Telegraph Pass Road

Telegraph Pass Road cuts through the heart of the Dragoon Mountains, following the same route where Apache chief Cochise commanded these peaks in the 1860s. This rough mining road connects Dragoon to the ghost town of Pearce, winding through oak-studded canyons and granite spires that tower over the Sulphur Springs Valley. The route passes the old Courtland townsite and climbs through Middlemarch Pass, where century-old mine shafts dot the hillsides and desert ironwood trees cling to rocky slopes.

This is a moderate high-clearance route with loose rock, washouts, and steep grades that’ll test your rig’s low-range gearing. Stock 4WD with decent tires handles it fine, but bring recovery gear and extra water—cell service is nonexistent once you’re in the mountains. Best driven October through April when desert temperatures drop below furnace levels. You’ll earn sweeping views of the Chiricahua Mountains to the east and Cochise Stronghold to the north, plus scattered camping spots among the junipers. It’s Arizona backcountry at its most authentic.