Entry No. 43 — the Phoenix file — filed under: haunted
Rock Springs Cafe
A former military bivouac and stagecoach water stop dating to the 1880s, formalized in 1918 as an adobe general store, hotel, and saloon along the old wagon road — now a roadside pie institution on I-17. Staff and travelers report shadowy figures and unexplained roadside encounters tied to the site's century-plus of transient guests.
The story
Before Interstate 17 sliced through Black Canyon City, this patch along the old wagon road was a critical water stop. Starting in the 1880s as a military bivouac and stagecoach layover for miners and travelers slogging between Phoenix and the Bradshaw Mountain goldfields, the site was formalized in 1918 when an adobe general store, hotel, and saloon were raised along the dusty trail.
Over the decades, those original guest rooms transformed into a high-volume roadside diner, built on a reputation for smoked BBQ, burgers, and baked-from-scratch pies. But a century of relentless transient traffic leaves an imprint. Longtime servers and late-night drivers report unexplained encounters and shadowy figures drifting near the property lines—ghosts of early travelers who checked into the original adobe rooms and never managed to check out.
What it's like
Pulling off Old Black Canyon Highway, you'll join a mixed crowd of Sedona-bound vacationers, motorcyclists, and Phoenix locals getting out of the heat. The room stays busy—especially on weekends when lines form at the pie counter—but the line moves efficiently. Grab a counter stool, order a slice of pie with a cup of coffee, and look closely at the rustic layout. If you want to tap into the site's weirder history, visit during an off-peak afternoon hour and ask your server about the phantom guests who linger long after closing.
The move: Make the short drive north for pie and coffee at the counter where stagecoach passengers once waited, and ask a longtime server whether they've had a 'guest' who never checked out.
- 📍 Black Canyon City
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 35900 S Old Black Canyon Hwy, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Arcosanti — Continue 20 miles north on I-17 after your pie stop to tour Paolo Soleri's experimental concrete arcology rising out of the desert.
- Del Pasco Mine — Head northwest into the Bradshaw Mountains toward Crown King to trace the historic mining region that early stagecoach travelers were heading toward when stopping at Rock Springs.
- Maricopa Mine — Head southeast toward Cave Creek to explore late-19th-century gold mine remnants operating during the same era as the original stagecoach stop.
Good to know
What is the history of Rock Springs Cafe?
The site originated in the 1880s as a military bivouac and stagecoach water stop along the old wagon road, before being built into an adobe general store, saloon, and hotel in 1918.
What menu items do they serve besides pie?
The cafe serves classic roadside diner items including breakfast plates, burgers, sandwiches, and smoked BBQ.
Is Rock Springs Cafe haunted?
Staff members and travelers have reported seeing shadowy figures and experiencing strange roadside encounters associated with the site's century-plus history of transient guests.
Can you order Rock Springs Cafe pies online?
Yes, they sell and ship their scratch-made pies nationwide via Goldbelly.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · hauntedplaces.org · echoesofthesouthwest.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-19