Buckskin Tavern
Fredonia, AZ
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

A mile or so north of Fredonia sits the Buckskin Tavern, an old roadside watering hole along US 89A. Check out the bucking horse and cowboy on the rustic sign. It fits this lonely stretch of the Arizona Strip just about perfectly. 06-09

The Buckskin dates back to 1934 and served generations of ranchers, locals, and travelers passing between Arizona and southern Utah. Its location also places it along the road toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Lake Powell. The tavern bills its long wooden counter as the longest bar in Arizona.

After closing in the early 2000s, the tavern sat vacant and weathered for years. The neglected appearance led to reports that the building had been demolished, but it was actually saved. New owners extensively renovated the old structure in 2023, adding a kitchen, stage, outdoor gathering space, and other improvements. The original roadside sign was removed during the property updates.

UPDATE: The Buckskin Tavern is open again. It now serves food and drinks while hosting live music, karaoke, trivia, line dancing, and other events. Not bad for a tavern that appeared to be riding off into the sunset. 08-26

Owl Bar (Demolished)
Gila Bend, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Looking to shoot some pool or throw a few darts while passing through Gila Bend? This was the Owl Bar, an old desert watering hole near Pima Street and Martin Avenue. Check out the big painted sign attached to the side of the building, complete with an owl keeping watch over the place. 11-20

Also known as the Owl Bar and Buffet, the tavern served motorists traveling along old US 80 and Arizona 85. With Gila Bend temperatures regularly climbing beyond 110 degrees, its air-conditioned interior offered travelers and locals a welcome place to cool off with a cold drink.

The Owl eventually closed and the building sat vacant for many years. By 2017, the old bar and a neighboring theater had become part of a town redevelopment and property-clearing effort.

UPDATE: The Owl Bar has been demolished, and its painted roadside sign was removed with the building. The corner where this old desert tavern once stood has since been cleared. 08-26

Cherry's Sports Bar (Gone)
Nogales ,AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here’s the colorful roadside sign for Cherry’s Sports Bar in Nogales. The slanted lettering, cherries, and sports graphics gave the place plenty of visibility along busy North Grand Avenue. It certainly stood out during a drive through town. 06-23

Cherry’s was a casual neighborhood bar where locals and travelers could stop for drinks, watch a game, and escape the traffic heading toward or returning from the nearby Mexican border.

UPDATE: Cherry’s Sports Bar is gone, and its distinctive roadside sign has been removed. The former bar property has since lost the roadside appearance captured in these photos. 08-26

Desert Sands Bar
Casa Grande, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Check out the neon on this sign for  The Desert Sands Bar Bar in Casa Grande. The old marquee advertises cocktails and package liquor in some great mid-century lettering. There is even a little desert scene worked into the bottom of the sign. 06-23

The tavern has been serving the Pinal Avenue corridor for decades. Jewel Griffith and her son Lee Blackburn purchased the place on March 8, 1982, adding “Jewel’s” to the name. Inside is a straightforward neighborhood bar with pool tables, a jukebox, cold drinks, and a small menu of Mexican-American favorites. The business opens at 6:00 in the morning, just in case the desert day gets started early.

UPDATE: Jewel’s Desert Sands remains open, The vintage roadside sign survives with updated lettering, while its cocktails and package-liquor panels continue advertising the tavern’s longtime specialties. 08-26

Toltec Tavern (Gone)
Eloy, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here’s the weathered old sign for the Toltec Tavern, once found along the main road between Eloy and Casa Grande. The simple lettering, rusty frame, and big arrow looked like they had been pointing thirsty travelers toward the place for a very long time. 06-23

The Toltec opened during the 1920s and became a familiar mom-and-pop restaurant and tavern along the old Highway 84 corridor. Long before Interstate 10 carried most of the traffic through the area, this was one of the main roads connecting the small farming communities of central Arizona.

For generations, the Toltec served food and cold drinks to local residents, farmworkers, truckers, and travelers crossing the desert. It was not a fancy roadside attraction, just an old neighborhood gathering place that became a well-known part of the local landscape. Nearly 90 years of service is quite a run for a little tavern beside the highway.

UPDATE: A fire destroyed the Toltec Tavern in 2010 after nearly nine decades in business. The remains were eventually cleared, and the old roadside sign was removed from the property. 08-26

Oasis Saloon (Gone)
Douglas, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here’s the old Oasis Saloon in the Arizona border town of Douglas. The straightforward building and roadside sign gave the place the look of a longtime neighborhood watering hole. 07-23

The Oasis served Douglas residents for years before being updated and renamed the Oasis Sports Bar. Pool tables, televisions, and sports replaced some of the old saloon atmosphere, but it continued operating as a casual local hangout.

UPDATE: The Oasis Sports Bar has closed, and the old sign has been removed. The building was repurposed and now houses Payless Hardware, making the change from cold beer to nuts, bolts, and building supplies complete. 08-26