# Willcox

Willcox is a small town in Cochise County, Southeast Arizona, and a convenient gateway to Chiricahua National Monument and other scenic sights in the region.

## Understand

* 32.275527-109.8419211 Willcox Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, 1500 N Circle I Rd, ☏ +1 520-384-2272, toll-free: +1 800-200-2272, abaker@vtc.net. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-4PM, Su 9AM-1PM.

## Get in

* By car. Willcox is approximately half way between Tucson and the New Mexico state line, on I-10 (Interstate 10). If you're driving to town on I-10, be aware that the road is one of the United States' major east-west commercial arteries, and is full of truck traffic, much of it traveling at speeds well beyond the posted 75 mph.
* Tucson International Airport (TUS), 250 S Tucson Blvd, ☏ +1 520-573-8100. Served by a number of airlines, this is the closest airport with commercial service.
* 32.254178-109.8378491 Greyhound, 100 S Arizona St (in front of the Oasis Arcade), toll-free: +1 800-231-2222. As this just a pick-up and drop-off point, tickets should be purchased beforehand online or over the phone.

## Get around

The historic core of Willcox is easily explored on foot. To see things further afield, a car is necessary.

## See

* 32.25235-109.83171 Chiricahua Regional Museum and Research Center, 127 E Maley St, ☏ +1 520-384-3971. M-Sa 10AM-4PM. A small museum with displays focusing on local history. $2.
* 32.25276-109.8310232 Rex Allen Arizona Cowboy Museum and Cowboy Hall of Fame, 150 N Railroad Ave, ☏ +1 520-384-4583, info@rexallenmuseum.org. M-S 10AM-4PM. Displays memorabilia from the life of cowboy singer Rex Allen, whose favorite horse is buried in the park across the street. $2 (adults).
* Vineyards. Various, some by appt. Many Arizona wines are produced from grapes from this region. Willcox makes a good base to explore local vineyards, many of which have opened tasting rooms here.
* 32.251354-109.831533 Willcox Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, 155 S Railroad Ave. Built in 1881, this is the only surviving depot from the southern transcontinental railroad. The building has been fully restored, and now houses Willcox City Hall. There is an interpretive railroad display in the lobby. Free.
* 32.25653-109.822534 Willcox Pioneer Cemetery, N 3rd Ave (dirt road heading north from E Steward St). An atmospheric abandoned pioneer cemetery. Warren Baxter Earp, the youngest of the Earp brothers of Tombstone, is buried here. Watch out for fire ants and rattlesnakes.

## Do

* 32.353809-109.8643151 Apple Annie's Orchards, 2081 W Hardy Rd, ☏ +1 520-384-2084. Daily 8AM-5PM. Pick your own apples, peaches, and other produce. In October they host a popular pumpkin festival. The orchards close for the season at the end of October.
* Rex Allen Days. A festival celebrating the life of the singer Rex Allen and featuring such events as parades, concerts, and a rodeo. Held annually in October.
* Wings Over Willcox Birding and Nature Festival. Held annually in January, the festival features lectures, workshops, art exhibits, and guided tours to see birds on the Willcox Playa and in the neighboring wetlands.
* Willcox Wine Country Festival. A semi-annual event held in the spring and fall, featuring wines from local vineyards.

## Buy

* 32.25307-109.830791 Strive Vineyards, 180 N Railroad Ave Suite C (near the Rex Allen Museum), ☏ +1 920-850-1075, willcoxcom@juno.com. Selling wines from Arizona's own "Willcox Bench" (said to be the premier wine producing area of Arizona, i.e. around Willcox).
* 32.272592-109.8410642 Apple Annie's Country Store, 1510 N Circle I Rd. M-F 8AM-5:30PM, S-Su 8AM-4PM. Operated by Apple Annie's Orchard (see listing above), this shop sells seasonal produce, pies and baked goods, and jams, syrups, and salsas.

### Grocery stores

* 32.25991-109.8421473 Safeway, 650 N Bisbee Ave, ☏ +1 520-384-3952. Has a deli.

## Eat
### Restaurants

There aren't many restaurants in Willcox besides fast food chains. The best are listed below.
* 32.252025-109.8317551 Big Tex BBQ, 130 E Maley St, ☏ +1 520-384-4423. Housed in an old railroad car, the food is basic but decent.
* 32.303303-109.7905422 Coronado Vineyards, 2909 E Country Club Dr, ☏ +1 520-384-2993, info@coronadovineyards.com. M-S 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 10AM-4PM. Wine tasting and tapas, outside seating area.
* 32.264053-109.8410733 Plaza Restaurant, 1190 W Rex Allen Dr (next to Quality Inn), ☏ +1 520-384-3819. Mexican and American fare, popular with the locals.
* 32.265417-109.8417874 Double S Steakhouse, 1201 W Rex Allen Dr, ☏ +1 520-766-3800. Little cuts of beef to go along with your baked potato.

## Drink

* Mack’s Bar, 116 E Maley St (near the Rex Allen Museum), ☏ +1 520-507-4646.

## Sleep

* 32.173401-109.6110581 Dos Cabezas Spirit and Nature Retreat and Bed and Breakfast, 7101 E White Pacheco St, Dos Cabezas (Hwy 186, 14 miles SE of Willcox), ☏ +1 520-384-6474. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Comfy historic, adobe guest house bed and breakfast in the ghost town village of Dos Cabezas, just twenty minutes to the Chiricahua Mountains. Great for birding, hiking, meditation. Enjoy complete privacy as the bed and breakfast hosts only one party at a time, up to 5 people. $139 for two.
* 32.270129-109.8460842 Holiday Inn Express Willcox, 1251 N Virginia Ave, ☏ +1 520-384-3333, fax: +1 520-384-4534, info@hiewillcox.com. Free breakfast and wifi, pets accepted. $79-129.

## Cope

* 32.26499-109.8383382 Northern Cochise Community Hospital, 901 West Rex Allen Dr, ☏ +1 520-384-3541, toll-free: +1 800-696-3541, ncch@ncch.com. 24 hrs.

## Go next

* Chiricahua National Monument
* Fort Bowie National Historic Site is an oddity in the United States National Park System, in that you must hike cross-country to get to it rather than just driving. The parking area is reachable via the Apache Pass road southeast of Willcox. The ruins of an old fort are about a three-mile (round trip) hike from the parking area (bring plenty of water).