Shadows of the Past: Exploring the Ghost Towns of Alto and Salero in the Santa Rita Mountains

Discover the haunting allure of Alto and Salero, abandoned relics nestled in the rugged Santa Rita Mountains of Arizona. Uncover forgotten stories as the sun sets on these ghost towns, echoing with whispers of a bygone era.
Nestled within the rugged terrain of the Santa Rita Mountains in Arizona lie the ghost towns of Alto and Salero, silent witnesses to a bygone era. These once-thriving mining communities now stand as eerie reminders of the past, their weathered structures and abandoned streets shrouded in mystery.
Alto, established in the late 1800s, was a bustling mining town known for its silver and lead deposits. Its glory days are long gone, but remnants of its former prosperity can still be seen in the decaying buildings that dot the landscape. As you wander through the empty streets of Alto, you can almost hear the echoes of the past, whispering tales of miners and pioneers who once called this place home.
Salero, another ghost town in the Santa Rita Mountains, has a similar story to tell. Founded in the 1870s, Salero was a hub of mining activity, with miners flocking to the area in search of silver and gold. Today, the town lies in ruins, its once-vibrant community reduced to a ghostly silence. You can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for a time long past.
Despite their abandonment, Alto and Salero hold a certain allure for those who seek to uncover the secrets of the past. Exploring these ghost towns offers a glimpse into Arizona's rich mining history and the resilience of the people who once inhabited these remote mountain valleys. As the sun sets over the Santa Rita Mountains, casting long shadows over the empty streets of Alto and Salero, one can't help but wonder about the lives that once thrived in these now-desolate places.
VIDEO FILMED: 04/09/2024
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
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⚪ • How Tumacácori Became ...
⚪ • Rediscovering Ruby: Ex...
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 Bull Springs Road Trail
12:33 Salero Ranch & Ghost Town
18:39 Alto's Past
24:19 Alto Post Office / A Piece of History?
32:38 The Edge of the World
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Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!

[@jamescorbin5090]

When the Spaniards first arrived in the 1500's there was 'free silver' all around the area. Slabs and chunks of it just laying on top of the ground. The Salero mine was a good producer, you can tell because whenever someone poured concrete and built a mill, out buildings and house there was a reason, the mine had to be rich enough to justify the expense. Those buildings still have hardwood floors and roofs! Very well constructed.

[@CactusAtlas]

Indeed! Our next Thursday video actually mentions things just like that. 😄

[@chrismartin6370]

I grew up in Nogales, AZ, and have lived in southern Arizona most of my life. It is an incredibly beautiful and diverse area. I love it here. Thank for showing it to the world. I just discovered your channel, am a new subscriber, and am looking forward to sharing your explorations. A Most Excellent experience.

[@CactusAtlas]

Yes, it IS incredibly beautiful in that area. We've got a lot more explorations to make there. Welcome to our channel and so happy you found us! 😄

[@susanasalinas4273]

What a view!! Beautiful scenery n great friends. Glad I could tag along. Hi Amy. Take care everyone. On to the next adventure.

[@CactusAtlas]

Thank you! You too! ☺️

[@fredfear7107]

The nail you moved was a modern Pallet Nail. Distinctive twist and offset head. It was most likely from pallet wood used for firewood.

[@CactusAtlas]

Interesting! 😄

[@buzzyobrien1626]

One of your best videos. Thanks so much.

[@CactusAtlas]

Wow, thank you! 😊

[@DovieRuthAuthor]

Beautiful drive! Makes me homesick for the desert Southwest.

[@CactusAtlas]

Glad you enjoyed it! Few places that have that effect like the Southwest. 😊

[@ajw7469]

I’ve hunted there since 1984. Beautiful country,thanks!

[@CactusAtlas]

Our pleasure! 😊

[@joywyse6996]

Glenn, Amy and Slim absolutely beautiful. I'm doing a jigsaw puzzle of a map of Arizona to hang on my wall of my new home in Arizona. I'm finding some historical places that you have been to, Tumacacori Mission. That was a great surprise to see. It's really small on the puzzle. There are other historical sites on this puzzle. I think I will really treasure it when I get it finished. Can[t wait for the next one. Thanks.

[@CactusAtlas]

Oh, that's super cool! What other sites are on there I wonder. Sounds like something we'd probably enjoy putting together as well. Might have to find ourselves one as well. 😅

[@rainemarsh8409]

That was very interesting! Hubby and I spend winters very near the Santa Ritas. Fantastic scenery but it's probably even more beautiful when the spring greens show up.

[@CactusAtlas]

It really is. The green is really beautiful and appreciated when it comes in spring. 😊

[@martinbahena3648]

Thank you, I'll keep watching your videos. Makes me feel like i'm there with you.

[@CactusAtlas]

Awesome! Love hearing that. Thank you! 😄👍

[@gstiles7]

WOW, I had never ventured to that part of southern Arizona while living in Tucson. Truth be told, being a dumb college kid, I would have ignored those signs to explore the buildings, which is probably a good thing, lol. I can't wait to see what's next!

[@CactusAtlas]

More to come! Exploring that area is a first here as well. 😄

[@dianesnow9806]

Thank you for sharing! We drove years ago from one side of the Santa Ritas to the other. Couldn’t say if it was the same road but oh what fun. 👍🫶

[@CactusAtlas]

Very well could be! It's a beautiful drive. 😄

[@daynavillanueva1732]

The large building in the middle is the boarding house and post office, the house to the left was the old accessory office for the mine and the other house was the mining supervisor home. the post office was active from Aug 13, 1884 until April 17, 1890. There more ruins back behind the 3 buildings . There is also a small cemetery approximately 4 miles up the hill from the town of Salero. Alto's post office was open from 3-6-1907 until 12-30-1933. Josiah's wife Minnie became the postmaster and ran the post office out of their house. Minnie was also a school teacher,. but was killed in a freak accident, when she was struck by a bolt of lighting not far from their home in1922. The bond Family, ( Josiah , Minnie and the 3 Children are buried at the small cemetery not far from the adobe ruins of Alto.

[@CactusAtlas]

Oh, heck yes! Love the info about what buildings were. Thank you! 😄👍

[@SidetrackAdventures]

That area is amazing. Its too bad so much of the townsite is on private land. That post office building looked great though. Looked like it would have been a pretty good sized building.

[@CactusAtlas]

Oh indeed. Pretty sizable compared to other buildings we tend to see of that time.

[@richardbeee]

Absolutely a wonderful and beautiful area. Full of history. Some titles of property are patented. We own property in Montana, with a patented title. The highest title in the U.S.A. signed by the president. Most people dont know that the minerals under their property belongs to the government. There is a town in Nevada that got moved because a large gold and silver deposit was found under it. Another one where the town banded together and bought the mineral rights off the individual. So they wouldn't suffer the same fate. You can deny a person from flying over your patented property. Most dont care. Tell Slim i said Howdy. Heck with out a workhorse like him helping, we probably wouldn't be getting such great shots. Peace....😊

[@CactusAtlas]

Appreciate the info! Thanks so very much! 👍

[@votrolacres8526]

Great dirt road adventure! It’s unfortunate that you weren’t able to explore the ghost town in person but the drone footage was good.

[@CactusAtlas]

Very true! Would LOVE to explore the buildings if we could manage to make contact and get permission. 😄

[@troyalger1603]

You should check out the White dove of the desert aka the San Xavier mission just south of Tucson Arizona. Also there's a few ghost towns in the mountains south of Tucson. I had a buddy that we'd go on adventures in the mountains of southern Arizona. Lots of Spanish history. Father Kino came to Tucson in the 1400's and looks around and thought that the area could hold 30,000 people. There's over 800,000 people in the surrounding areas.

[@CactusAtlas]

We're not done with that area by a long shot. A lot of the time we intend to visit more but run out of time. 😅

[@arielrochin2567]

Late 1700s early 1800s.

[@caseyl3631]

That grave site was waking distance from alto on the hill other side of the road. Mrs Bond lays there, hit by lightning while riding her horse as the story goes.

[@CactusAtlas]

Heard that story too. I know Glenn was in a rush to get to his next location before the sun set so the site was skipped. 😢

[@Ddax-td7qy]

Thanks for the great vicarious ride! I wonder if you have passed by Agua Caliente Hot Springs along the Gila River West of Gila Band. (no springs anymore: all sucked down by alfalfa) Was quite a bit left of the "spa" and stage station last time I was there.

[@CactusAtlas]

We have! Funny you ask, though. We're actually thinking of heading back sometime soon, actually. 😄

[@RoadTrippingFrank]

@40:20 there was a overlook point pull off tp the right..... you would have loved that point.... its one of my spots i enjoy sitting and watching time creep past......

[@pattiporco8598]

Love it when you match up the old pics with the actual current landscape. Maybe you can find out who owns that property and send them a message, along with a link to your page, so they can see for themselves that you are "legit" and just trying to document history.

[@CactusAtlas]

Worth a shot! Would love to document them and take a peek. 😊

[@michaeltruman5109]

Your pronunciation of ocotillo is the one I’ve always known and used. Think the dictionary backs it up. Great video. Have visited the buildings at salero years ago

[@CactusAtlas]

Oh, how cool! How did you go about seeing the buildings?

[@martinbahena3648]

love your videos, wishing i can do that..

[@CactusAtlas]

Maybe one day? If not, we're always happy to have you join us each week. 😄

[@douglasvamateurradioandmore]

I am looking at land in the area. When i do, maybe come visit. Some of those roads i could definitely get my 2wd f150 and f250 through. 4wd would be handy. Thank you for the views.

[@CactusAtlas]

4WD is always handy to have. Never know when you might come across changed conditions. 😅

[@RoadTrippingFrank]

you should have made a right up Mt. Hopkins road and tajen a nice sunset frive and enjoyed the vies.... love that area....

[@CactusAtlas]

Next time, maybe. Had to rush to get to the next location to start another video. 🫤

[@RoadTrippingFrank]

@@CactusAtlas maybe Collab next time down this way?

[@RangelandRebel15]

Excellent drive! It would be cool to pitch a tent for an overnight by those ruins.

[@CactusAtlas]

No joke. Kinda want to go back and do that just for the experience. 👍

[@bobmoto3528]

Forest Service Road 143 - Patagonia to Mt Hopkins Road

[@Desert2snowoffwego]

Given the weathering on that nail, I doubt very much that it has happened in the last 150 years. That is a very old artifact unless it sat in some type of acidic soil. I know that environment, I used to live next to the San Rafael Valley on the other side of those mountains and that is a relatively arid environment.

[@CactusAtlas]

How curious! Such a mysterious little nail in the desert. 😂 Given the relative remoteness of the location and other similar nails that were nearby, I just can't fathom that they were somewhat recent. Just doesn't seem logical that anyone was out there working or dumping nails. 😅

[@aking032962]

Onyx Cave and the Cave of the Bells are in that area.

[@JayDeeBerryman]

Other side of the mountain range closer to Kentucky Camp which they did a video on

[@DeserTech]

Almost thought we'd hear more from Slim. Miss that "guy". Loved the video, though.

[@CactusAtlas]

You and me both! He'll show up here and there. He's not dead yet! 😄

[@troutstalker23]

Love ya Glenn and Amy ❤

[@CactusAtlas]

😊😊

[@t-bone9403]

I've been there a couple of times, do you know more about the history ?

[@CactusAtlas]

Not too much more sadly.

[@balsamicvinegar5789]

A few years ago I took a primitive road outside of Tucson in a Honda Civic. Not a great idea.

[@CactusAtlas]

Yikes! Yeah... done a few with my VW Golf before we got our offroad truck. I can totally relate. 😅

[@user-vk7sn1ge5r]

SERTÃO DA AMÉRICA ESSE CARA TEM MUITA CORAGEM O SOLITÁRIO PALADINO DO VELHO OESTE XERIFF MR. GLENN FORD É LEI KKKKKKKKK

[@stevenrafters7817]

That adobe structure seems to be surrounded by a rock wall as seen from your drone. It looks to cover a large area

[@CactusAtlas]

I noticed that as well. Quite a sizeable property if that's what the intent was.

[@johnwhite5818]

My 2003 Ford focus made it. Lol

[@denise20240]

Hi Glen, have you ever visited “Grapevine Canyon Petroglyphs” in the Spirit Mountain area of southern most point of Nevada?

[@t-bone9403]

Patagonia rents the paddle boats, Parker Canyon does not.

[@CactusAtlas]

We have not. Probably been by there many many times though. 😅

[@douglasvamateurradioandmore]

Could you send me in the direction of how to find these locations.

[@CactusAtlas]

If you look up "adobe ruins at Alto Camp" on Google Maps, you'll find the adobe walls that were the old post office. All are along Salero Canyon Rd (also known as Forest Service 143 Rd).

[@douglasvamateurradioandmore]

@CactusAtlas thanks. When loooking up, I had previously found the heliport to thr south.

[@JodyM2]

I like Parker Canyon Lake it's close by we like to rent the Peddle Boats, have you tried the Ocotillo? Go pull the stamens out of a flower & suck on the end that was in the flower it's sweet & people are speaking of making a tea out of it on my foraging groups

[@CactusAtlas]

Did not know about that! Learning something new every day! Thanks for the info! 😄👍

[@robertlyman9789]

A bad road I saw a video was the Wickenburg trail, that looked really bad. Trail rate 6 I think?

[@CactusAtlas]

It's so hard to really trust some of those ratings sometimes. Can't always tell what changes have happened since the last person rated it.

[@robertlyman9789]

Funny all the trees look burnt, but the grasses are green

[@skyh]

The Spanish into the unknown until they met the Apache Indian.

[@robertlyman9789]

My dad and I used to hunt in that area in the 1980’s, I think I took a poo in the corner of one of those buildings 😂

[@CactusAtlas]

😂

[@user-vk7sn1ge5r]

Cuidado com os comanches apaches ou chirikawas 😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@CactusAtlas]

😅

[@Feribrat99]

Just a hand made nail, I doubt it is that old, maybe 40 years or so by the rust. Probably old metal it was made with to begin with. I am a blacksmith and I have made nails like that, they just did not get a great shape to the head of it as they hit it too hard to one side when they were working it, Could have been worked too cold to get a good shape to it. It could be older, but not by much and people reused nails all the time. Even back as far as the industrial age here in the states they had what were called cut nails and they had the type we get today but the old guys did not trust the new nails for a long time because they could not clinch them over to make em stay put like the forged ones. forged nails had no coating and would rust out fairly quick when exposed to the air causing them to rust or oxidize.

[@CactusAtlas]

Interesting! Appreciate the info! 😄👍

[@donisaacson5323]

Too much talk let us see more structures

[@user-vk7sn1ge5r]

Glenn enguanto é dia claro é muito bom mas à noite cara isso aí deve ser horrível kkkkkkkl boo boo kkkkkkkkkkkkkk👽👽

[@CactusAtlas]

Hahaha! Still think it would be cool to camp there next to those old adobe walls. 😄

[@ChrisAllen23]

Please quit talking to your truck