Scenic Drives

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.

There are countless scenic routes in Arizona just waiting to be discovered, but these days, a newly acces-sible drive doesn’t often just materialize on the map. Yet that’s what happened in 2008, when Pinal County finished a multi-year project to pave Park Link Drive, a key connection between Interstate 10 and State Route 79 (the Pinal Pioneer Parkway) northwest of Tucson. It was thought the pavement would spur development along the road, but so far, that hasn’t happened.

Aspens and maples. When it comes to fall color in Arizona, it seems like those two tree species get most of the attention. They put on spectacular autumn displays, but so do oaks, which grow in abundance amid the ponderosa pines atop the Mogollon Rim of Central Arizona. These trees’ yellow and orange leaves make the drive along Dane Ridge a lovely experience in October, but the abundant evergreens make it a pleasant, accessible trek through the woods at other times of year, too.

Johnny Ringo, notorious outlaw and enemy of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp, met his end in the Chiricahua Mountains in July 1882. On this fact, people agree. And while the manner of Ringo’s death is debated even today, there’s no doubt about Ringo’s final resting place: beneath a pile of rocks along Turkey Creek Road, which climbs into the Chiricahuas from the west. Ringo’s grave is a highlight of this 10-mile drive, but the route also offers an easy meander into the varied flora and terrain of this “sky island” range.

What’s the highest mountain in Grand Canyon National Park? Your first guess might be Point Imperial (8,803 feet), but that’s an overlook, not a mountain. The answer is Saddle Mountain (8,419 feet), which forms part of the park boundary in the Marble Canyon section of the gorge. And a forested drive to the overlook named for this peak will give you a look at it — and much more.

Arizona has its share of deceptively named roads. The Senator Highway — which in places barely qualifies as a road, let alone a highway — is one of them. Another is the Swift Trail, which climbs into Eastern Arizona’s Pinaleño Mountains. And while this steep, winding road requires patience and careful driving, the panoramic views, varied flora and cool breezes at the top make it an essential drive, especially as an escape from the summer heat.

Most visitors to Mingus Mountain, one of Central Arizona’s best-known landmarks, travel a paved, winding road from State Route 89A to the top of the mountain. But if you’ve got a four-wheel-drive vehicle and you’re looking for a challenge, consider taking the alternative route: a series of county and forest roads leading north from State Route 169. What this true back-road adventure lacks in easy driving, it makes up for in scenery and solitude.

For most people driving to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Red Butte is a signal they’ve almost arrived. But the Kaibab National Forest landmark once served the same purpose for air travelers. This 14.2-mile loop, an ideal side trip during a South Rim visit, offers a peek at a mostly forgotten chapter of the Canyon’s history and a closer look at the butte itself.

Sometimes, a scenic detour isn’t one you make by choice. That was the case in 2013, when a “geological event” caused a section of U.S. Route 89 south of Page to buckle. Until the road was repaired two years later, motorists had to use more circuitous routes to travel to and from Page, Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam. One of those was State Route 98 — and, as you’ll see on this drive, the scenery along this 66.3-mile road proves that not everything about a detour is a hardship.