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Photo: Mike Lewis, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A living limestone cave with beautiful speleothems. The park also has several scenic hiking trails, cabin rentals, and a campground with water (see listing below). Reservations for the cave tour are required.
Kartchner Caverns State Park is a state park of Arizona, United States, featuring a show cave with 2.4 miles (3.9 km) of passages. The park is located 9 miles (14 km) south of the town of Benson and west of the north-flowing San Pedro River. Long hidden from view, the caverns were discovered in 1974 by local cavers, assisted by state biologist Erick Campbell who helped in its preservation.
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Hikers on this steep trail are rewarded with excellent views of the San Pedro Valley, with the Huachuca and Dragoon Mountains in the distance. Although the trail is almost entirely on National Forest Land, the trailhead is located within Kartcher Caverns State Park so an entrance fee is required. Allow 2½-3 hours.
Named after an early prospector, this canyon has reliable springs and is a good location for avid birders. It makes for a very challenging hike, and a 4WD is necessary to get to the trailhead. A good trail description can be found here. Allow at least 5 hours.
Benson Historical Museum
A small museum with displays on local and regional history. There is also a small gift shop selling items made by local artisans.
An annual two-day rodeo held in mid-October.
This is a working movie set so it is best to call before arrival, as the site is closed to visitors during filming. There is also a small onsite museum with movie memorabilia and antiques.