Contact Info
3500 Apache Pass Road
Bowie, Arizona 85605
Bowie, Arizona 85605
- Phone:
- 520-847-2500
- Local:
- 520-847-2500
- Local:
- 520-847-2500
Basics
- Location:
- 12 miles south of I-10 in Southeastern Arizona
- Type:
- Historical Site
- Price:
- Free
Description
Fort Bowie commemorates the story of the bitter conflict between the Chiricahua Apaches and the United States military. For more than 30 years Fort Bowie and Apache Pass were the focal point of military operations eventually culminating in the surrender of Geronimo in 1886 and the banishment of the Chiricahuas to Florida and Alabama. Among other incidents, it was the site of the Bascom wagon train massacre and the battle of Apache Pass, where a large force of Chiricahua Apaches under Mangus Colorados and Cochise fought the California Volunteers.
The remains of Fort Bowie today are carefully preserved, and include the adobe walls of various post buildings and the ruins of a Butterfield Stage Station. It stands as a lasting monument to the bravery and endurance of U.S. soldiers in paving the way for westward settlement and the taming of the western frontier. It also serves to give us an understanding of the "clash of cultures," one a young emerging nation in pursuit of its "manifest destiny," the other a valiant hunter/gatherer society fighting to preserve its existence. Apache resistance was finally overcome at Fort Bowie, and the result was the end of the Indian wars in the United States.
Hours + Fees
Hours:
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Season:
Open year round
Price:
Free
Amenities
Amenities:
Visitor Center
Modern Restrooms
Modern Restrooms
Details
Additional Details:
To get there from Willcox drive southeast for 20 miles on State #186 to the Fort Bowie turn off, then drive another eight miles on the unpaved road to the Fort Bowie Trailhead. Be prepared to walk the three miles round trip to the ruins and back to your car. From the town of Bowie, the trailhead is located on Apache Pass Road, 13 miles south. The park is 116 miles east of Tucson via I-10, and 227 miles from Phoenix.
Map + Directions
Basic Directions
From Willcox drive southeast for 20 miles on State #186 to the Fort Bowie turn off, then drive another eight miles on the unpaved road to the Fort Bowie Trailhead. Be prepared to walk the three miles round trip to the ruins and back to your car. From the town of Bowie, the trailhead is located on Apache Pass Road, 13 miles south. The park is 116 miles east of Tucson via I-10, and 227 miles from Phoenix.
