The Apache Wars
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Neil Mangum is one of the nation’s preeminent authorities on the American West, and a highly sought-after guide to the Indian Wars. His long career with the NPS included serving as historian, and later, superintendent at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana, and Chiricahua National Monument & Fort Bowie Historic Site in Arizona. He also served as regional historian at the NPS’s Southwest Regional Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Neil is the author of the first, in-depth study of the Battle of the Rosebud, and has been leading tours of Indian Wars sites on the Northern Plains, and in the Southwest, for decades. [Photo: Neil during our 2018 Little Bighorn Battlefield tour, discussing the fighting in the Keogh Sector.]
"Geronimo surrendered this rifle to Indian Agent John Clum in 1877" — U.S. Springfield Model 1868 Military Rifle, Single-shot "Trap Door," Serial No. 28988, Arizona Historical Society, Tucson.
Many of the notable events during the Apache Wars occurred in or around Apache Pass. (NPS photo)
“General Crook and Apache Scouts” photo from the
Arizona Historical Society, Tucson. (AHS#25625)
Arizona Historical Society, Tucson. (AHS#25625)
This is a VAN tour, with participation limited to eight (8) people. The smaller vehicle will allow us to visit some sites not accessible to bus tours, like Cochise's Stronghold. Additionally, the small group maximizes your opportunity to engage our expert guide in conversation throughout the tour. Primary theme covered is the Apache Wars (1861-1886) with major emphasis on the campaigns involving Cochise, and Geronimo.
COVID PROTOCOLS: beginning with our fall 2021 tours, all registrants (as well as our tour guide and bus driver) will be required to show proof of vaccination. Additionally, in the interests of safety, we'll follow CDC, state, and local COVID guidelines and recommendations for group gatherings that may be in effect at the time of the tour (to include, if required, wearing of face coverings, and social distancing).
Itinerary (revised December 9, 2019)
NOVEMBER 1: (Monday) Check into our headquarters hotel in Tucson, Arizona (La Quinta, Tucson Airport). At 6:30 p.m. we'll gather in the hotel meeting room for a pizza/beer/wine reception (included in your registration), introduce your tour guide and host, and hand out registration information and map packet. At 7:30 p.m., Neil will give an orientation talk about the adventure ahead, before we retire to our rooms.
NOVEMBER 2: (Tuesday) Breakfast at the hotel. Depart at 8:15. Morning stops include Mission San Xavier Del Bac and (because it's too good to pass up while we're in the neighborhood) the Pima Air and Space Museum. Lunch at El Charro restaurant (included in registration), After lunch (just for fun), we'll drive by the Congress Hotel where some members of the John Dillinger gang were staying, and the rented house where Dillinger was apprehended. Afternoon stops include the Arizona History Museum and Fort Lowell. Return to Tucson Hotel. Dinner on your own.
NOVEMBER 3: (Wednesday) Breakfast at the hotel. Depart at 8:15. First destination: Fort Huachuca via the Whetstone mountains. Morning stop at Fort Huachuca museums located on the military base. Lunch on your own in Sierra Vista. Afternoon stops at Coronado National Memorial and Camp Newell. We'll then check into the historic Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee for the next three nights. Dinner on your own (a number of options available in the heart of this Old West town).
NOVEMBER 4: (Thursday) Breakfast included. Depart hotel at 8:15. First up: a drive to the John Slaughter Ranch, located roughly 15 miles east of Douglas. This was the historic jumping-off point for General Crook's Mexico expedition on the hunt for Geronimo. Lunch on your own in Tombstone. In the afternoon, we'll travel to Cochise's Stronghold, then return to Bisbee. Dinner on your own.
NOVEMBER 5: (Friday) Breakfast included. First destination: Fort Bowie National Historic Site. En route, we'll make a stop at Johnny Ringo's grave. At the Fort Bowie trailhead, we'll hike 1.5 miles into the fort ruins (the van can transport anyone unable to make the walk to the Visitor Center). Box lunch on-site. Afternoon: return to our hotel in Bisbee, via the Geronimo Surrender Monument.
NOVEMBER 6: (Saturday) Breakfast included. Depart hotel at 8:15. First destination of the day: Cochise's Stronghold, followed by visit to the Willcox Chiricahua Regional Museum. Lunch on your own in Willcox. The afternoon will include a quick stop at the grave of Wyatt Earp's brother, Warren. Final stop will be the ruins of the Dragoon Springs Stage Station. Return to Hotel in Tucson. If you choose to stay overnight on November 6, you will need to make those hotel arrangements yourself (our headquarters hotel will extend our group rate). Anyone in the group staying over Saturday night is invited to a complimentary "last night meal" at the Pinnacle Peak restaurant in Tucson's Trail Dust Town.
NOVEMBER 2: (Tuesday) Breakfast at the hotel. Depart at 8:15. Morning stops include Mission San Xavier Del Bac and (because it's too good to pass up while we're in the neighborhood) the Pima Air and Space Museum. Lunch at El Charro restaurant (included in registration), After lunch (just for fun), we'll drive by the Congress Hotel where some members of the John Dillinger gang were staying, and the rented house where Dillinger was apprehended. Afternoon stops include the Arizona History Museum and Fort Lowell. Return to Tucson Hotel. Dinner on your own.
NOVEMBER 3: (Wednesday) Breakfast at the hotel. Depart at 8:15. First destination: Fort Huachuca via the Whetstone mountains. Morning stop at Fort Huachuca museums located on the military base. Lunch on your own in Sierra Vista. Afternoon stops at Coronado National Memorial and Camp Newell. We'll then check into the historic Copper Queen Hotel in Bisbee for the next three nights. Dinner on your own (a number of options available in the heart of this Old West town).
NOVEMBER 4: (Thursday) Breakfast included. Depart hotel at 8:15. First up: a drive to the John Slaughter Ranch, located roughly 15 miles east of Douglas. This was the historic jumping-off point for General Crook's Mexico expedition on the hunt for Geronimo. Lunch on your own in Tombstone. In the afternoon, we'll travel to Cochise's Stronghold, then return to Bisbee. Dinner on your own.
NOVEMBER 5: (Friday) Breakfast included. First destination: Fort Bowie National Historic Site. En route, we'll make a stop at Johnny Ringo's grave. At the Fort Bowie trailhead, we'll hike 1.5 miles into the fort ruins (the van can transport anyone unable to make the walk to the Visitor Center). Box lunch on-site. Afternoon: return to our hotel in Bisbee, via the Geronimo Surrender Monument.
NOVEMBER 6: (Saturday) Breakfast included. Depart hotel at 8:15. First destination of the day: Cochise's Stronghold, followed by visit to the Willcox Chiricahua Regional Museum. Lunch on your own in Willcox. The afternoon will include a quick stop at the grave of Wyatt Earp's brother, Warren. Final stop will be the ruins of the Dragoon Springs Stage Station. Return to Hotel in Tucson. If you choose to stay overnight on November 6, you will need to make those hotel arrangements yourself (our headquarters hotel will extend our group rate). Anyone in the group staying over Saturday night is invited to a complimentary "last night meal" at the Pinnacle Peak restaurant in Tucson's Trail Dust Town.
NOTE: all itineraries are subject to change without notice, due to weather, mechanical problems, health concerns, traffic problems, or other unforeseen issues beyond our control.
Registration
Your registration includes 5 nights lodging, 5 breakfasts, two lunches (first day at El Charro, and box lunch at Fort Bowie), closing night dinner in Tucson (for those staying in town that night), and a seat on our state-of-the-art Tour Van. Also included: map packet and informational booklet, entrance to all museums and historic sites, pizza reception and opening night talk, closing night dinner in Tucson, and the week-long expert guide services of our on-board historian, Neil Mangum. Water and snacks on the van will be provided. Lodging includes the first two nights in Tucson at La Quinta, Airport, and the next three nights in Bisbee, at the Copper Queen Hotel.
Tour Costs
$1870 per person for double-occupancy hotel rooms
(if paying for both, please choose "Qty 2")
$2170 for single-occupancy hotel rooms (change the drop down menu at right to select "single occupancy")
(if paying for both, please choose "Qty 2")
$2170 for single-occupancy hotel rooms (change the drop down menu at right to select "single occupancy")
Geronimo and his warriors in the Sierra Madres of Mexico. This photograph was taken in 1886, before Geronimo surrendered to General Crook on March 27, and before he escaped again on March 30. (Public Domain/ New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Picture Collection, American History 1880s, C.S. Fly)