Bizarre Jails

Occasionally life's backroads lead some people to the wrong side of the law; fortunately there's no shortage of unusual and inventive ways to keep these criminals locked up!

Cave Jail

Picacho, California

In the early 1900's, the men of the mining town of Picacho would occasionally drink a bit too much, get a bit too rowdy and would need a bit of restraining. Local law enforcement came up with this ingenious and efficient solution: hollow out a small cave in the wall of a nearby canyon, and put bars across the entrance! The cave was also used as an explosives cache -- hopefully not at the same time it held prisoners!
Directions: From Interstate 10 exit 172 at Winterhaven (just west of Yuma), follow Picacho Road (mostly unpaved) approximately 25 miles north to Picacho State Recreation Area (entry fee required). The cave jail is about a half-mile hike along the Picacho Mill trail (stop # 6 in the trail brochure).
Last Visited: November 2009.

Chain Jail

Arivaca, Arizona

This is about as low-cost as a jail can get: the prisoner is manacled and chained to posts in the ground. No jail walls are provided, which saves money ... and has the added benefit of subjecting the prisoner to public shame!
Directions: Arivaca is 24 miles southwest of Interstate 19 exit #48 (Arivaca Junction) via a paved road.
Last Visited: December 1992.

Yuma Territorial Prison

Yuma, Arizona

The stone walls of this prison were an attempt to bring order to one corner of the Wild West. The "Dark Cell" (2nd photo) was cut into a hillside and was used for those who broke prison regulations; it is dark indeed, very creepy ... and said to be haunted! "The Hellhole of Arizona" is now open to the public as Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park.
Directions: Interstate 8 exit #1 (Giss Parkway) in Yuma. An admission fee is charged.
Last Visited: January 2001.

Sliding Jail

Jerome, Arizona

The Jerome Jail was a conventional jail ... until it started to slide downhill with the rest of the town! For the full story go to my Sliding Jail page .
Directions: Jerome is 5 miles west of Cottonwood on Highway 89A. The sliding jail is on the right side of Hull Avenue just after the one-way split with Main Street. The jail can be viewed anytime from behind the protective fence.
Last Visited: May 2009.

Jail Tree

Wickenburg, Arizona

Supposedly, prisoners were chained to this tree because the town didn't have a real jail. For the full story go to my Jail Tree page .
Directions: In downtown Wickenburg, on the northeast corner of Highways 93 and 60 (behind the Circle K).
Last Visited: July 2009.

Standard disclaimer: Sites are described for entertainment purposes only, as they were at the time of my last visit. I can not vouch for the current condition of the site or its accessibility.