Santa Cruz County, in Southern Arizona, has no shortage of natural beauty, but there’s plenty of human history, too — including several ghost towns. This easy drive, which starts in the small town of Patagonia, will take you to two of them — one you can see from your car, and one that requires a bit of a hike.
In the 1930s, a trapper robbed Escudilla Mountain of what may have been Arizona’s last grizzly bear. And three-quarters of a century later, the Wallow Fire took much of what was left on the mountain. While grizzlies have yet to return to Arizona’s 12th-highest peak, the natural beauty lost during the 2011 blaze is making a dramatic comeback — and this mostly easy loop drive is an ideal way to experience it, especially in autumn.
Seclusion can be hard to find on the Mogollon Rim when people flock there to escape the summer heat. But if you’re looking for peace and quiet in Rim Country, Bear Canyon Lake, just northwest of the more heavily visited Woods Canyon Lake, is lovely in the summer — and so is the drive to reach it from Winslow.
When the payoff on a scenic drive is something called Point Sublime, it’s reasonable to think that the drive itself might fall short. In this case, it doesn’t. The old-growth ponderosas are part of that. So are the other evergreens, the wildflowers, the meadows and the extreme solitude that’ll make you wonder: Why aren’t there more cars lined up? Why am I the only one out here? You’ll be intrigued by the isolation, but not for long. You’ll be too busy looking around.
State Route 78 is Scarlett Johansson before Lost in Translation. Or, if you prefer, Ryan Gosling before The Notebook. That tortured metaphor is a roundabout way of saying that SR 78, in Arizona’s far eastern reaches, is the most beautiful road you’ve probably never heard of. This 34.2-mile drive, which extends into New Mexico, features everything from vibrant grasslands to mountain vistas, with a little roadside history along the way.
When I’m looking for routes that are worthy of being featured in Arizona Highways, I spend a lot of time on the internet. Most of the time, what I find there can be trusted. But there’s a reason I actually go out and drive these roads.
There’s a reason they call State Route 87 the Beeline Highway: This well-traveled route is basically a straight shot from the Phoenix area to the Mogollon Rim city of Payson. For those looking for a more roundabout path, there’s Forest Road 414, which traverses gorgeous Tonto National Forest terrain southwest of Payson and offers lovely views of the nearby Mazatzal Mountains. And in good weather, it won’t add much time to your trip.
Maybe this one seems too obvious. Everyone knows about the drive through Salt River Canyon, you might be thinking. But you’d be surprised how many Arizonans have never traveled the steep, winding stretch of U.S. Route 60 between Globe and Show Low. And, unlike many lesser-known drives in the state, this one is fully paved, making it an option in any vehicle.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the only person to have walked on the moon. And then, 19 minutes later, he wasn’t anymore. No disrespect to Buzz Aldrin, but the rare feeling of standing alone can be fleeting. But not when it comes to Diamond Creek Road. This rugged 20-mile route is the only place in the 277-mile Grand Canyon, from its start at Lees Ferry to its end at the Grand Wash Cliffs, where you can reach the Colorado River in a car. And the scenery along the way is just as unique.
Many travelers know Ajo as a rest stop en route to Southern Arizona’s Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, but there’s plenty to see in and around town, too, from a thriving slice of the Sonoran Desert to extensive human history. The Ajo Scenic Loop, a point of pride for the community, offers both of these attractions, and in good weather, you can tackle the 10.7-mile route in just about any vehicle.
