Driving across the Arizona desert is basically a test of endurance. You’ve got heat, shimmering asphalt, and hundreds of miles of… well, not much. Then, somewhere between Benson and Willcox, you start seeing the signs. Massive yellow billboards screaming about a mystery. They ask the same question over and over: "What is It?"
Honestly, if you have any soul at all, you’re going to pull over. You’re going to find yourself at Bowlin's The Thing Travel Center.
It’s a classic roadside trap. But I mean that in the best way possible. It’s a slice of Americana that somehow survived the era of polished, corporate rest stops. While most places are trying to sell you overpriced artisanal beef jerky and clean bathrooms, The Thing is selling you a fever dream. It’s weird. It’s dusty. It’s slightly confusing. And it’s absolutely worth the five bucks to see what’s behind the fence.
The Mystery Behind the Yellow Billboards
Most people think the marketing for The Thing is a modern gimmick. It isn't. This started way back with a guy named Thomas Binkley Prince. He originally had a roadside attraction in the Mojave Desert, but he moved the whole operation to the current location in Southern Arizona around 1950. He was a master of the "hook." He knew that if you tell someone not to look at something, or if you make it a secret, they’ll pay money to solve the riddle.
The signs are legendary. At one point, there were hundreds of them stretching from El Paso to Tucson. Some are weathered and look like they’ve been baking in the sun since the Eisenhower administration. Others are fresh. But they all lead to the same dusty parking lot at Exit 322.
When you walk in, you’re greeted by a massive gift shop. It’s got the standard Southwestern kitsch—turquoise jewelry, rubber snakes, "I Survived the Desert" t-shirts. But keep walking toward the back. That’s where the real story starts. You pay your admission at the counter, and they point you toward a series of outdoor sheds and covered walkways.
What Is It? (No, Seriously)
I’m going to tell you what it is because, let’s be real, you’re probably reading this because you want to know if it’s a scam.
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The centerpiece of Bowlin's The Thing Travel Center is a glass-topped casket containing a "mummified" mother and child. Or at least, that’s what it looks like. For decades, people have debated whether it’s a real archaeological find or a clever "gaff"—a sideshow fake made of plaster, leather, and bone.
Prince claimed he bought the remains from a man who said they were discovered in the Grand Canyon. Skeptics? Oh, there are plenty. Most experts who have looked at photos (since you aren't exactly allowed to perform a biopsy on the thing) suggest it’s likely a creation of Homer Tate. Tate was a famous "sideshow king" who lived in Phoenix and spent his life crafting shrunken heads and mummies for carnivals.
But here is the thing: it doesn't really matter if it's "real."
The experience of walking through those sheds is what you’re paying for. A few years ago, the Bowlin family (who bought the place from Prince’s widow in 1969) gave the whole attraction a massive face-lift. It used to be just a bunch of random junk—old wagons, carvings, and dusty engines. Now, it’s a full-blown narrative experience.
They’ve leaned into the "weird." The new museum layout tells a story about aliens fighting dinosaurs. I'm not joking. You walk through these stylized exhibits where prehistoric monsters are battling extraterrestrials, and somehow, this leads to the mummy at the end. It’s self-aware. It’s campy. It’s the kind of storytelling that makes you realize the owners are in on the joke. They know it’s ridiculous, and they want you to have a good time with the absurdity of it all.
Beyond the Mummy: The Bowlin Legacy
Bowlin’s isn’t just this one location. The Bowlin Travel Centers company actually operates a whole string of these places across New Mexico and Arizona. You’ve probably seen the others: Running Indian, Butterfield Station, Picacho Peak. They’ve been a staple of Southwestern travel for nearly a century.
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The Bowlin family has managed to do something pretty rare. They’ve kept the "Old West" roadside attraction vibe alive while keeping the facilities clean enough for a modern family to actually want to stop there.
Why People Keep Stopping
- The Dairy Queen Factor: Honestly, sometimes you just want a Blizzard. The Thing has a full Dairy Queen attached to it. After 200 miles of heat, a soft-serve cone feels like a religious experience.
- The Gas: It’s one of the few reliable spots for fuel between the major cities.
- The Oddities: Beyond the mummy, the museum has some genuinely cool historical artifacts. There are vintage cars—including a 1937 Rolls-Royce that supposedly belonged to Winston Churchill (though, like everything here, take that with a grain of salt). There are also 19th-century wagons and quirky wood carvings.
- The Instagram Bait: In 2026, the value of a "weird" photo is higher than ever. The giant statues outside are perfect for proving you actually did the drive.
Navigating the Trap Like a Pro
If you’re planning to pull over, don’t just rush to the mummy and leave. Take a second. Look at the junk.
The museum is surprisingly long now. You’ll spend maybe 30 to 45 minutes walking through the "Aliens vs. Dinosaurs" saga. The lighting is dramatic, and the dioramas are actually pretty well-done for a roadside stop in the middle of nowhere. It’s dark in there, which is a nice break from the blinding Arizona sun.
One thing people get wrong: they think it’s just for kids. It isn't. If you grew up with 1950s sci-fi movies or the X-Files, the vibe is going to hit you right in the nostalgia. It’s a tribute to the era of "Mystery Spots" and "Gravity Hills" that used to line every highway in America before the Interstates made everything efficient and boring.
Is it educational? Not in the traditional sense. You won’t leave with a PhD in archaeology. But you will leave with a better understanding of American pop culture and the lengths people will go to for a bit of wonder.
The Logistics of Exit 322
You can’t miss it. It’s located at 15500 Arizona 80, Benson, AZ. It’s roughly 50 miles east of Tucson.
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The price for the museum used to be a dollar for decades. It’s gone up, obviously—inflation hits the mummy business too. It’s around $5 per person now, which is still cheaper than a fancy coffee and infinitely more memorable. They are open every day, usually from early morning until sunset, though the gas station and Dairy Queen often have longer hours.
If you’re hauling a big rig or an RV, the parking lot is huge. They designed this place to catch the long-haulers. There’s plenty of room to turn around, which is a relief because some of those desert gas stations are a nightmare to navigate.
Final Verdict on The Thing
Look, the world is becoming very "samey." You can go to a Target in Ohio or a Target in Arizona and it feels the exact same. Bowlin's The Thing Travel Center is the antidote to that. It’s specific. It’s localized. It’s weird as hell.
It’s a reminder that the journey is supposed to be part of the fun. If you spend your whole road trip staring at the GPS and trying to shave five minutes off your arrival time, you’re doing it wrong. Pull over. Pay the five bucks. See the mummy. Buy a fake Stetson.
How to make the most of your stop:
- Check your tire pressure first: The stretch of I-10 near the Texas Canyon (where The Thing is located) is beautiful but rugged. Make sure your vehicle is handled before you get distracted by aliens.
- Skip the "authentic" souvenirs: If you want real Native American art, look for the certified shops in Tucson or Santa Fe. The stuff here is fun, but it’s mostly mass-produced for tourists. Buy the "The Thing" branded coffee mug instead; it’s more honest.
- Walk the dog: There’s actually a decent amount of space to stretch your legs. If you’re traveling with pets, this is a much better stop than a cramped rest area.
- Take the back roads: If you have time, take the exit for Dragoon nearby. The rock formations in Texas Canyon are stunning and look like something out of a Flintstones cartoon.
When you finally pull back onto the highway and your kids (or your friends) ask, "Wait, was that real?" you just tell them what everyone else has said for seventy years.
"I don't know, but it sure was something."
The real value of The Thing isn't the object in the box. It’s the conversation you’ll have about it for the next hundred miles. That's how you survive a desert drive. You give your brain something to chew on. In a world of digital everything, a physical, dusty, slightly creepy mystery is a gift. Don't overthink it. Just stop.