Tombstone is one of the most iconic of all Wild West Boomtowns. It is situated in southern Arizona near the Mexican border and is the famous site of the Gunfight at O.K. Corral. Here one can visit the Old West town that was the site of the most famous Wild West shootout which has since been immortalized in numerous films.

Today Tombstone is one of the most popular Wild West boomtowns to visit, and one can see reenactments of the Gunfight at O.K. Corral and enjoy ghost tours of where these men fought and died. While in Arizona, take the time to visit the Sonoran Desert with its iconic cactuses that became the icon of the West. Another great place to experience the Wild West today is in the living Wild West town of Virginia City just out of Reno in Nevada.

The Gunfight At O.K. Corral - The Most Haunted Wild West Boomtown

The Gunfight at O.K. Corral has been a favorite of numerous westerns including the 1993 movie Tombstone, the 1957 movie Gunfight at O.K. Corral, and even the Star Trek Original Series: Specter Of The Gun (Season Three, Episode Six).

In reality, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a 30-second shootout in 1881 between lawmen (with Virgil Earp and Doc Holliday) and a group of outlaws called the Cowboys. It was the culmination of a long-running feud between the Cowboys and the Town Marshal and his allies.

• Town Marshal: Virgil Earp
• Deaths: 3 Deaths
• Date: October 28, 1881
• Famous: Regarded As The Most Famous Shootout In The American Wild West

The shootout has come to represent the romantic notion of the Old West and how it was a free land for outlaws and how sheriffs and law enforcement officers struggled to keep law and order over the vast but thinly populated territories.

"O. K. Corral, O. K. Corral

Of losing you forever"

- 1957 Gunfight At O.K. Corral Opening Song

Related: Experience Saskatchewan's Wild West At These Unique Road Trip Stops

Tombstone Gunfighter & Ghost Tour

While in Tombstone, going on a Gunfighter & Ghost Tour is a must. One the walking tour visitors see the most haunted spots in the town's historic district. It's more than just the O.K. Corral, hear the lore and legends behind the Courthouse hangings, the John Heath and Bisbee Massacre, China Mary's opium den in Hop Town, and more.

Hear Legends of:

• Courthouse Hangings
• The John Heath and Bisbee Massacre
• China Mary's Opium Den
• The Tombstone General Hospital

The tour is history-packed and paranormal and a fun family experience. They use infrared lasers and EMF meters to add to the experience.

• Duration: Approx. 90 Minutes
• When: 6.00 pm

Cost Of Tour:

• Adult: $30.00
• Child: $20.00 (12 and Under)

The tours run year-round, and the tickets must be purchased in advance.

Related: Think You Could Survive Cowboy Days In The Wild West? Here's What They Had To Eat

Tombstone Ghosts And Legends Tour

Another local tour is offered by Ike Clanton's Haunted Hotel. They invite guests to go with them on a thrilling 15-minute walk that combines fantasy and history with adventure and learning. The proprietor of the hotel is Terry “Ike” Clanton - a fourth-generation member of the Clanton family.

• Address: 426 E. Allen Street, Tombstone AZ 85638
• Opening Hours: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

The ghost of Doc Holliday is the guest's tour guide. Doc takes the guests back in time into an indoor adventure filled with fun special effects and surprises. Learn about the legendary ghost stories that continue to haunt the town today.

Guests will even see the "Movie Star Stagecoach" that was used by John Wayne and other stars in some old Hollywood Westerns. Visit the undertakers and see where men fell with shootouts in the town.

See the original backroom of the Occidental Saloon made famous by the all-night poker game that fueled the O.K. Corral gunfight. See where Virgil Earp (the Tombstone marshal), John Behan (the sheriff), and Ike Clanton (the Cowboy leader), played poker till dawn.

Learn about the quarrels that soon fueled the flames that lead to the famous O.K. Corral shootout just a few hours later.

Other Ghost Tours Of Tombstone

There are a number of other tours one can choose from in Tombstone - they are listed on the Tombstone website.

• Good Enough Mine & Trolley Tours: Also Offers Ghost Tours
• O.K. Corral: Learn All About The Famous Gunfight With Re-enactments
• The Tombstone Epitaph: Learn About The Town Too Tough To Die
• Tombstone Courthouse State Park: Preserves Some Best Of the Town's History

With the most famous shootout of the Wild West, Tombstone has the best Halloween ghost tours.