With the exception of the wigwam motel in Holbrook, the thing that was most on my mind this entire trip was stopping to take pictures of Two Guns. I’ve seen it before, but only from the freeway and the off ramp. For years and years, there was a caretaker there with a buck knife and a shotgun that would speed up in his 4 wheeler if you got anywhere close to Two Guns ruins he’d show up and yell you off the property. He was pretty well known for being efficient and serious about what he does. Two guns has been bought and sold several times and my information tells me he was hired to protect the property from vandals. As of 2008, I’d heard he was gone, so I’ve always wanted to come back here.
Two guns has an impressive history and to the casual, modern passer by, you’d never know it. From the Indian wars between the Apache and the Navajo (it was then known as Canyon Diablo, or Devil’s Canyon, to the Early days of National Trails Highway (pre-Route 66) to Today. Many people believe it is cursed, and for good reason. Lots of battles here, and it held the distinction of being the roughest town in the west, let alone Arizona. Murder, Prostitution, At least a punch in the face for looking at someone wrong. Two Guns is the shit. If you want the complete history of two guns, I’d highly suggest reading this link here.
I had a chance to FINALLY cross the bridge that I’d seen for years, and even as I type this I regret not driving it down the dirt road further, because as I passed it all down 1-40 I realized there was much more I missed. I was able to see the more modern abandoned gas station, and the slightly older KOA campground, as well as the other ruins. There is also a very deep cave that factored into its rich history of a cowboy town. Pat, are you reading this??? We need to go back to two guns and spend a day.
I hope no jackasses out there vandalize Two Guns, because it really needs to be preserved. It’s cool that we can visit two guns now, But please if you visit it leave it as it is. There’s not many people I hate worse than a Vandal. This town burned down TWICE and survived history like no other, and is now just a side glance to people heading to Flagstaff and Albuquerque. I think we all need to help keep it alive as long as possible. Theres enough route 66 out there thats rotting, we don’t need this one to rot anymore than what nature throws at it.
There is also a huge railroad trellis around two guns somewhere that crossed the canyon. It’s clear I need to go back untill I know ALL the stories associated with this great historic spot in the road. Two Guns. read that link. This may be one of my favorite Route 66 spots yet. It’s full of history and full of questions to be answered.
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Are you kidding me? Lets ride. Great blog and I am in for all the points. Just tell me when. One thing though, how can a seasoned Scotch drinker go over to the “Dark Side” of Tennessee Whisky?
IT WAS the dark side. Tasted like fermented corn Pops. Too sweet for my tastes, but the price was right 🙂
The picture of the wooden building is actually of the Canyon Diablo Trading Post. It was taken about the 1890s and is part of the Philip Johnston collection at Northern Arizona University – Cline Library. As as side note, I was told that the Mountain Lion was characterized as an old toothless critter, but it was enough of a draw and attention getter to have tourist stop, and payout money to see the critter and buy other nick-nacks. Also a conflict between Navajo and Apaches happened in that region during the decade of the 1870s.
Hey, great minds think alike. We went there from an ABATE Rally held nearby one year. Our pics look the same – ahahaha. Great stuff. Thanks for posting and bringing back the good memories!
Ride on,
NFS – The Retired Biker Housewife
The railroad bridge is maybe four miles on the opposite side of the freeway. Also on the two guns side of the canyon is an Annasasai (sp) hunting blind made of stone the parks dept. est.at over 600 years old. If you get to the ruins by the round one walk the wall-you will see a fossilized snail about 6inches in size at the end of a wall of limestone. I worked for Howard Armstrong- and was up there a lot 1994-97 when he owned it. I stopped last month (aug.) and almost cried. The place was completely trashed. To those that did this may karma
Repay you! Just remember if you go on the side with the bridge- you are on Tribal lands.
Two Guns was built at the site of an earlier settlement called Canyon Diablo but didn't last long. Canyon Diablo was constructed for only one purpose: to accommodate workers who were building a railroad bridge. When the bridge was completed, there was no more reason for the workers to be there, so they left and the town faded out. Many ghost towns in the West were mining towns that went bust when the minerals ran out, but this was a boom town based upon the railroad