Haunted Tempe: The Ghosts of A Mountain and Hayden Flour Mill

More Than a Hike with a View

Hikers know it as “A Mountain,” the butte that overlooks downtown Tempe with a giant gold letter stamped on its side. Students climb it for the view, rival schools fight to paint it, and sunset selfies fill your feed.

But long before the “A,” this land carried a much deeper story—and at its base sits a mill tied to both Tempe’s birth and its lingering hauntings.

Sacred Ground

The volcanic rock of the butte is etched with petroglyphs carved hundreds of years ago by the Hohokam, the original farmers of the Salt River Valley. Spirals, symbols, and figures still mark the stone, their meanings debated but never denied. For the Salt River Pima-Maricopa people who followed, the land remained sacred.

So when settlers arrived and industry took root, it was built directly on top of history that refused to stay buried.

Hayden’s Vision

In 1870, Charles Hayden was traveling through Arizona when a flooded Salt River forced him to stop near the butte. He climbed it for a better view and saw promise: fertile land, water sources, and a natural hub for trade.

From that moment came the Hayden Ferry, Hayden House, and eventually the Hayden Flour Mill—an operation that ground wheat for settlers and supplied the growing territory. The mill wasn’t just a business; it was the engine that turned Tempe into a town.

The Haunted Reputation of the Mill

Though the Hayden Flour Mill in Tempe has been closed for decades, many believe it remains one of the city’s most haunted places. Visitors describe a watchful presence around the site, as if unseen eyes follow their steps. Some claim to have been pushed or nudged near the building, adding to its eerie reputation. Paranormal investigators using spirit boxes have captured disembodied voices, sometimes responding directly to questions. From sudden chills to the sense of being surrounded, the Hayden Mill has become a cornerstone of Tempe ghost stories and local haunted history.

Is it workers who never left, spirits tied to the sacred land beneath the mill, or something stranger? Whatever the source, the Hayden Mill has earned its haunted reputation.

A Landmark with Layers

By day, A Mountain is a symbol of school pride and a popular hike. By night, the shadow of the butte falls on the Hayden Mill—a reminder that Tempe’s story is layered: ancient traditions, pioneer grit, and the whispers that never faded.

If you want to stand at the base of A Mountain and hear the haunted history for yourself, join us on The Millz Have Eyez tour. History lives here—and some say, so do the ghosts.