Keys Desert Queen Ranch

The home base for William F. Keys and his family, the Keys Desert Queen Ranch is today listed as a National Historic Register Site. After working as a ranch hand and a deputy sheriff in Mohave County, Arizona, Keys arrived in the area in 1910. He got to know local cattle rustler Jim McHaney, eventually taking over his properties after McHaney's death, expanding what became Desert Queen Ranch, named for the nearby Desert Queen Mine. A Ranger-guided tour of the ranch tells the story of the 60 years Bill and Frances Keys spent working the ranch and raising their children in this remote location. The ranch house, school house, store, and workshop remain; the orchard has been replanted; and the grounds hold cars, trucks, mining equipment and spare parts, which are all part of the Desert Queen Ranch story. Admission to the area is restricted to Ranger-guided tours, which are a half-mile in length and last 90 minutes. Group size is limited to 25 people. Tours cost $10 for visitors age 12 and up; $5 for children 6 to 11. Reservations to visit the ranch are required; visitors can call 760-367-5522 to book. Tickets may also be purchased prior to the day of the tour at the Joshua Tree and Oasis Visitor Centers.