Scenic Drives

Fire does what it does. On just about any scenic drive in the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona, you’ll be reminded of that. But the forest does what it does, too. On this easy loop drive just south of Big Lake, you’ll see ample evidence of the Wallow Fire, which was sparked by an improperly extinguished campfire and scorched more than a half-million acres of this landscape in the summer of 2011. But you’ll also see what it looks like when the forest undergoes a vibrant rebirth — and in summer, that rebirth is lovely to see.

Gary Ladd knows Northern Arizona as well as anyone. For more than half a century, he’s been photographing that part of the state — including Marble Canyon, the gorgeous gorge through which the Colorado River runs before it reaches the Grand Canyon. That made Gary the person to ask about a dirt road leading to what looked like a remote Marble Canyon overlook. “I’d call that Buck Farm Viewpoint,” he replied. “Good view!”

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument covers 516 square miles of Southern Arizona, so you could spend a month there and not see all of this isolated, biodiverse jewel of the national park system. But most people spend significantly less than a month there — and Ajo Mountain Drive is for them. Careful drivers can navigate this 20-mile loop in most vehicles, and it traverses much of what makes Organ Pipe great, including unique desert flora, steep mountains and dramatic views.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned in recent years, it’s that we all could stand to be a little more polite to each other. On the route to the summit of the Globe area’s Pinal Peak, that’s a necessity. This narrow mountain road presents a few challenges and a need for driving etiquette, but a pleasant trek with remarkable views at the top is the reward.

Dos Cabezas and Chiricahua Mountains, Bowie

There’s no shortage of history at Apache Pass, the route between the Chiricahua and Dos Cabezas mountains of Southeastern Arizona. A freshwater spring — one of the only reliable water sources in the area — made the pass a gathering place for Indigenous people, sparked a battle during the Civil War and led to the creation of a U.S. Army fort.

Sonoran Desert, San Pedro River

It’s too bad Tom Mix was in such a hurry. In the fall of 1940, the Western film star was south of Florence, driving down what now is State Route 79, when he came upon a washed-out bridge and couldn’t stop in time. The resulting crash took his life, and a roadside memorial now honors an actor who “served to better fix memories of the Old West in the minds of living men.”

Nearly five centuries ago, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s expedition crossed into present-day Arizona, following the San Pedro River north in search of seven legendary cities of gold. It came up empty, but the expedition became the stuff of legend. A drive through Coronado National Memorial, on the U.S.-Mexico border, offers plenty of that history, but those simply interested in unspoiled wilderness and stunning panoramas will find treasure there, too.

Colorado River, Western Arizona

There’s plenty to see along Arizona’s “West Coast,” where the Colorado River forms our state’s western border. But much of this part of Arizona doesn’t see many visitors, since it’s relatively remote. For those who do make the trek out west, a drive from Lake Havasu City to Parker offers unique history, an engineering wonder and plenty of chances for riverside recreation.

Tonto National Forest, Superstition Mountains

What are you going to remember about 2020? Actually, don’t answer that; this is a family magazine. But despite that year’s challenges, maybe we’ll also remember it as a year when we made the best of it. Which, it turns out, you can do on the Apache Trail, one of Arizona’s most beloved roads. While damage from a 2019 landslide still blocks part of the route, the Arizona Department of Transportation this year repaired the Apache Trail up to Fish Creek Vista, turning an already scenic road into a day trip with a panoramic payoff.

Prescott National Forest, Verde Valley

It takes a lot for a scenic drive to become a Scenic Drive. That’s a goofy way of saying we at Arizona Highways try to publish the best of the best. Because of that, there are more than a few misses that get driven but never make it into the magazine. But sometimes, to mix a couple of metaphors, you throw a dart and hit a home run. Cherry Creek Road, which includes a historic mining town and pristine views of the Prescott National Forest, is that dart. Or that home run. Or both.