hi jolly's tomb

Don't expect much and you won't be disappointed. There really isn't much of a story to be told so the attraction takes little time.

A little off the beaten track but knowing the back story had to stop and check it out. Hi Jolly has a place of honor in the center of the Quartzite cemetery and a large plaque located there tells the story of how he ended up in a U.S. desert town. Worth the small detour to see it.

I have visited graveyards all over the world. This is a desert graveyard. They have some informative signage. You can drive into the parking lot, walk a handful of steps and get back into your car. We spent 30 minutes looking at the markers.

This is worth a visit especially for history buffs. It's free and will only take 30 minutes or so. Importing camels for transportation is unique.

The actual location is on Cemetery Road off off of W. Main st. Turn onto Cemetery Rd. from the north side of Main street across from Pilot truck stop and you'll drive right into the small parking lot.Get a brochure from the kiosk with a brief history of Hi Jolly and the US Army Camel Corps, the "Red Ghost" and details on some of the interesting occupants in the cemetery. Then walk around the small cemetery (or not) to read the markers.It's a gr8 gas/stretch stop off I-10 in the middle of nowhere at exit 17 near the CA border. Go N. off the exit to Main, then E on Main to Cemetery Rd. And N to the site. It's only 1-2 miles from I-10. Very hot in summer so wear hat & sunscreen.

If I could give this attraction something between average and very good, I would. It's better than average, but not quite very good. First of all, this attraction is NOT on Main Street as listed on TripAdvisor. I can't find an address for Hi Jolly's Tomb, but if you are driving west on Main Street, look for a brown historic attraction sign on the north side of the street. That sign will direct you down the street to Hi Jolly's Tomb. (I don't recall if there is or is not a brown historic attraction sign pointing to the tomb on the south side of Main Street. The street you will need to turn down is near the Pilot truck side, on the opposite side of Main.)The tomb is at the front of Hi Jolly Pioneer Cemetery. There are seven parking spaces in a paved lot very close to the tomb. Also near the tomb there is a large, informative sign explaining Hi Jolly and his relationship to the Camel Corps. At a nearby informational kiosk, I picked up a booklet with a map of the graveyard. The booklet also offers biographical information about many of the people buried in the cemetery. The major problem with this attraction is that there is no shade. I visited around noon in January, and I was quickly overheated by the Arizona sun. I had to leave sooner than I really wanted to. I recommend wearing a hat and bringing along drinking water, even if you visit in the winter. The Arizona sun is no joke. I recommend this attraction to people who enjoy the history of the Old West, as well as to people who like camels.

Years ago when I traveled to Sequoia and Yosemite Nt'l Parks . We used to drive by Tejon Pass north of Gorman in CA. We stopped at Fort Tejon a small Fort from 1860's . I read about Camel's Corps, the Camels were used for experiment crossing the Great American Desert. Other interesting stories about the camels including " Hi Jolly " the camel that died in Quartzite,AZ in 1902. It's a small place with lot's of history.

We stopped in Quartzsite on our way to LA. our kids were fascinated by the story of the pre civil war camel corps, and actually spent time looking it up on the web. They actually asked to go see this, and while it was a short stop, getting them engaged in a small piece of history was worth it. If you are on I-10 between Palm Springs and Phoenix you have to stop

This interesting slice of Americana is worth a detour to those fascinated by US history. In 1856, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis had the idea of transporting freight and people across the desert Southwest on camels -- the US Camel Corps. He imported over 70 camels, plus a Syrian caretaker, Hadji Ali. His nickname was Hi Jolly. The cemetery is the final resting place of Hi Jolly, and contains a monument to him, plus the graves of others who lived in the small town. Another notable is the wife of Jesse James, famous American outlaw. Be sure to pick up a guide, that details many of the lives and deaths of the cemetery's inhabitants. You'll find some fascinating tales (such as one gentleman who spent his 15 days in the town on a drinking himself to death). The excursion takes about 30 minutes and is free.