Camp Hyder is a little known, but incredibly cool Arizona landmark that blends the eeriness of ghost towns with the excitement of discovering American history up close and personal. When the U.S. declared war on the Germans in World War II, the army had little experience fighting in deserts. Unfortunately, the desert was the exact place they needed to go: North Africa’s desert, to be precise. The solution? General Patton built an enormous military base near Hyder, Arizona: a landscape that has a lot in common with North Africa.
Camp Hyder’s Brief Run of Glory
For a couple of years, Camp Hyder was one of the biggest and most important training grounds for U.S. troops. As many as 1,000,000 troops were trained by General Patton himself at Hyder between 1942 and 1944, and the troops that trained at Hyder went on to overcome Field Marshall Rommel and the Nazis in the African desert and of course, eventually win the war in 1945. Once the Germans were defeated in North Africa, there was no longer a need for Camp Hyder, so it closed in late 1944.
Camp Hyder Now
Camp Hyder was designated as “surplus” after the war in Africa ended, and after World War II was finally won, it was abandoned and forgotten. However, you can still easily find it. There are several intact buildings from the 1940’s, including barracks and officer’s quarters, some with very interesting wallpaper choices for a military building. There is what appears to be a lived-in mobile home on the site, no tours are offered, and there are several “no trespassing” signs posted. However, the camp is not fenced off and it may be possible to explore the area anyway if you are so inclined.
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This article is part of a series on Arizona’s Amazing Roadside Attractions
