Revealing the Mystery of the Giant Crosses in the Arizona Desert

The Arizona desert is full of interesting mysteries. The enigma of the giant crosses in the desert near Casa Grande sounds like it comes straight from a spy novel.

Located almost in the dead middle between Phoenix and Tucson, you may not know they're there if you're driving by. You almost need to be flying above the landscape to catch a glimpse. Even then, some of them have been covered by the scrub of the desert.

Read More: Silverado, Arizona: The Forgotten Abandoned Town That Never Existed

Where Exactly are the Giant Crosses of Arizona

You'll find these relics peppered around Casa Grande and Arizona City. Some of them line Interstate 10 and Interstate 8. Most, however, are spread along some of the less-traveled roads in the area.

This Google Map has all the original locations plotted out. You'll notice that not all the original crosses still exist. Some have been completely torn up due to the development of the land. Others have eroded away due to neglect.

Luckily, there are still some that seem to be untouched and you may even be able to get out and take a look at them.

WARNING: we do not support trespassing, so make sure you're able to enter the area to visit these historic landmarks.

What, Exactly, are These Giant Crosses in Arizona

Remember when I said they could be straight out of a spy novel? Well, they kind of are.

These giant crosses were used to calibrate aerial survey cameras from 1959 to 1972. The US Army leased the land --in 100 foot x 100 foot parcels-- to build these crosses.

Some believed these were used to calibrate spy cameras for the CIA, but they were actually used to help interpret images from aerial photography. I know the CIA stuff is much cooler, and we'll stick to believing that.

These would make a great day trip to check out, as well as the other strange construction sites in the area.