

More artifacts than my brain can process in a beautiful set of buildings at an incomparable site…read more I've been wanting to visit this place for over a decade, and finally made it there yesterday. Not easy to find: take the Dragoon exit just before Texas Canyon, make a right and it's down about a mile on the left. Long gravel driveway to get into the grounds. Suggestion: pack a picnic lunch. They have stunning picnic grounds just past the museum in a jaw-dropping setting among the rocks. Also gives you a break from looking at all the stuff which, frankly, gets a little overwhelming after a while. We hit the art gallery first as it closes from 12-1PM, and we got there around 11:30. Mostly photography when we were there, but very nice work. The main exhibits have great interpretive signage - you can spend hours just reading all the explanations. A lot of the signage gives you the history, which is great. I have never seen so much antique jewelry in my life - really impressive displays. Ran out of time for the hike to the bird pond - next time! We did stop at the old cemetery on the way out - do make a brief stop and read the story of the place.

We visited here for my kids school trip and overall this was an enjoyable and memorable experience…read more This museum is more of a personal collection of Native American items from several cultures. It's beautiful to see and also, I left with a feeling that's particular and not quite explainable. The staff were great, the facilities well kept, a good drive around the space, watch out for snakes, take time to read-that's where lots of information is. No pictures allowed inside

Lavender Pit - museums - Updated May 2026

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