Scenic Drives

You’ve probably seen organ pipe cactuses (Stenocereus thurberi) in the pages of this magazine, and with good reason: They’re among the Sonoran Desert’s most photogenic flora. But if you want to see them in person, you’ll have to head to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, along Arizona’s border with Mexico. It protects most of the species’ U.S. population, and Puerto Blanco Drive, a rugged 37-mile trek through the monument’s heart, offers plenty of organ pipes, along with a biodiverse oasis and panoramic desert views.

Tonto National Forest, near Phoenix

Every now and then — particularly in the dead of a brutal Arizona summer — a person can grow tired of the desert. But come autumn, when the air is crisper and the leaves on the scrub oaks have gone golden and the Earth is ripe for rain, that person can grow to love the desert again. It happens in winter, too. And in spring. 

These are the seasons to drive Four Peaks Road (Forest Road 143) from State Route 87 (the Beeline Highway) to Theodore Roosevelt Lake. When you do, you’ll cruise through a hit parade of desert beauty.

Santa Rita Mountains, Coronado National Forest

Home to the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, Mount Hopkins might be heaven on Earth for the star-struck. But the view of much of Southern Arizona from near this Santa Rita Mountains summit will send even the most grounded over the moon. You’ll need to reserve a tour to visit the observatory. But there’s an encapsulated version at the visitors center, plus a nearby astronomy viewing area if you want to use your own telescope. And on the drive to the top, there’s a wealth of history and natural beauty.

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona Strip

If you’ve driven to the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, you’ve seen the house. Just before you climb onto the Kaibab Plateau and head for Jacob Lake, there it is — a turquoise and white rock house on the north side of U.S. Route 89A. It’s isolated and unexpected, and it’s also a signal that, after a long drive, you’re almost there. But have you ever wondered where the dirt road that starts at the house might take you?

San Francisco Volcanic Field, Flagstaff

The story of SP Crater’s name begins with Northern Arizona rancher C.J. Babbitt. Sometime in the late 19th century, the story goes, Babbitt climbed a cinder cone volcano north of Flagstaff and observed its dark-colored lava flow extending to the north. It looked, he thought, like a chamber pot that had been spilled.

Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, Alpine

When you head out on a wildlife-watching trip, you expect to see wildlife. If you don’t, it’s disappointing. That’s why it’s a good idea to plan a trip that’s a winner even when the deer and the antelope are playing elsewhere. The drive to Wildcat Crossing, near Alpine in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, is that kind of journey.

Prescott National Forest, Prescott

While Prescott and Jerome were legendary a century ago for the metal deposits that drew fortune seekers from around the globe, a town nearby had its own, lesser-known mineral claim to fame. The village of Puntenney, just north of Prescott, was the epicenter of Arizona’s “lime rush” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rendered from limestone and cooked in a kiln, lime was used to make mortar, plaster and glass, and to tan leather.

Near Holbrook

“On March 1, the monument was visited by one of the most distinguished persons who ever came to view its wonders.” The year was 1931, the monument was Petrified Forest, and the person was Albert Einstein. He and his wife, Elsa, had come to see the 200 million-year-old petrified trees that put the place on the map. The quote comes from a report by the monument superintendent, who continues: “Dr. Einstein fired a multitude of questions at us, evidencing the greatest interest in the ‘whys’ and ‘hows.’ ”

Coronado National Forest, Douglas

When it comes to Southeastern Arizona mountain ranges, the Chiricahuas are the main attraction. And they’re best known for the rhyolite hoodoos of Chiricahua National Monument in the northern part of the range. But farther south, on an 80-mile loop drive with Rucker Canyon as its highlight, you’ll find equally stunning scenery, plus a tiny wildlife refuge and some of the region’s lesser-known mountains.

Oatman to Bullhead City

When you’re standing amid chollas and yuccas in the Arizona mining town of Oatman, it’s hard to fathom that you’re just a 14-mile drive from the cool water of the Colorado River. (It’s hard to fathom anything, really, other than: What are all these burros doing here?) But it’s true: Silver Creek Road, which leads from Oatman to Bullhead City, takes you from arid Mojave Desert to the banks of the Colorado, with plenty to see along the way.