AZ 01-2024 Bisbee Arizona Copper Mines these are called the Lavendar Pits. Located in Bisbee, when I first saw thought it was another grand canyon but this was man created and very sad to see. Some people see beauty but I see destruction. To me it was all very sad! read more

See all

The Lavender Pit is a former open pit copper mine that ran from 1950 to 1974. During that time, 86 million tons of ore was excavated (600,000 tons of it was copper). Turquoise was also found in this pit and is sold in Bisbee. The pit is 900 feet deep and has a toxic reddish blue water pool at the bottom. The Lavender Pit was named in honor of the general manager of Phelps Dodge Corporation Harrison M. Lavender (1890-1952). Phelps Dodge Corporation are the ones that opened the Lavender Pit in the 50's. You can view the Lavender Pit at a scenic stop on highway 80. It is a quick stop and there is plenty of places to park. There is information about the pit and a WW2 memorial at the scenic stop. For photos, there are a few large holes in the chain link fence that you can take pictures with your camera. It's worth a short visit to see the depths of the Lavender Pit and the colors that make up its steep walls. read more

Lavender Pit - Museums Near Me - Bisbee, Arizona

See all

This pit is right on highway 80 and hard to miss. It's definitely worth a quick stop. The depth of the pit and the variety of colors are amazing. There are some plaques which explain more about the history of mining and the use of open pit mines. There are small windows in the fence to get a clear view/photo of the pit. Interesting little stop with a good view and some history to be learned. Plenty of parking available as well. read more

Lavender Pit - Museums Near Me - Bisbee, Arizona

See all

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! read more

Lavender Pit - The Lavender Pit - Museums Near Me - Bisbee, Arizona

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

See all

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. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

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. read more

See all

Do not let the rant below prevent you from stopping here, it is a must-do when visiting Bisbee. That being said: Dear #CityofBisbee: for god's sake please lay down some new asphalt on the parking lot of this pit overlook. This is one of the most sought-after photo ops and views in this city, there is a constant turnover of vehicles in and out of this spot. The condition of the entry and exit from AZ-80 is unacceptable, as is the minefield of potholes and broken chunks of pavement. Resurface this goddamn thing already, save yourself a future lawsuit from an asshole like me who WILL slap you with one should I ever lose a tire in this bitch. You beautifully resurfaced #Warren I'm sure you have a few piles left to smooth out this turnout. Trust me it will NOT deter from your precious old-world charm. Thank you! Signed, A temporary resident who pays zero taxes here but spends a fortune at your businesses and appreciates your hospitality just the same. read more

Lavender Pit - A rare cloudy rainy day over the pit! - Museums Near Me - Bisbee, Arizona

The viewpoint is located right off the main road that takes you into Bisbee and the Copper Queen mine. The viewing area is fenced off w/chainlink, but you can still manage to get some good views/pics of the massive "pit" that used to be an open pit copper mine. It is both jaw-dropping and depressing at the same time to see this massive hole, but it is worth the quick stop especially if you happen to have binoculars to see some of the cool features up close. Aside from the impressive size, it is kinda neat how the hues of the pit can change depending on the sunlight. read more

An impressive and amazing post mining operation open pit. So worth stoppong for just a couple of minutes to absorb the enormous aftermath of Bisbee's mining operation. read more

A pretty good place to stop and take pics on your way into town. They have several openings throughout the fence to put your arm through and take a pic of the pit, as you cannot understandably walk down into the pit. The Lavender Pit is part of the Copper Queen Mine. Mining took place until 1951when the manager of the Copper Queen Branch of Phelps Dodge Harrison Lavender, decided that an open pit would be a great idea to increase ore yield. Mining in the pit stopped in 1974 and the abandoned pit covers 300 acres, is 950 feet deep (ahhh!!), and is the result of 351 million tons of material being removed from the area. Sorry for getting all geekdom on you, but my grandmother's from Bisbee so I had to make a stop and make sure I learn all the history of the town. A recommended stop on your way into town. read more

Pretty cool place to drive by and take in the site. The Lavender Pit is larger than it looks pictured and is interesting. However, don't expect to spend more than 10 minutes here - the view is behind a chain link fence and there isn't anything more than a restroom facility there. read more

The open-pit copper mine is located right along the highway outside of Bisbee and, at one time, was a huge operation covering some 300 acres. When the price of copper fell, it was closed in 1974. Since Bisbee was a mining town, when Lavender closed followed by the Queen Mine a year later, Bisbee could have died, but instead reinvented itself. There is a large kiosk filled with info located on the Lavender site well worth reading. There were restrooms but they are closed. read more