Buckhorn Baths
The Place That Started It All - Buckhorn Baths. Mesa, AZ
I must have passed Buckhorn Baths a hundred times growing up, its faded sign, crumbling walls, and sun-baked stillness just sitting quietly on Main Street. One golden spring evening in 2016, my friend Clyphe and I, wide-eyed and 17 years old, finally stepped past the barrier. We were nervous, shaky even, but drawn to the mystery of it all.
The grounds were cracked and overgrown, like nature was slowly reclaiming every inch. We thought we’d be chased off, but instead, the groundskeeper found us and gave us a tour. He told us it was safer to be led than to sneak. That small kindness, that unexpected invitation, changed everything.
That day lit the spark. Buckhorn wasn’t just an abandoned place-it was my first portal into the lost and forgotten. It taught me to look closer, to listen to what silence has to say, and to find beauty in the broken. It was the first of many places I’d explore, and I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.
