Badger Springs Christmas Bush AZ
Motorcyclist Map
Places Filter: Oddities
View In Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NaCt325e1q6rph3M6
Description: Also known as the I-17 Mystery Christmas Tree The 20-foot-tall one-seed juniper tree, scientifically known as Juniperus monosperma, has been adorned annually for more than three decades and enjoys widespread fame across the state. Unlike a conventional Christmas tree, it takes on a bush-like appearance, almost as wide as it is tall. The decorations encompass a variety of festive elements, including Christmas ornaments, tinsel, garland, stuffed animals, bows, flags, and a crowning silver star. Situated at a point where the landscape necessitated a considerable separation between the northbound and southbound lanes of I-17, the median spans over 100 feet in width. Remarkably, the tree's caretakers have remained a mystery over the years, with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) acknowledging that the responsible individuals remain unidentified. Encircling the tree are four water storage barrels and plastic drip tubing, employed to supplement the limited natural rainfall in the area. This irrigation system is also believed to have been installed by the enigmatic decorators. The tradition typically involves the placement of decorations before Thanksgiving, which are subsequently removed after New Year's Day. In 2011, a retired former ADOT district engineer, who had worked until 2005, disclosed that he knew the identity of the decorators but respected their wish to remain anonymous. Notably, due to the potential hazards of stopping on the highway, neither ADOT nor the Arizona Department of Public Safety formally endorse this activity in the median. Additionally, the tree receives patriotic decorations in celebration of the Fourth of July.