Bloody Basin and Black Canyon Dog Racing Compound

A dog racing facility sits on a hill overlooking Black Canyon City, its racetrack obscured by cacti and trees that have grown unchecked over the thirty-something years since it was abandoned.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

An hour north of Phoenix I stopped to check out an abandoned cabin in Bloody Basin. With a name like that, how could I resist? I exited the freeway and came to a rough dirt road with a sign that read "Primitive Road. Use at your own risk." With only two hours of daylight remaining, I didn't think a 20-mile drive down a treacherous unpaved road would be the best use of my time. I reluctantly decided to skip the cabin and continue on to Black Canyon Greyhound Park.

I didn't know exactly where the abandoned park was, but I had some idea. I drove through a small neighborhood, past a yard where a few people stood talking. Feeling their eyes on me as I drove by, I started to feel self-conscious and nervous. Black Canyon City, despite the name, is a fairly small town, which means unfamiliar vehicles tend to stand out.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

When I got to the end of the road and saw no sign of the dog track, I realized I'd have to turn around and get back on the main road. As I neared the people I had passed earlier, a guy walked onto the road and held out a hand, so I stopped.

"Need help finding something?" I knew from his tone that he suspected I was up to no good. His wife walked over too, and she looked a little more friendly. I told them I'd heard there was there was a neat old dog racing track around there and I wanted to take some pictures, but wasn't sure where it was. He hesitated and then said, "We've had a lot of problems with vandalism." I gave a friendly chuckle and said "I can assure you that is not my intention." That made his wife smile, diffusing the tension a little. The man seemed to loosen up and gave me some pretty basic directions.

I arrived at the abandoned racetrack grateful for the unexpected help, but still a little nervous that I might run into another of the town's residents who wouldn't be as kind.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

The main building did not look all that large or remarkable from the outside, but when I stepped through the doors it felt like an incredible new world opened up before me.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

As I walked through the grandstand I imagined what it was like in its prime: a crowd of hundreds of people eating, drinking, placing bets, the air charged with an almost tangible energy as thousands of dollars hung in the balance with each race.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

David K Funk and his two sons, David J and Albert ran a dog and horse racing enterprise, with tracks in Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Oregon, and Mexico. They opened Black Canyon Dog Track in 1967.

It was a popular destination for residents of Phoenix, who could drive there in under an hour on the newly built I-17 freeway.

After the track closed in 1982, it occasionally served as a location for swap meets before it was entirely abandoned in the late '80s.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

The place was amazing. I’d never explored anything like it.

It was so thoroughly vandalized, I wondered why the guy had been reluctant to give me directions at first. There wasn't much damage left for me to do that hadn’t already been done.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

As I walked through the office area, I was shocked to find a few artifacts that had been sitting there for over thirty years:

A shareholder meeting announcement from 1975. I was amazed it had survived the decades of vandalism, still intact and legible.
Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

This one really disturbed me. A printout with names and addresses. I snapped a quick photo of one page, but there were reams of these records just sitting there for anyone to see. I imagine these people wouldn't be too happy to know that their personal information is lying around in an abandoned building, irresponsibly left by people who should have disposed of it properly.
Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

The racetrack was completely overgrown. I love how nature gradually takes back what humans leave unattended.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

There were a few other buildings beside the grandstand. Some were in pretty bad shape.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

It amazed me that there had once been thousands of chairs, and virtually all of them had been smashed to pieces.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

I found some of the graffiti particularly thought provoking.
Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

There was a neat little workshop and some other buildings that looked like they served maintenance-related purposes. 

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Along one side of the properly stood a row of small white structures. I'm not sure what they were used for. Maybe lodging for those who brought their dogs there to race?

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

I finally mustered the courage to climb the surprisingly sturdy metal staircase onto the roof of the grandstand. 

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

The roof looked pretty weathered.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

I stayed on the boardwalk, so as not to risk falling through a weak spot in the roof. 

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

There were several small viewing rooms probably used by VIPs and announcers.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Black Canyon Greyhound Park near Phoenix, Arizona

Black Canyon Greyhound Park was so much fun to explore, I left in an extremely good mood. I was so happy I wanted I could go back and thank the couple who gave me directions, but daylight was waning and I figured they would probably prefer to be left alone anyway.

Before the sun went down I made one last stop at a little abandoned service station called Jack Ass Acres. There wasn't much to it, but it was definitely worth stopping to see.

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Jack Ass Acres ruins near Phoenix, Arizona

Urban Exploration of Abandoned Jack Ass Acres ruins near Phoenix, Arizona

I continued south to Phoenix, where I had dinner and a drink and then parked for the night in a residential neighborhood.

The next morning I was sitting in the drivers seat, looking on Yelp for a good place to get breakfast, when I noticed a cop car. At first he drove by at normal speed and went on his way. A minute or two later, he passed by a little slower, and then parked fifty or so feet behind me, and I assume he ran my plates. Then he pulled up next to me and asked what I was doing there and if I knew anyone in the area. I answered honestly that I did not know anyone. "So you just decided to park here?” he said in an accusatory tone.

"Yes," I said.

He seemed dubious, and said there had been a lot of burglaries in the area.

"I can assure you that is not my intention,"  I said, just as I had told the couple in Black Canyon City.

The cop was not as understanding. "That’s what everyone says."

I wasn't sure why he was being so confrontational, but I remained polite and respectful. He finally drove away, only to park about 300 feet or so ahead of me, where he remained, obviously doing his best to unnerve me.

I felt sufficiently uncomfortable and left pretty quickly. I figure my California plates are partly to blame. Arizona isn't exactly known for being hospitable to outsiders, as I was quickly learning. Good thing I don’t look Mexican, or else I’d have had a real problem, since I didn't have my citizenship papers on me.

I had several days worth of facial hair, which might have made me look a bit rough, so I shaved it off before breakfast. Then I made a mental note to park in a shittier neighborhood next time, where cops would be less likely to patrol. So far on my road trip, I'd gotten harassed by a cop and a park ranger on separate occasions just for sitting in my car, but the crackheads I'd run into didn't give me any trouble at all. An unfortunate irony.

Despite the morning's rough start, it ended up being an incredible day. I got to explore the phenomenal ruins of an abandoned horse racing compound, which I'll tell you about next week!

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Sunshine Trading Post Ruins near Canyon Diablo

In a barren expanse of desert outside the remote Navajo town of Leupp stands the ruins of a large unmarked structure. Despite its advanced state of decay, the old building is still quite beautiful.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

After exploring Ella's Trading Post and the neighboring abandoned campground and cattle ranch, I got back out on the road. Barely eleven a.m. and already I'd explored four interesting sites, it was going to be an outstanding day. I had one more site to check out before heading south to Phoenix, where I wouldn't have to worry about freezing my ass off at night.

I stopped in Winslow for gas and a quick bite to eat. I happened by a massive abandoned Senor D's travel center. I would've loved to see the inside, but it was tightly boarded up.

Senor D's abandoned travel center station in Winslow, Arizona

Next to the abandoned gas station stood an old Denny's, also abandoned.

Abandoned Denny's in Winslow, AZ

I grabbed lunch at a pizza joint called Captain Tony's. I'm not sure why a captain would open a pizzeria, but the food was pretty tasty.

After lunch I followed AZ-99 through rolling hills to the Navajo town of Leupp (pronounced LOOP). With a population just shy of a thousand people, Leupp is quite small, but has an interesting history. It was once home to a boarding school run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. During World War II, the school was transformed into the Leupp Isolation Center, a special internment camp for Japanese Americans who were transferred from other camps after being labeled as "troublemakers".

I pulled up to the rectangular piece of land, which was totally empty except for fading dirt roads and the stone ruins of what I assumed to be the Leupp Isolation Center. It turns out I was wrong and it was actually the site of the Sunrise Trading Post.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Sunrise was built in 1920 by H.W. "Nebby" Smith, an employee of the Babbitt Brothers, who owned a trading post at the nearby settlement of Tolchaco. Smith is said to have dismantled the stone walls of the Tolchaco building, carried the stones south, and used them to build Sunrise Trading Post, all without the Babbitts' knowledge.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

The story sounds pretty far-fetched, but I wasn't able to find any other information about the place. It is unclear when or why Sunrise Trading Post eventually closed.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

The main building was in rough shape and looked like it had already had a run-in with a wrecking ball. A large chunk of wall was reduced to a pile of bricks and most of the roof was gone. Still I found the place beautiful. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Pacman would not be a fan of this graffiti. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

The porch out front was really nice. I would love to sit out there on a warm summer day and enjoy the view.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

I liked the place so much, I took a rare selfie there. The "Nerd" graffiti in the background seemed appropriate. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Aside from the main structure, there were some walls left over from what was probably a barn or shed. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

And a little cylindrical building. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

I walked along a dirt road to see if I could find remnants of any other buildings. It led to an old bridge that crosses Canyon Diablo where it splits from the Little Colorado River. The canyon, which was dry at the time of my visit, meanders through miles of desert hills, eventually reaching the ruins of the notoriously lawless frontier town of Canyon Diablo. Sadly, I didn't explore the ghost town because I didn't learn of its existence until after I had left the area.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

On the left is the defunct metal bridge across the canyon. The bridge on the right is part of the highway that crosses Little Colorado River. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Diablo Canyon bridge is no longer can no longer be crossed by vehicles.

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

I wandered around for a while, finding a few overgrown foundations, the only remnants of structures that disappeared long ago. 

On the way back to the freeway, I stopped at a lonely shop in the middle of nowhere. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

I would have loved to order a piece of pie, but the shop was closed. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

Near the freeway is a neat little ranch with a locked gate. The sign reads "No Trespassing. Navajo Nation Property." 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

I didn't try to get a closer look. The sign and what appeared to be a guard tower were enough to deter me. 

Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo

I returned to Flagstaff and stopped at McDonald's to use the free internet. After several minutes of failing to connect, I tried using my phone as a hotspot, but that too failed. I overheard the manager saying that a major fiber optic cable had been cut, which meant there was no internet or phone service in Northern Arizona. The only carrier not affected was Verizon. The manager gave me directions south to Phoenix, and I was soon on my way. 

There were several really interesting sites I wanted to stop at on the way to Phoenix. Without cell service, finding them would be tricky, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. 

Next stop: an abandoned dog racing compound. It was phenomenal. I can't wait to tell you all about it next week!

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Abandoned Sunrise Trading Post Ruins in Leupp Arizona near Canyon Diabo