4.6 miles away
Whetstone Mountains
A range in south-eastern Arizona named in 1859 for its novaculite, a fine-grained rock used to sharpen tools.
Iron Springs (Cochise County, Arizona)
A spring in the Whetstone Mountains where Wyatt Earp killed William "Curly Bill" Brocius in March 1882, later mapped as Mescal Springs.
- Rank in Arizona
- #185of 727 ranked
- Overall score
- Score 46.7 out of 100medium confidence
- Category
- Natural Landmark
Iron Springs is the historical name of a natural spring in the Whetstone Mountains of south-eastern Arizona. It is known as the site of a confrontation between Wyatt Earp and William "Curly Bill" Brocius on 24 March 1882, in which Brocius was killed. The place was called Iron Springs at that time; later maps give the name as Mescal Springs.
Where it is
Iron Springs (Cochise County, Arizona) is a natural landmark near Benson, in Cochise County. It is one of the natural landmarks in this database, and appears in the statewide ranking of Arizona attractions.
How this ranking was reached
No official visitor count is published for Iron Springs (Cochise County, Arizona), so its score rests on public interest and tourism significance, and is capped below the level a measured attraction can reach. That is why the medium confidence above is not higher. The weighting is explained in full on the methodology page, and every axis is broken out under Facts and sources at the foot of this page.
Note on the data: No official visitor count is published for this attraction.
Sources
- Public interest: Wikimedia pageviews (en.wikipedia, human traffic), 2024
- Coordinates and designations: Wikidata(opens in a new tab)
- County: U.S. Census geography via FCC Area API, resolved from coordinates
Record last verified 2026-08-12.
Nearby attractions
5.6 miles away
French Joe Canyon
A Cochise County canyon near Benson named for an early prospector, known for reliable springs and used by birdwatchers.7.6 miles away
Guindani Trail (#398)
A steep Cochise County trail to San Pedro Valley views of the Huachuca and Dragoon Mountains, starting within Kartchner Caverns State Park.
8.0 miles away
Kartchner Caverns State Park
A living limestone cave near Benson, found in 1974 and kept from the public while conservation measures were designed.
13 miles away
Empire Ranch
A working cattle ranch in south-eastern Pima County, listed in 1976, whose range once spanned more than 180 square miles.13 miles away
Presidio Santa Cruz de Terranate
Presidio Santa Cruz de Terranate, near Tombstone, Arizona, holds the most intact US remains of a Spanish colonial fortress, built in 1776 and abandoned by 1780.
Facts and sources
Place
- Category
- Natural Landmark
- Destination
- Benson
- County
- Cochise County
- State
- Arizona
Visitation
- Annual visits
- Not published
Ranking
- Overall score
- 46.7 / 100
- Visitation score
- No published count
- Popularity score
- 33.1
- Significance score
- 58.0
- Confidence
- medium
Visiting
- Coordinates
- 31.7444, -110.4280
- Last verified
- 2026-08-12