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Leave No Trace Ethics: • Plan ahead and be prepared. • Travel and camp on durable surfaces. • Dispose of waste properly and pack out your trash. • Leave what you find. • Respect wildlife and minimize impact. • Be considerate of others. | |
Rose Peak
The Blue Range Primitive Area comes by its name honestly. It’s 173,762 acres are managed by the Apache Sitgreaves National Forests, which maintains the natural wilderness as the last Primitive Area in the United States. The rugged mountains and steep ridges and canyons may seem remote, but the area is accessible via a variety of trails. The Rose Peak (No. 345) Trail travels to the top of Rose Peak, named for the wild roses that dot the mountain’s northern side. The trail travels through Gambel Oak and ponderosa pine trees along a series of steep switchbacks. Although the trail may not be long – only a half-mile – it challenges in terms of elevation. At the top, a fire lookout tower stands guard over views that take in rolling green foothills that stretch into New Mexico.
Trail Guide
Length: 1 mile round-trip
Elevation: 8,400 to 8,760 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: From Phoenix, drive east on U.S. Route 60 to Globe. Take U.S. Route 70 east 77 miles to U.S. 191, past Safford. Drive northeast on U.S 191 for 34 miles to Clifton, continuing north on 191 for another 53 miles to the Rose Peak (No. 345) trailhead. Parking is on the east side of the road.
Travel Advisory: The best time to hike this trail is in warmer months. Be aware of weather conditions and don’t hike during summer storms or rainy weather. Carry plenty of water, snacks, a good map with a GPS device if possible. Never hike alone and always tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to return.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/.
East Fork of the Black River
Set out on a 3.5-mile hike up the aspen-lined canyon of the east fork of the Black River between Diamond Rock Campground and Three Forks. If possible, leave one vehicle near Three Forks, along Forest Road 249, then travel to the Diamond Rock Campground to begin your journey. The hike is an easy stroll on an unmaintained trail for the first mile or so, before it veers into the streambed in mid-canyon, forcing a lot of boulder- and downed log-hopping, with a face-slap of willow pushing sprinkled in. Steep, travertine gray walls line old sheep beds. From there, you can see the meandering stream, home to Apache trout. Although the species remains listed as endangered, hatchery reintroductions and stream protection have now spawned such large populations that you can legally fish for them.
Trail Guide
Length: 3.5 miles
Elevation: 7,890 feet
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Directions: From Phoenix, take State Route 87 northeast to Payson to State Route 260 east through Pinetop-Lakeside. Continue on State 260 through Springerville to its end at U.S. routes 180/191. Turn right (south) and continue toward Alpine approximately 25 miles to Forest Road 249 (2 miles north of Alpine). Turn right (west) onto FR 249 toward Big Lake, approximately 5 miles to a Y-junction with Forest Road 276. Bear left (south) and follow FR 276 for 6 miles to Diamond Rock Campground. The road is well signed.
Travel Advisory: Take a good pair of hiking shoes you don’t mind getting wet, and bring sunscreen and bug spray. Watch out for heavy rains and runoff in the late summer monsoon season.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Painted Bluff Trail
The Painted Bluff Trail travels through some big country. Hidden from the highway by forests and hairpin curves that wrap around rises in the lower spine of Eastern Arizona’s White Mountains, this country has views expansive enough to make a hiker stop and stare from the start of its 11-mile journey at U.S. Route 191 all the way down to the end at Eagle Creek. The trail makes a long day for horseback riders and a several-day backpack for hikers. This trip travels 5 miles to Wood Canyon to get a look at Indian petroglyphs, and then heads back to the trailhead. The trail starts a half-mile west of the Chase Creek Overlook along U.S. 191 and leads past an old open-pit mine. The trail follows a miner’s road in the beginning, passing a wood-beamed mine opening in the first mile. Prospectors always hoped for gold or silver, but copper is king in this area. Today’s treasure hunters might find nuggets of pyrite, also called fool’s gold. At about 1.5 miles, the trail crosses a fire-scarred hillside and hikers get a look at the Morenci Mine. One of the world’s largest copper mines sprawls a handful of miles south. From there on, the trail turns its back on mining and takes a pleasant shift as the road narrows to a single track and heads for some great sights. At about mile 3, you can stop to gawk at the gorgeous colors and contours of the surrounding mountainous terrain. Further down, the trail offers a last look at Morenci Mine and moves into a pine wilderness, which quickly descends (800 feet in a mile) into Wood Canyon. At 5.5 miles, observant hikers can locate the Indian art etched into the rocks 500 feet above the trail. From there, hikers can return to the trailhead or continue for another 5.5 miles to Eagle Creek.
Trail Guide
Length: 11 miles, round-trip
Elevation: 4, 000 to 6,000 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
Directions: From Phoenix, drive southeast on Interstate 10 to the U.S. Route 60 exit. Travel east on U.S. 60 about 76 miles, where the road becomes U.S. Route 70. Continue on U.S. 70 about 79 miles to U.S. Route 191. Turn left (northeast) onto U.S 191 and travel 34 miles to Clifton. Continue driving north; after about 19 miles, look for the trailhead sign on the left side of the road just past the Chase Creek Overlook on a sharp switchback. Colored tape marks the trail.
Travel Advisory: Trail access allows horses and mountain bikes.
Information: Additional Information: Apache Sitgreaves National Forests, Clifton Ranger District, 928-687-1301, www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf.
Thompson Trail
Picture a long alpine valley at nearly 9,000 feet of elevation with a blue-ribbon trout stream running its entire length and forested slopes of spruce, fir and yellow-leafed aspen trees ascending to surrounding peaks. Imagine a level trail that meanders with the stream, mostly in sun, sometimes in shadow, never more than a few yards from the stream bank. Add a sunny Arizona fall morning with frost underfoot and a fine mist exhaled from the shallow, fast-moving waters. That’s a description of Forest Service Trail 629 (Thompson Trail) in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. The trail traces a portion of the West Fork of the Black River near Big Lake in Arizona’s White Mountains. The round-trip length of the hike is either 4.8 or 6.5 miles, depending on whether you hike Trail 628A, the shorter loop that begins where the Thompson Trail meets the West Fork Trail, 628 in the trail system. Because it traverses sensitive riparian habitat, the Thompson Trail 629 is for hikers only. Trail 628, a section of which travels along an old railroad grade above and parallel to the Thompson Trail, is open to both hikers and mountain bikers. Either route offers views of some of Arizona’s most scenic landscapes.
Trail Guide
Length: 6.5 miles, round-trip
Elevation: 8,600 to 8,840 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Directions: From Springerville, drive south on U.S. Route 180/191 to State Route 260 and turn west. After 3 miles, turn south on State Route 261, which joins Forest Road 113 as it loops around Big Lake and becomes Forest Road 249E. To reach the trailhead from Big Lake, drive northwest on FR 249E until it merges with Forest Road 116, then it’s approximately 1.5 miles west to the trailhead at the confluence of Thompson Creek and the West Fork of the Black River at Thompson Ranch. A parking area and information kiosk indicate the trailhead.
Travel Advisory: This hike is best done in late spring, summer and autumn. Be prepared for any type of weather in Arizona’s high country.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-4372; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Reynolds Creek
Just past the convenient reach of Arizona’s cities, but close enough to qualify as a day hike, the Reynolds Creek Trail in the Sierra Ancha Mountains makes a full-day getaway. The remote but well-maintained trail has an untamed feeling as it travels an extraordinarily scenic route in the mountains. The Reynolds Creek Trail takes hikers 3.7 miles up a wooded canyon as it follows the course of Reynolds Creek. The riparian forest along the creek makes a cool cover in the summer and a colorful one in the fall. The path also doubles as a thoroughfare for animals that like to lap the creek water. The trail starts at a sunny section of Reynolds Creek where dozens of species of wildflowers congregate. The path swerves around thickets of long grasses and crosses the creek on troughs dug into bedrock. On the other side of the creek, the trail starts a steady climb up the north canyon wall under a forest of pines. At about mile .6, the trail breaks from the tree cover and takes on a high desert look as it brushes next to the eroded rim of the chiseled canyon wall. After a zig-zag up the rock wall along a section called The Switchbacks, the trail follows the creek southward under a cover of hardwood, fir and pine trees. In autumn, this section becomes a kaleidoscope of color. Velvet ash and Arizona walnut turn yellow, and bigtooth maple trees flare every shade of red. At about mile 2, the trail enters an aspen forest in Knoles Hole. The path meets up with an old road and follows it deeper into the mountains. Directional signs point the way off the road to a path up a ridge, and cairns mark the twisting route down the other side. Hints of civilization appear when the trail skirts the old Murphy Ranch, renamed Haldi Ranch by the current owners. The ranch signals the trail’s end. Hikers can continue on the road to the Aztec Peak Lookout Tower or loop back to their vehicles on one of the mountains’ network of trails.
Trail Guide
Length: Approximately 8 miles, round-trip
Elevation: 6,200 to 7,200 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: Drive east on U.S. Route 60 toward Globe, and turn north (left) onto State Route 188; drive about 13.6 miles to State Route 288, and turn east (right); drive 27 miles to Forest Service Road 410 and turn east (right); drive 3.7 miles to the trailhead. A high-clearance vehicle is required for FR 410.
Travel Advisory: This hike is best done in late spring, summer and autumn. Be prepared for any type of weather in Arizona’s high country.
Information: Tonto National Forest, Pleasant Valley Ranger District, 928-462-4300.
Lower Fish Creek Trail
The Lower Fish Creek Trail follows the perennial flow of Fish Creek all the way to the Black River. Cradled in a cozy wooded canyon that opens up several times to accommodate meadows of wildflowers, the path delves into the wilderness. Anglers will enjoy fishing for native Apache trout. The steel-gray walls of the canyon, with their strange spires and hoodoos, add to an untamed feeling. The trail makes a gradual descent to the river. The last mile of the trail rises into a mixed conifer forest just past the cowboy camp. On a cloudy day, the forest gets dark and disquieting. The trail ends at its confluence with the Black River. On a sunny day, the swift-flowing water sparkles like a neon marquee. After a rain, mist swirls around the craggy cliffs so thickly, it hides the river.
Trail Guide
Length: 5.5 miles, one-way
Elevation: 8,400 to 6,800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: From Hannagan Meadow, drive .1 mile north on U.S. Route 191 to Forest Road 576 and turn left. Drive about 4 miles west to FR 24 and turn right. After about 1 mile, bear left onto 24/83. Drive about 5 miles to 83A and turn left. Travel 1.3 miles and turn left again onto the signed road to the trailhead. Drive .4 mile to the trailhead. A high-clearance vehicle is necessary.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
South Fork Trail
The trailhead at Mexican Hay Lake marks the downhill, or easy, option of the 7-mile South Fork Trail 97, which travels for much of its length along the South Fork of the Little Colorado River up in the alpine zone of Arizona’s White Mountains. The more difficult reverse route starts at the primary trailhead in the South Fork Campground, some 7 miles and 1,500 feet down trail. The trail begins on a plateau adjacent to Mexican Hay Lake, so named because pioneer settlers in the region annually drained the lake to harvest and bale the tall grasses growing there. For the first half of the hike, the trail stretches nearly 4 miles across a parklike forest of 300-year-old ponderosa pine trees. Leaving the plateau, the trail drops sharply toward the river.
Trail Guide
Length: 7 miles, one-way
Elevation: 9,000 to 7,500 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: To reach the upper trailhead at Mexican Hay Lake, travel 3 miles west from Eagar on State Route 260; turn south on State Route 261. It’s approximately 8 miles to Mexican Hay Lake. A dirt road, which should be avoided in wet weather, leads to the trailhead on the north side of the lake. To reach the lower trailhead at the South Fork Campground, travel 5.5 miles west on Route 260; turn south on Forest Road 560 and drive 2.8 miles to the campground and trailhead on the west side of the stream.
Travel Advisory: This hike is best done in late spring, summer or autumn. Be prepared for any weather in Arizona’s high country.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-4372.
Sardine Canyon
Sardine Canyon in the high desert north of Clifton delivers something for everyone. But not everyone will take to everything Sardine Canyon offers. Long and thin, like the sliver of a fish it was named for, Sardine Canyon wriggles slightly more than 6 miles through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests to 50-foot Sardine Falls. Along the way, the gorge offers exquisite scenery. Trouble is, you have to work hard to see some of it. Everyone would enjoy the Sardine Canyon Trail’s first couple of miles, though. The route drops into the canyon on an old dirt road that rancher Alfred Noah used half a century ago to drive in and out. The road ends in a half-mile at a corral on the canyon floor, where a single-track trail takes off. The trail rock-hops across icy mountain water that starts its flow at about mile 1, and past springtime colonies of monkey flowers clustered along slabs of red-tinged bedrock. In winter, a hiker could encounter snow.
Relatively flat and easy to follow, this section of the trail makes an ideal day hike. By mile 1.8, when the canyon makes a sharp bend north and a side canyon branches to the south, the original trail all but disappears; and the options for continuing to Sardine Falls don’t appeal to everyone. The easiest and safest choice is the 6.2-mile trail being re-engineered by the Forest Service that climbs more than 1,000 feet above the canyon floor. An alternate, 3.6-mile route, which clambers over bedrock pocked with pools before barging through thickets, will challenge even experienced hikers.
Trail Guide
Length: 6 miles, one-way
Elevation: 6,000 to 7,000 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
Directions: From Phoenix, take U.S. Route 60 east through Globe, then continue east on U.S. 70 through Safford. Remain on 70 until about 8 miles east of Safford, then turn north (left) onto U.S. Route 191. Drive 22.4 miles to Three Way, turn north (left) and continue on 191. Drive about 25 miles (past Clifton and Morenci) to an unmarked road east of the highway and make a hairpin right turn onto it. From there, a high-clearance vehicle is required. Drive .8 of a mile and veer right; then drive .6 of a mile to the trailhead.
Information: Apache Sitgreaves National Forest, Clifton Ranger District, 928-687-1301; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Lanphier Trail
The 5.6-mile-long Lanphier Trail in the Blue Range Primitive Area, named for a family who homesteaded their namesake canyon, has it all. Along the trail, the stream-fed trees shade you on a summer hike of moderate difficulty. The trail also offers pools to cool you off, curious geology and mountaintop views. And it boasts some unusually named features. Take, for instance, the Red Rock Pillars at mile 1.5. After the trail climbs out of Largo Canyon, where it gets its start, it crests a ridge, drops into Lanphier Canyon and travels under a canopy of sprawling oaks along Lanphier Creek to an area where the walls narrow and squeeze together. You’d never guess this spot is called the Red Rock Pillars because you’ll see no “pillars,” and the rock walls look more purple than red, but none of that mars the charm. From the Red Rock Pillars, the trail runs up and down the canyon walls for the next three-quarters of a mile. A half-mile farther, the trail starts an austere climb out of the canyon, leaving the shade behind. For the next mile, the trail rambles in and out of secluded basins filled with Gambel oaks, then drops all the way back down to the floor of Lanphier Canyon along the creek again.
Trail Guide
Length: 5.6 miles, one-way
Elevation: 5,600 to 7,360 feet
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Directions: From Alpine, drive about 3 miles east on U.S. Route 180, and turn right (south) onto Forest Road 281 (Blue River Road); drive about 25 miles to the Blue Administration Site and a trailhead marked “Largo and Foote Creek Trailhead.” Walk to the right of the trailhead posterboard through two gates to the Blue River. Cross the river and head to a corral, which marks the beginning of the trail.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Indian Springs Trail
Indian Springs Trail, near Big Lake in Eastern Arizona’s high country, makes for a scenic, 7.5-mile loop. Designated for mountain biking as well as hiking, much of the well-maintained trail follows an abandoned railroad grade. A short connecting trail from Rainbow Campground provides convenient access from the Big Lake recreational area. After a half-mile, you’ll reach the turnoff to the Big Lake lookout tower. This side trip, an easy walk for most of its half-mile length, ends with a short but steep scramble up a granite escarpment to the fire lookout. Back on the main trail, after another half-mile, you’ll reach Spillman Spring, where three hollowed-out logs channel water from the spring and serve as water troughs for cattle and wildlife. The trail follows a ribbon of green meadow to Indian Spring. Located at the confluence of two shallow drainages, the spring forms a tiny summer pond. From the spring turn left, and hike a quarter-mile to an old railroad bed. The path leaves the old railroad bed and wanders through woodlands and meadows before crossing Forest Road 249E.
Trail Guide
Length: 7.5 miles, round-trip
Elevation: Elevation of hike is 9,000 feet, but hike is relatively level.
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: From Phoenix, drive northeast on U.S. Route 60 to Show Low and then head southeast on State Route 260 to State Route 273. Turn right onto State 273 and drive southeast to the junction with State Route 261. Turn right and head south on State 261 toward Big Lake. Passing the turnoff to Big Lake, continue south on graveled Forest Road 249 for .7 mile to Forest Road 249E, which is marked with signs for Buffalo Crossing and Sprucedale. Turn right onto FR 249E and follow for a half-mile to the Indian Springs Trail parking area on the left side of the road.
Warning: Water at the springs must be treated before drinking.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-4372; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Spur Cross Trail
Offering no hint of its wild side to come, East-central Arizona's Spur Cross Trail begins its nearly 6-mile, 1,800-foot descent to the Spur Cross Ranch in Dark Canyon, north of Clifton. The deceptive trail makes an uneventful climb up a ridge through a pine-oak forest for the first half-mile. Then at the top of the ridge, it politely shows off rows of mountains to the north and south. Seasoned Arizona hikers might consider these panoramic views typical, unless they know a bit about what went on in those distant spots. The Spur Cross doesn’t show its true personality until it bottoms out on the first descent at mile 1. Breaking free from its evergreen cocoon, the path lands in a bald rock basin where dwarf juniper trees and needle-tipped Parry's agaves appear as if they were a vegetative afterthought. Enormous boulders frame a showy panorama along the trail as it leads to its next surprise – a sudden drop into a series of bluffs. At about mile 4, the trail levels out and stares south into what locals have dubbed Cottonwood Canyon. By mile 5.4, the trail descends into Dark Canyon, where the Spur Cross Ranch stands. Once in Dark Canyon, hikers with enough time (and energy to make the nearly 6-mile climb out) can explore the red rock cliffs farther up.
Trail Guide
Length: 6 miles, one way
Elevation: 4,800 to 6,900 feet
Difficulty: Strenuous
Directions: From Phoenix, take U.S. Route 60 east through Globe, then continue east on U.S. Route 70 to Safford. Take U.S. 70 about 8 miles east of Safford, then turn northeast onto U.S. Route 191. Drive 22.4 miles to Three Way and turn left (north), continuing on U.S. 191. Drive about 27.6 miles through Clifton and Morenci to the trailhead on the west side of the highway, just north of Milepost 170.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Clifton Ranger District, 928-687-1301; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Bear Wallow Trail
This verdant forest trail drops off a ridge, descending through mixed conifers about 700 feet in roughly 1 mile to the North Fork of Bear Wallow Creek. From this point to its terminus at the boundary of the San Carlos Apache Reservation, the moderately difficult Bear Wallow Trail travels 6.5 miles and drops another 1,300 feet. If you want to go the distance, keep in mind that round-trip from the trailhead is nearly 16 miles. But a couple of shorter day-hike alternatives present themselves along the way.
Trail Guide
Length: 16 miles, round-trip
Elevation: 2,000 feet
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Directions: To reach the Bear Wallow Trail, drive 5.5 miles south from Hannagan Meadow on U.S. Route 191 to Forest Service Road 25; turn right and drive 3.4 miles to the trailhead parking area.
Travel Advisory: A special-use permit is required to enter the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Trespassers may be fined or have their gear confiscated.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-687-1301; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
Woods Canyon Lake
The 52-acre Woods Canyon Lake rests at 7,500 feet atop the precipitous sandstone brow of the Mogollon Rim, 120 miles northeast of Phoenix. One of the most heavily used areas in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, it offers seven developed campgrounds, which overflow with weary desert-dwellers seeking refuge from the summer heat. But escaping the crowds is easy on any of several hikes around the lake. The flat 5-mile trail around the lake is an ideal family hike. You can begin at the Spillway Campground at the southeast edge of the lake and continue across the dam at the lake’s eastern end. For the first 3 miles, the trail meanders through open stands of ponderosas, Gambel oaks and some ghostlike aspen trees. A half-mile from the Rocky Point Picnic Area, the path joins the Nature Trail. This 1-mile hike starts at the picnic area, goes to a limestone sinkhole and returns lakeside. The lake hike ends at the Rocky Point parking lot. From there you can shuttle back to the Spillway parking lot or hike another half-mile to complete the 5-mile trek.
Trail Guide
Length: 5 miles loop
Elevation: 7,500 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Directions: From Payson, drive east on State Route 260 for 32 miles and turn left onto Forest Road 300. Drive 3.5 miles and turn right onto Forest Road105. Drive three-quarters of a mile to the Spillway Campground parking lot. For a shuttle hike, continue 1 mile northwest, past Aspen Campground and the general store, to the Rocky Point Picnic Area parking lot.
Information: Guided nature walks begin at 10 a.m. each Saturday, Memorial Day through Labor Day. Black Mesa Ranger District, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, 928-535-4481; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails. Recreation Resource Management, Canyon Point Campground, 928-535-9233
Escudilla Mountain
At 10,912 feet, Escudilla stands among the highest peaks in Arizona. A 1,200-foot ascent along the 3-mile Lookout Trail, also known as Escudilla Trail, leads to the lofty perch in the sky. After a half-mile or so, the trail rises up into thick, dark stands of fir and spruce trees and fragrant air. Red squirrels might chatter angrily at your approach, until you top out over aptly named Profanity Ridge – the steepest climb of the hike. You’ll then descend to a beautiful open meadow known as Toolbox Draw that is decorated with fleabane asters, mountain bluebells and Rocky Mountain irises during the summer months. A three-quarter-mile scramble past immense trees and lichen-covered basalt boulders brings you abruptly to the base of the Escudilla Mountain fire-lookout tower.
Trail Guide
Length: 3 miles, one-way
Elevation: 9,600 to 10,900 feet
Difficulty: Moderate; some portions strenuous
Directions: From Springerville, drive 22.1 miles south on U.S. Route 191 to Forest Service Road 56 and turn east. Drive 4.7 miles to the Trail 308 sign and continue left for .3 of a mile to the trailhead.
Travel Advisory: Weather can be erratic, even in summer, with intense sun, wind, rain or snow. Watch for lightning. The mountain is very densely vegetated with many ridges and ledInformation: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails. ges, so do not hike off-trail.
Information: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine Ranger District, 928-339-4384; www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/recreation/trails.
SCENIC DRIVES
Coronado Trail Scenic Drive
More than 120 miles of U.S. Route 191 from Springerville to Clifton
On the route cut by Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1540, visitors today explore the winding road between deserts and the high country pines. An elevation change of 6,000 feet takes travelers through the same life zones that occur between Mexico and Canada, but in a four-hour drive. Along the way, you can camp, fish, hike, boat and watch wildlife.
Additional Information: http://www.byways.org/travel/byway.html?CX_BYWAY=2059
White Mountain Scenic Road
A 67-mile scenic loop, west on State Route 260 from Hon-dah southeast of Pinetop, south on State Route 273, then north on State Route 261 back to SR 260
Creeks, lakes, mountain meadows and ponderosa pines mark this drive through the heart of the White Mountains. Along the way, amenities include skiing, lodging, fishing, camping, hiking and wildlife-watching. In the fall months, reds, golds and ambers emerge from the changing leaves along the route.
The San Carlos Trail
Trail begins five miles north of US 70 at the eastern terminus of Indian Route 6
19th century travelers mapped out the historic San Carlos Trail by following Indians and discovering roads that connected towns with other towns. Green scenery along the way and scatters of ancient Indian ruins make this a worthwhile drive. The trail begins at the mouth of the Gilson Wash on the San Carlos River and runs through Ranch Creek, Pioneer Valley, Dripping Springs Valley, Ash Creek, and Piper Springs Wash to the San Pedro River.
Additional Information: San Carlos Apache Indian Recreation and Wildlife Center, (928) 475-2579.
White River Scenic Road
Spanning 11 miles of State 73 from Hon Dah to 5 miles north of Whiteriver
Grassy meadows, juniper and pine trees and the rushing waters of the White River surround this scenic drive. While traveling, take the time to tour Alchesay/Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery, Fort Apache Historic Park and Kinishba Ruins, or relax with a picnic and watch for wildlife along the White River.
Additional Information: http://www.arizonascenicroads.com/main.aspx
