Cycling in Bisbee

Bisbee sits at about 5,300 feet in the Mule Mountains near the Arizona/Mexico border, and its terrain is the whole draw for cyclists: tight, twisting climbs through Tombstone Canyon and up to Mule Pass, plus long, lightly trafficked desert highways running toward Tombstone, Sierra Vista, and the border at Naco. That mix of punchy climbing and open-road scenery is exactly what made the town famous in racing circles. La Vuelta de Bisbee, first run in 1976 as the mines were closing and the town needed an economic lift, grew into a multi-day, multi-stage road race that drew national-caliber fields, including a young Greg LeMond, and became the prize jewel of Arizona stage racing. The race ran, paused, and returned across the decades and in recent years has not appeared on the calendar, but its legacy still defines Bisbee as a serious road-riding destination. Today the recreational El Tour de Zona (April) brings supported group rides through Bisbee, Sierra Vista, and Tombstone.

Bisbee is a compact, walkable town, so most cyclists base themselves in Old Bisbee and ride from the door. B Active Bisbee, on Main Street, is the town’s e-bike rental and guided-tour operator and the practical option for visitors without their own bike; its e-bikes are built to handle Bisbee’s steep grades. The classic riding, though, is the road out of town: the run from Bisbee to the border at Naco and back is a well-known local out-and-back that rewards early starts before the heat and traffic build.

For lodging, The Inn at Castle Rock in Old Bisbee is the most cyclist-oriented choice, with guest bicycles listed among its amenities, while the landmark 1902 Copper Queen Hotel offers a central, walkable base a short stroll from B Active’s rental shop and has long been a gathering point for riders drawn to the town’s racing history. Confirm bike storage and loaner details directly with each property before booking.

Each October the old mining town holds the Bisbee 1000: The Great Stair Climb, a 4.5-mile race up nine historic public staircases totaling more than a thousand steps — a leg-burner of a different kind if you’d rather rest the bike.