Mystery Castle

Activity Overview

Mystery Castle is a unique attraction located in South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona. This one-of-a-kind castle was constructed starting in the 1930s by a man named Boyce Gully. After learning that he was dying of tuberculosis, he decided to leave his family and move to Phoenix, where he built his daughter the castle she'd always dreamed of as a child. He worked on building the stone castle until his death in 1945, when his grown daughter was notified of its existence and moved into her castle.

If you're looking for a unique place to visit in Phoenix, head to the Mystery Castle to see it up close, learn more about its creation, and admire its creative architectural techniques. Visitors of all ages are sure to be fascinated by this dream-inspired building.

Things to Do

Take a tour of the Mystery Castle. Until her death in 2010, tours were given by Mary Lou Gully, the daughter who dreamed of having her own castle. Today, you can still see the castle's 18 rooms, 13 fireplaces, chapel, and dungeon.
Examine the castle to see the diverse range of materials Boyce Gully used to construct it - he used traditional materials like stone and adobe as well as car parts, rail tracks, and telephone poles! The building is also held together by cement and mortar as well as goat milk.
Bring along a camera to take photos of this fascinating building as well as the spectacular views of the surrounding park and city of Phoenix.

Mystery Castle Insider Tips

Ask your tour guide for more information about the history of the castle and the people who lived there - the guides are very friendly and full of interesting information about this local landmark.
Make sure to bring cash along to pay the admission fees - the Mystery Castle doesn't accept credit or debit cards.
Visit the rest of South Mountain Park once you've finished touring the Mystery Castle. It features over 50 miles of hiking, cycling, and horseback riding trails as well as a large population of chuckwallas, a large lizard species.