Vulture City "Hanging Tree"

Great if you like a self guided experience. Lots of miscellaneous ro look at. They are working on making it nicer and more accessible for older or disabled customers. I thought it was well worth the $15 entrance fee.

In April, we took our 5 year old son who had just recently become interested in mines, rocks, and gold. We all enjoyed our time at Vulture mine. The western show was great! We enjoyed walking around on our own and looking at the various buildings. Our son's absolute favorite thing there was panning for gold. He was super happy to leave with some gold flakes, and a few other precious rocks

We've gone two years for the home school days and have always had a great time. The self paced touring is exactly what we enjoy. The shows are fun and informative, plus the actors are so much fun to talk with. It's a fun get away into the past.

We have been here twice and it was awesome both times. I love the updates that they have done and it’s great. We got to take our kids this last time and they absolutely loved it too. Can’t wait to go back again one day!

Went as a big family trip. Very cool experience. The people there were really nice and welcoming. I even saw a wedding party there so that was pretty neat!

Lots to see, more than we expected.

Historically interesting. This place has potential.

I enjoyed all of the interesting history here. I spent quite a while walking around reading and looking. Great job these people are doing fixing it up.

Well me being a native east coast girl I'm always intrigued to learn more about the Wild West now that I call it our home! We've have Vulture City our list & we've finally checked it off before the summer came! We came here in March when the weather is perfect, but either way they're open from October - May for obvious reasons & it's all self guided tours! The buildings are well spaced out & there's lots of ground to cover so it takes a couple of hours to go through the whole site depending on how fast you're looking to go! The history is so different seeing it in the movies vs seeing a Billy the Kid Wanted poster in the real. There's several buildings to tour with all of their original artifacts & if you go too fast you might overlook some interesting things... like the License for Prostitution that i came across in the last house we toured! So glad that we finally made it here.... It definitely didn't disappoint!

Amazing partially restored ghost town/event venue, great birthday outing at 77, new sidewalks a plus

Super cool place. We spent about 2 hours exploring, reading the info, and taking photos.

Great way to spend an hour. Good reminder of how tough it was. They have a small petting zoo.

If your into old places and buildings like me you will love this place the workers and everyone was so friendly I so much enjoyed my visit it was so peaceful here in the desert with the beautiful cactus and surrounding area would definitely come back again

I've been out to Vulture City many times over the past few years. Mostly for the ghost tour nights. It's always a lot of fun and the people leading the tours are very entertaining! They have so much information to share! The buildings are beautiful and the area around the mine is beautiful! Make sure to visit the cemetery which is about 1/4 mile from the mine.

Loved touring the Ghost town mine, the part we seen, but did not get to even finish seeing half. After signing the three pages of rules, which of course states that all dogs need to be leased, less than halfway thru the tour, one of the employees, Rick, had his dog off leash. His dog came running up to mine then went running up to the other leashed dog in our party. One of the people in our party asked why his dog was off leash and to keep his away form our leashed dogs. Rick said his dog is alright off leash. The dog went running up to another dog in our party which caused a fight between Ricks dog and the leashed dog in our party. This caused a women in our party to be knocked down who had just had hip and knee replacement surgery. After the encounter, Rick yelled at us because the other dog did not like his dog running up to him. Words were said and Rick drew fists. We got our money back and left without getting to complete the tour. The part that got us, is we are all in our late 60's and Rick drew fists on us and told us to leave. No one asked if the other woman that fell was ok or anything. All of this could have been an enjoyable trip had the employee Rick followed the rules that were giving to us regarding the leashed dogs.

We toured Vulture City this past Monday, driving the 78 miles from Prescott on a lovely late winter afternoon. The temperature was in the 50's which made for a very pleasant trip. We almost went last September when it was hot and sticky, which would have been much less pleasant, as the ghost town is in the open desert with very little shade, other than when you go into the various buildings. There was a smattering of other visitors when we arrived, so parking was not difficult to find. We went to the small check-in kiosk where a pleasant young lady greeted us and collected our admission fees, $12 for each of us senior citizens. My husband also bought a challenge coin. We both signed a liability waiver (you wander about in dilapidated buildings and areas, so they want you to be aware!) and were handed a laminated map/guide booklet for the self-guided tour. The guidebook is clearly marked with each of the 19 buildings and areas that are open to visit. First, we went to the power house where we saw a huge WWI submarine diesel generator that was used to run the mine. Next, we toured a small garage complete with vintage artifacts. Other places we went to included the gas station (with a 1924 National Cash Register), pump house, Vulture's Roost which was the private residence of the mine manager and is now a small museum, blacksmith shop, post office, assay building, Henry Wickenburg's first cabin, doctor's office, brothel, and boarding house, and bunkhouse. In most of the buildings, there are signs warning visitors "You are on candid camera!" We looked for the cameras and didn't see them until we got to the gas station. There they were. There are many vintage items scattered about; you hope people would not be crapheads and steal them, but you know human nature! Glad there *are* cameras! The assay building was very interesting. That is where they did the smelting, weighing, and storing the gold. Also on display was the guards' living quarters and kitchen. The guards had a window above the floor vault so they could watch that no one stole gold. We noticed an old stairwell outside the kitchen area. A gate in front was unlocked, with the padlock open. It led to the guards' sleeping quarters. I remember seeing that area on Arizona Highways. We went up the stairwell and saw the guards' beds (they looked very uncomfortable) and chamber pots. We learned later that those are the original and rickety stairs, and it was supposed to be locked and off limits to visitors (oops). Next to Henry Wickenburg's cabin is the (in)famous "Hanging Tree" where 18 gold thieves or murderers were reportedly hanged! There is a threadbare and broken rope - original??? The doctor's office/brothel/rooming house is very interesting; you know which is the brothel because there are coins on the bed. We were not able to go into the cookhouse because it was closed off, and never found the church. Workmen were working on one of the buildings while we were there. Scattered about were various Halloween type displays including a mini outhouse where you could take your photo inside a pumpkin. I am guessing they decorate for Halloween. It does kind of detract from the historical nature of the place, especially in late February. Speaking of outhouses, there is a clean modern restroom labeled "Outhouse" near the Wickenburg cabin. Very appreciated! There is nowhere to buy food or drink although there is a concession stand which I assume is used for special events or perhaps weekends. It was not open. You can buy wrapped candy in the check-in place. It was wonderful being able to roam freely throughout the town. We encountered only a handful of others the entire time we were there; it felt like we had the place to ourselves. Overall, we enjoyed our visit and learned quite a bit. The private owners obviously have poured much love and money to restore the town. It is very much worth a visit if you are in the area. Note: It would not be interesting to small children, and I'd be worried about them tripping or hurting themselves. I'd recommend it for ages 9 and up.

I LOVE ghost towns. Abandoned ones. Renovated ones, you name it. Vulture City was on my bucket list for things in the area when I was on my was to Phoenix. It was easy to find, the parking was plentiful and there was no line (and almost nobody else there). I really appreciate that the owners put so much time and care into renovating the buildings which were crumbling not long ago. If you want to see authentic buildings in good shape then this is the place to visit. However, I wasn't a big fan of the random Halloween/ horror themed art throughout the property. I appreciate that they had an artist in residence in one of the buildings and the art was really well done, but it felt out of place and made the whole thing feel a bit inauthentic. I feel like the town is more geared to people with kids (even though I did enjoy petting the donkey myself).

What a cool freaking place to visit! I am so glad I went. I had no idea this place existed, there's not much in the area to be honest but a friend visiting from out of town suggested it. We both love to take photos of neat and funky places so we thought we'd check it out. Wow! There was way more to it than I thought. When you check in the friendly person at the desk tells you all about the history of it and your entrance fees go right back into taking great care of the property. Once you spend some time and get a feel for the place you can see all the updates they've done to some of the buildings over the years. I would definitely make a trip back here once again. Cool for families, couples, singles, locals and tourists.

My husband and I drove out to Wickenburg, AZ from Prescott, AZ, which was about an hour and a half drive for us, but this place is about 14 miles off from the main road. The gates were open, but there wasn't a soul there. It was great! We met a volunteer named Laurie- who needs to be hired full-time, or given a raise! She was extremely kind and informative. We were given a map and it's a self-guided tour. It takes about an hour/hour and a half to go through the whole town. We had a ghost meter, which jumped to the highest scale a couple of times, near the Brothel. Really cool place to visit off the beaten path. Highly recommend. FYI: Check the hours before going here. The summer hours are 8:00am- 2:00pm as of right now. No night tours; however, you can book a private ghost tour online. They accept cash or credit cards for the entry fee and they also sell souvenirs.

I loved this place for numerous reasons. First the history of gold mining here in Arizona. I was only familiar with copper mining. Vulture city gives you a "birds eye view". Sorry!! About the life of miners during and after the gold rush of the mid to late 1800's. There are 16 original buildings that are constantly taking shape with period time pieces as well as shoring up some of the buildings that fell into disrepair since the off and on closings since WWII. You can enter ALL buildings. There are no guided tours during the summer months, but everything is well marked and a laminated guide to take you through the entire city. It's the only place that gives you free popsicles to keep you hydrated. Also, the lady who checked us in was very knowledgeable.

My husband, my 12 year old son, and myself visited the Vulture City Ghost Town during our week long visit to Goodyear, AZ. It's a perfect quick trip and a lot of fun. I'd say you can tour the area in about an hour. Easy drive from Goodyear area. Lots to explore and enjoy!! Worth the trip!!

Thrown back in time... Vulture Mine opened in 1863 and closed in 1942. It produced gold and silver. We just missed the scheduled tour with a tour guide when we arrived so we just did a self guided tour. Admission was $15/ea and we were given a map of Vulture Mine and the structures that are still present in what once was known as Vulture City. We visited each original building. Many have been carefully restored and preserved. Some structures allowed you to walk insIde and some were roped off. There were countless artifacts to see. Don't steal any of the artifacts from a ghost town... it could be bad luck. In the Blacksmith Shop, the Garage and the Cookhouse are items dating the era... old canned goods, empty cola bottles, plastic and glass containers with their original labels, automotive products, especially lubricants such as motor oil and motor oil additives of old were on display... it was worth noting. Outside of Henry Wickenburg's House is a Hanging Tree where approximately 18 men hung. So who's Henry Wickenburg you may ask? He was a prospector who discovered the Vulture Mine and owned the richest gold mine in Arizona but he died in poverty, presumably by suicide. We spent a couple of hours here. Very interesting site. The place is available for weddings and other social events. They also conduct ghost town tours! If you're lucky enough to be visiting Vulture Mine when they're doing a paranormal investigation, we were told that Jay & Marie Yates (Paranormal Investigators) will be teaming up with Ghost Adventures. I'm not sure if you're able to participate (for a fee, maybe?). Review #1656

Took my brothers, nephew and son to this place and we loved it. I had a concern that since it was an hour drive from Phoenix that there wouldnt be a lot of content, but I was wrong. The place is super interesting. We had saw the 2 Ghost Adventurers episodes showing this town, so we decided to make the trek and was not disappointed. We did end up having a random door close on us scaring the bejeezus out of my nephew. I want to come back for one of their late night ghost tours.. highly recommend it.

If you're a lover of history Vulture Mine is a must stop just out of Wickenburg. Once a booming gold mine it closed around 1942 for an extended time, but is now privately owned and is operating on a separate property not open to the public. Here you can take guided tours as well as self guided taking you back in time. We've been a few times to visit and around 2011 or so they were still restoring some of the buildings, but as of now most are complete and still so cool if not cooler. One of the most interesting things to me was and still is the Hanging Tree where it's said some 18 miners were hung for theft. Nearby sits Henry Wickenburg's original home (not to be confused with the one in the center of Wickenburg itself. It is said the tree is estimated to be hundred of years old There are picnic tables to enjoy snacks etc , dogs on leash are also welcome, so bring those furry family members along. Dress accordingly it gets pretty hot here.

Ok so I may be biased but I have a weird fascination with ghost towns and or abandoned buildings. Decided to drive two hours to check this place out and it didn't disappoint! We got here at around 10am on Friday and it was the perfect time. They only offer guided tours on the weekends so we were given a map to navigate the town for ourselves. We preferred to do it without a guide so we loved it. We finished the whole tour in about an hour going at our own pace. I also heard that ghost adventures was just there to do a "lockdown" as you call it lol. I'd love to do a night tour since they have lights around allll the buildings so I'm sure it would look bad**s. You're not required to wear a mask either which is awesome. Overall if you're on the fence this is a cool spot to come out to!

We went for Halloween fun with a few other families. Children ages 2-17. I called ahead to see if this place was appropriate and fun for children, the lady on the phone stated "oh absolutely there is so much to do". There was NOTHING TO DOOOOOOO. There was food, a fire pit, a few carved pumpkins to see, a brothel pumpkin haunted buildings (which was NOT appropriate for kids), my kids did enjoy the 15 minute puppet show tho. That is all there is to do. We did see face painting but it was too cold for that. This place needs so much more for Halloween than just a few carved pumpkins. It needs more things for kids, a bounce house, some games, pumpkin painting, a pony ride, maybe some items for sale, like some artwork, some Carmel apples, cotton candy, COFFEE, HOT COCOA, anything else would have made this place sooo much better. My family paid $65 for entry and it just wasn't worth it because all you could do is walk around the place and it wasn't very big at all. Just really a disappointment. The drive was so beautiful and the area is beautiful but it def needs to be revamped and so much more needs to be added for the price you pay to get in.

Such a cool place, and the restorations are great. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. I learned a lot about what gold mining was like in the past and how it is today. I think the tour is geared more towards adults. The tour is pretty long. If you don't have time for the guided tour it's still worth doing a self tour. It's a little spookier exploring the buildings on your own than with the group. I didn't see any ghosts, and didn't know it was haunted until after we'd left. You don't get to go in the mine, just the restored buildings from the town that surrounded the mine.

We love this place - the history and artifacts are incredible. The potential for paranormal activity is great (if you believe it). We've been here a couple of times and will be back, I'm sure, but I noticed a few downgrades since the last time we were there and I'd encourage the owners to consider: - get rid of the pumpkins all over the displays. Much too cutesy for the historical aspect you're trying to capture. - remove artifacts not related to mining. Stay focused on your craft and deepen it. - I know it's a desert ghost town, I get that, but it's much too dirty and dusty compared to a few years ago when we were here. Take care of your displays, we pay to see them, enjoy them, and learn. We want to see them, not try to dig through the dust. (Thanks for your consideration.) Other than that, we love this place and will be back!

This is an absolute must-visit if you live in the Phoenix metro and/or love history! I wish we caught our tour guide's name because she killed it from beginning to end. I found this tour on the OnlyInYourState website as a highly recommended day tour. They have very limited hours (assuming not everyone who works for the tour company full time/lives close by), so I suggest contacting them to reserve space for one of the guided tours. I did so about a month in advance and got a prompt and kind response back. Although it's optional to pay for the tour, make it a Nike day and JUST DO IT. Pay the people. Our guide drove to/from Phoenix that Sunday AND the day before because she lives there. It's worth the $15 cash. I won't give away all the specs about the tour, but the overarching fun fact that stuck with us is this ghost town and mine is the reason why Phoenix developed... and to be sentimental... why our group lives in Phoenix! ::tear:: The tour runs about 80-90 minutes. A bunch in my group stayed behind with the guide and asked her a lot of questions since the tour kind of ends with the 1960's. You can tell she's quite passionate about history and archaeology thru her stories about actually going into the mine and recovering items from 50-80 years ago and helping restore some of the structures. Don't pass this opportunity up!

We took the paranormal night tour this past weekend and it did not disappoint. The tour guide was great and very informative. We even caught some cool stuff on camera. We plan on going back for a day visit soon.

This was a nice jaunt in the desert but the place was still being upgraded and although educational not worth the $15/person. We were told of the offensive flags that may be found flying on the other side of the fence multiple times but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Just odd that that was what was focused on prior to us doing the self guided tour.

Very cool Ghost town just outside of Wickenburg! Tour is self guided but they had options for Ghost tours which were guided. The staff was really friendly, helpful & knowledgeable. They even have a beautiful wedding venue. I highly recommend this place!

Lots to see here and worth the $12-$15. Come during the week and in the morning if you want the place to yourself....later in the day it gets busy.....you can be sure it will be crowded on weekends so i didn't go. All the buildings have open doors, and that with the high temperature attracts rattle snakes, I was amazed I never saw one....but you might so watch your step in the summer time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a fantastic time and the kids LOVED it here! Ages 6, 7, 9 &12. Clean and well done, friendly staff.

5 stars all the way! Best part was NO MASK and NO mask police! You drive into the ghost town and follow signs to "check in." At the building where you check in, you pay and receive a map. At this time, they were offering self guided tours. Great! We walked around the ghost town, going in and out of old ghost town buildings at our own leisure. Only a few other groups of people were here, so nobody around to bother us or start screaming at us over distancing or masks. The whole place is like a museum. Every building you go into, has artifacts and information like an exhibit. If you are coming in from the California border, I'd make sure that you stop and fill up your gas tank because this place is definitely in an out of the way location. The main road you enter, is the same road you have to exit and I didn't see any gas stations or places to get food/water in sight. Just be prepared!

When one thinks of the Wild West, the state of Arizona is usually close to the top of the list. Playing an important part in the development of the Southwest, Arizona has some wonderful places with historical significance for all you history buffs. The Vulture Gold Mine is one of these places. Just outside the town of Wickenburg, the Vulture Gold Mine was discovered in 1863 by Henry Wickenburg. Although Henry sold the mine after a few years, the mine went on to become the most productive gold strike in the history of Arizona and sparked the development of Arizona and the city of Phoenix. The fee to participate in the tour is $10, but it is a small price to pay for the sheer volume of information and artifacts that are on the property site. The tours are self paced and on-your-own. When you visit the tour center, you receive a comprehensive overview of the mine and it's history from the current caretaker, as well as a map that identifies the points of interest. Most of the buildings, while in various states of disrepair, are still standing. Many contain original furnishings, machinery and reminders of everyday life such as cooking utensils, cans and bottles for coffee and such. One such building with a large variety of these items is the Assay Office, where the gold was stored prior to shipment. There are some areas of the mine that are not open to the public, but since my grandfather worked at the mine, the caretaker gave us full reign to wander all over the property. The schoolhouse where my Uncle John attended school is still standing and contains a piano that we are certain he played as a child. The swings, slide and teeter-totter are still there and my mom could recall memories about those days despite the fact that she was just a toddler when they lived at the mine. If you ever have the opportunity to visit the Vulture Mine, take it. I am an Arizona native with family ties to the mine and I still learned a ton of information about what an important part the mine played in Arizona's history. PS - While you are there, don't forget to scratch Olive the burro's ears!

We were on our way to Las Vegas and read about the The Vulture Mine in Wickenburg, AZ. We decided to stop by and take a tour of the town. You better have your batteries charged and enough memory on your camera. I literally took over 300+ pictures here! Definately a ghost town with awesome photo ops- buildings, old cars, vintage furniture, etc. The pricing is very cheap and well worth the visit!

This place was awesome! Really cool things to see, and such nice people! Recommend going and checking it out for sure!!

This place seriously needs to get its schedule sorted out. I did my research online for a great, authentic ghost town to visit in the Central Arizona area. I found Vulture Mine/City, which looked great from the photos. You pull off the interstate and drive about an hour to get here, and what do you find? That the fence to enter the place is closed. I was really looking forward to coming here and find out I wasted 2 hours for nothing. Keep in mind this was at 11am on a Friday. My advice to the guys running this place, put some hours up on your website detailing the hours you're open, including any days you're closed for holidays. Considering this place is more than an hour off of I-17, it was a huge waste of time.

This was so much fun. We drove out the other day just kind of for the hell of it and were really surprised. You get pretty much run of the place. You can go in any building, climb on stuff, and explore. It can't be safe.... you'd have to go there to understand, but there are open holes in the ground, nails, and falling wood. We also observed lots of snake skins. I had my snake shot loaded in my pistol so whatever but one might be concerned with little kids. All of hte old artifacts are great, and everything looks well preserved. Going on the second story of a falling down house was really interesting to me!

Loved this AZ gem! There is a great restoration underway and they are doing an amazing job! Very knowledgeable staff and the self guided tour allows you to explore at your own pace.

This place is a must see for anyone!!!I just went today and man it was fabulous,everything is rebuilt to look like it did back to when it was in operation for mining.Everything is clean and sanitized,everyone is nice,kind,friendly,everything positive.You may get some weird feelings as you go through the buildings but that's part of the experience cause it's not called a ghost town just cause there's no one there,THERES GHOSTS THERE.You may not experience anything paranormal(which I didn't)but is fine cause I will be back many times.Aside from the paranormal it's a great place to come and visit just to see the history I absolutely loved it, seeing everything and you actually get to walk into the actual buildings and actually see stuff.So overall I recommend for anyone it's seriously a place to see and be a part of.

So cool!! We had a great time! Not only was it historically interesting, we had a paranormal experience!

I went on this tour in November, 2012, and things have changed since some of the earlier reviews. You meet a guide at the mine on Saturday mornings at either 8-8:30 am (summer hours) or 10-10:30 am (winter hours, which were in place in November). For some reason, the website (http://www.jpc-training.com/pg06.htm) lists just summer hours... Our guide was a young engineer named Tracy who also works at the site. She was extremely knowledgeable about mining practices as well as about the history of the place. You view the old buildings and learn about how gold was extracted and what life was like during the heyday of the mine. Really interesting. The tour is outside in the direct sun. Bring a hat or umbrella, sunscreen, and water. There is a small gift shop, but the experience is the main draw here. Highly recommended.

This was maybe the best $10 I've ever spent on anything. Tour guide was phenomenal and really knew his stuff, not just about the history of the mine but the mining industry as well. While it is guided, it doesn't have that stuffy guided tour feel - you're allowed to roam around a bit, which was great for my little photo group. The guide was a great storyteller and didn't just throw a lot of boring facts at us. He was engaging and personable and answered all the questions from the group. The collection of relics is astounding. I love how they haven't restored the buildings, though some may disagree with me there. If you're looking for froofy, air conditioned, commercial tours with a gift shop, this is NOT your thing. If it's an authentic glimpse of Arizona history that you're after, this will definitely be a place you won't want to pass up. Make sure you take water, wear comfy shoes and pay attention to the hours the tour operates - there are different hours for 'cooler' and 'warmer' months. If you arrive after the tour starts, the front gate will be closed, and you'll be very sad.

Enjoyed an educational and cultural tour about gold mining in Arizona. Good value for this tourist project. All above ground guided tour by Joyce was information; she did an excellent job. Will recommend to several friends and relatives. Sincerely, Art Huseonica, Sun City, AZ.

Looking for a day trip from Phoenix metro area, this is it. You can spend a good 3 hours exploring this abandoned mining town. $10 gets you a "guide" that basically just delineates the trail to follow so you can see all of the buildings that are still standing. You want history AZ, this is it!

We were traveling from Southern California to Sedona and decided to make some cultural stops along the way. We were looking for a ghost town with some historical significance and decided to visit Vulture City, right outside of Wickenburg, AZ. We arrived around 12:30 pm on a Friday and they were closing at 1 pm. Marie was more than kind to allow us to take our time and stay past 1 pm. The property was amazing, filled with authentic artifacts in restored buildings. You got a real sense of life in the late 19th century when walking the property. This sounds silly, but don't expect wi-fi on site. If you don't need to be "on the grid," this is a great stop. The road in is beautiful, surrounded by cacti. The nominal fee to tour the property is well worth the information and photos you leave with. They also offer ghost tours of the property at specific times. We missed that opportunity, but if you plan your trip appropriately, I might recommend timing your visit.

This tour doesn't disappoint! It was extremely entertaining and Joyce did a fabulous job of really putting us back in time. I was able to tend to my antsy kids away from the group when needed. My husband thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end! Make sure you wear sunscreen, bring a wide brimmed hat, or even an umbrella to keep the sun off you. Bottled water is included and when you run out, they'll give you more. Seriously, I can't believe I never went sooner!

I wouldn't even give this place one star! We researched on the Internet and decided to check it out. We drove an hour and when we reach the place it's freakn CLOSED! There was nothing on the Internet about that. Sign said closed for reorganization. So we called to see when they would be open thinking that hopefully the would be open before I leave Phoenix in a week. But guess what? The freakn phone number had been disconnected! Go figure! Even if they were to call and say we're open tomorrow I wouldn't go back.

"Far too many bats." -Ryan Bergara 2017

New tour schedule starts May 19 and will be closed for tours until then. Saturdays only and gates open at 8:00 am with tour starting at 8:30 which is when the gate closes. After the tour starts the gate is closed. The gate re-opens at the end of tours for about 10 minutes and an info box is at the gate with flyers. The reason for a shorter schedule is no snow birds and hottt weather, bring water and keep hydrated.