3 Hour Jeep Tour Border Wall Old Bisbee Lowell and Open Pits

3 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English

The Diggers Borderwall Tour offers an informative 3-hour Jeep journey through the historic town of Bisbee. Starting in Old Bisbee, experience the charm of brick buildings and miner homes while a 4th-generation local guide shares captivating stories of the town's mining heritage. Visit significant sites like the Lavender Pit and Lowell, AZ, showcasing vintage Americana. The highlight includes a stop at the U.S.–Mexico border wall, where tales of migration and politics come to life. This tour is ideal for history enthusiasts and curious travelers looking to uncover the deeper narrative of Bisbee and its border.

What's Included

Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

The teal color building directly across from the Bisbee Historical Museum and next to the Bisbee Table restaurant. You can walk there from any location in historic Bisbee since most hotels are nearby. Free and paid parking lots also surround it. An ATM is next to this address as well.

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 3 hours (approximately)
  • 1
    Bisbee

    Starting from your selected Guest-Choice pickup location, the Tour introduces the origins of Bisbee, including its founders and the reasons behind its founding. You'll learn about the town's first copper smelter and its environmental impact. Next, the tour takes you to OK Street to explore John Wayne's favorite hangover spot and the miners' historic architecture. You'll pass the first brewery site and go up Brewery Gulch, learning about the miners' flood challenges and driving through the Red Light District with its historical significance. The tour then visits the Lyric Theater and the Central School parking lot, showcasing local history and design. A visit to the Old High School provides insights into the area’s educational past. Climbing High Road, you'll enjoy panoramic views and a thorough history lesson on Bisbee. The tour concludes on Main Street via Quality Hill, highlighting historical and architectural details, with three stops that bring Bisbee’s story full circle.

    45 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 2

    Our rugged 4x4 Jeep rumbles to the brink of the 900-foot-deep Lavender Pit. You’ll stop just five feet from the edge, gazing into a man-made canyon carved by decades of mining. Your expert guide will point out the mining process, and precision blasting techniques that turned solid rock into this industrial marvel. Then, we’ll bounce over to Erie St., where the eerie remains of old leaching ponds shimmer in the sun. Here, your guide explains the chemistry: how sulfuric acid seeps through massive ore heaps, dissolving copper into an orange solution—visible in the stained earth and evaporation ponds that stretch across the landscape. Throughout, we’ll share the human stories—nearby mining towns that boomed then vanished, the cultures that grew around the pits. This exclusive 4x4 journey blends raw industrial power with natural beauty, delivering an unforgettable insider’s look at copper mining’s past, present, and future.

    30 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 3

    You will visit Lowell, AZ, and stroll down Erie Street. This area, with its 1940s classic cars and old-style shops, is perfect for taking pictures. Your guide will also talk about the history of the Junction Mine. Next, you will go to the Shady Dell Hotel. As you pass through its parking lot, your guide will discuss the hotel's historical and cultural significance. The lot is filled with old cars and vintage items. Your tour then heads to Lowell School, noticeable for its copper roof and doors. The guide will provide historical details and share personal anecdotes related to the school. Another point of interest is a leaching drainage ditch with polluted water. Here, the guide will recount childhood adventures centered around this ditch. The final stop is a drive through the Evergreen Cemetery, a site of national historical importance. Your guide will explain the cemetery's history and its importance to Bisbee.

    45 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 4

    You'll visit the iconic Border Wall at two distinct locations: first, your Jeep will pause at a scenic overlook for breathtaking panoramic views of the landscape, then proceed to the nearby port-of-entry, where you'll have the option to step out and touch the wall up close. Along the way, your expert guide will share the gripping story of the first foreign aerial bombing in American history. The journey continues to historic Fort Naco, where you'll discover the weathered remains of this early 20th-century military outpost, built to defend the border during the Mexican Revolution.

    1 hour Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Service animals allowed
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Supplied by Big Jeep Tours

Tags

Half-day Tours
Private Sightseeing Tours
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
4WD Tours
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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