Two Guns

Roadside Macabre

State: Arizona County: Coconino County Founded: 1925 Abandoned: 1971 Peak Population: 200

Two Guns was a particularly strange Route 66 attraction. The owner promoted a cave where Apaches were allegedly killed as a tourist destination, complete with faux cliff dwellings and a roadside zoo with big cats. When I-40 bypassed the site, the bizarre attraction closed. The ruins remain surreal.

Death Cave

The 'Apache Death Cave' was allegedly the site of an 1878 massacre. The owner turned this grim history into a roadside attraction.

Roadside Zoo

Mountain lions, bobcats, and other animals were housed in cages built into the rocky landscape. The animals are long gone but the strange enclosures remain.

Timeline

  • 1925 - Founded Earl Cundiff developed the site
  • 1926 - Route 66 Highway brought tourists
  • 1971 - Closed I-40 bypassed the town

Plan Your Visit

Best Time: Any season

Difficulty: Easy but ruins are unstable

Time Needed: 1 hour

Quick Facts

  • Featured a mountain lion zoo
  • Promoted an alleged massacre cave
  • The original Route 66 bridge still stands

Location

Address: Two Guns, Arizona (I-40 Exit 230)

Coordinates: 35.0758, -111.0589