A view of the Mystery Castle near Seventh Street and East Mineral Road. This Phoenix landmark is eight miles south of Downtown Phoenix, on the north face of the South Mountain range.
This is the gift shop and "mother-in-law staircase" (left).
The castle is adjacent to South Mountain Park, the largest city park in the USA.
Mary Lou Gulley (center) owns the property and has lived in the Castle for sixty-three years. Her father, Boyce Gulley, built the castle for her during the Great Depression. Also shown are local historian Pam Rector (right) and Surrealist web master Nori Muster.
At the time Boyce Gulley built the castle, this window framed Phoenix. In the sixty-plus years since, Phoenix has grown. The window now frames Downtown Phoenix, with the city spreading out for miles in all directions.
These doors were painted by Ted DeGrazia.
A view of the lion's head in the mountains adjacent to the property.
Inside the Mystery Castle kitchen.
Outdoor patio on the roof.
Families of chuckawallas live on the property. Here, a baby chuckawalla munches on greens offered by one of the docents.
After a snack, the baby chuckawalla goes to look for its mother.
An anxious mother chuckawalla looks on.
You can visit the Mystery Castle daily October through May. It is located on the north face of the South Mountain range. Take Baseline Road to Seventh Street, go south to the end of the road and turn east (left). 800 E. Mineral Road, Phoenix (602) 268-1581. Although it's closed in the summer, you can see it from the road below.
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