ONE FOR THE ROADS

( 1 )  FOREST ROADS 209/406
Payson
The turnoff for this lovely drive just north of Payson is unmarked, so it feels hidden (in plain sight). The first 3 miles of Forest Road 209 are unpaved and wind through a lichen-covered canyon thick with junipers, oaks and occasional stands of ponderosa pines. Where the road crosses the east Verde River, look for a shaded clearing and inviting swimming hole. This makes a great place for a pit stop or picnic lunch. Beyond that, the road becomes rocky and rough, requiring a high-clearance vehicle. The route passes the remnants of the Cracker Jack Mine, and then rises out of the canyon, offering forested vistas that eventually give way to high desert. Near the edge of the Mazatzal Mountains, the road dips back down to the Verde at the Doll Baby Ranch. When the river is passable, you can pick up Forest Road 406 on the other side. This partially paved segment winds its way up to Green Valley Park and Main Street in Payson.

Getting There: From Payson, drive north on State Route 87 for approximately 1.5 miles to Forest Road 209 and turn left (west). Continue on FR 209 for approximately 7 miles to Forest Road 406. Turn left (east) to return to Payson.
Accessibility: A high-clearance vehicle is required. Use good judgment and exercise caution when crossing the river.
Information: Payson Ranger District, 928-474-7900 or www.fs.usda.gov/tonto

( 2 ) CHERRY ROAD
Near Prescott
The best thing about being off the beaten path, as the little town of Cherry is, is that residents and scenic-drivers have to take a back road to get there. That means driving scenery-rich Cherry Road. Starting among the rolling hills of Dewey, the meandering dirt road dips in and out of wash bottoms and begins a gentle climb. By dirt-road standards, this is a parkway, easily navigated by passenger cars. After a couple of miles, drivers are inexplicably treated to a respite of pavement. A 3-mile stretch of orphaned asphalt leads to bigger timber as junipers and scrub oaks surrender to a cluster of ponderosa pines. A few scorched trunks are remnants of a prescribed burn — seclusion demands a proactive fire policy. The pavement vanishes as suddenly as it appeared as you make your way into Cherry. The landscape broadens when you pass through town, with scratchy green hills tumbling away in all directions. The road ends at State Route 260 between Camp Verde and Cottonwood.

Getting There: From Phoenix, drive north on Interstate 17 for 78 miles to Exit 278, turn left onto State Route 169, and drive 5.5 miles to Cherry Road. It’s 6 miles to Cherry, and another 11 miles to State Route 260.
Accessibility: Accessible to all vehicles. Beyond Cherry, however, there are several switchbacks and mountain curves, and the road is not protected by guardrails. This section should be avoided when wet.
Information: Prescott National Forest, 928-443-8000 or www.fs.fed.us/r3/prescott

( 3 ) WEST SIDE MORMON LAKE ROAD
Near Flagstaff
Begin this hour-long journey just south of Flagstaff at Lake Mary Road, which offers panoramic views of Lower Lake Mary and Upper Lake Mary. Watch for bald eagles and ospreys that hunt near the water. Turn right onto West Side Morman Lake Road. The asphalt surrenders to dirt 3 miles past Dairy Springs Campground, at Forest Road 240. Turn right onto FR 240 a few seconds before you get to the sign for Mile Marker 5. The bumpy road immediately angles uphill and crosses into stands of Gambel oaks. Keep left to stay on FR 240. As sharp curves wend downhill, drive only as fast as your eyes can feast on fallen trees and the shrub-like New Mexico locust. After 9 miles, continue right on FR 240 as it passes a farmhouse and spills into spacious meadows. The next 6 miles make up a flat, easy drive though prairie lowlands frequented by pronghorns.

Getting There: From Flagstaff, go southeast on Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3) for approximately 26 miles past Lower Lake Mary and Upper Lake Mary. About 3 miles after the intersection leading to Pine Grove Campground (Forest Road 651), turn right onto West Side Mormon Lake Road (Forest Road 90). After passing Dairy Springs Campground, bear right onto Forest Road 240 and continue to Munds Park and Interstate 17.
Accessibility: Accessible to all vehicles.
Information: Flagstaff Ranger District, 928-526-0866 or www.fs.usda.gov/coconino

( 4 ) PEEPLES VALLEY
Prescott to Stanton
This route takes you through the granite boulders and juniper-covered hills of Yavapai County. Along the loop, you’ll pass through Skull Valley, Kirkland, Kirkland Junction, Peeples Valley, Yarnell and Stanton. As you move through Peeples Valley, the road winds between green pastures and climbs a small hill into the community of Yarnell, some 22.5 miles south of Skull Valley. In Yarnell, signs will direct you to St. Joseph of the Mountain Shrine. The park-like setting is located at the base of a rocky hill amid a desert bouquet consisting of small oaks and pungent juniper trees, red-barked manzanitas, native grasses, prickly pear cactuses, lichens and ferns. From Yarnell, the highway narrows as it twists its way for 6 miles to the bottom of Yarnell Hill. About halfway down the hill, there’s a scenic pullout. The cows you’ll see in the distance are part of a dairy farm, which you’ll pass as you drive into Stanton, a former gold-mining mecca that’s now owned by members of the Lost Dutchman Mining Association.

Getting There: From Prescott, take Miller Valley Road to its junction with Iron Springs Road, bear left onto Iron Springs Road and continue for approximately 20 miles to Skull Valley. Continue south on Iron Springs Road for approximately 7 miles to Kirkland Road and turn left. Follow Kirkland Road for 4 miles to Kirkland Junction, and turn right (south) onto State Route 89 (White Spar Road). Follow SR 89 for 22 miles through Peeples Valley to Yarnell. From Yarnell, follow SR 89 for another 8 miles to Stanton Road (County Route 109) and turn left. Follow Stanton Road for approximately 6.5 miles to Stanton.
Accessibility: This mostly paved route is accessible to all vehicles.
Information: Prescott Office of Tourism, 800-266-7534 or www.experienceprescott.com

( 5 ) MESCAL ROAD
Near Tucson
Tucson is a big city. Not as big as Phoenix, and nowhere near as big as L.A., but big enough. That’s why it’s so surprising that Mescal Road, a nearly 16-mile stretch of scenic byway, is so close to the city limits. The drive begins about 40 miles east of Tucson, off Interstate 10 at Exit 297, and meanders past a few small private properties before opening onto fields of yucca and fragrant creosote. After approximately 2 miles, the paved road crosses a set of railroad tracks, and then becomes rockier as it approaches a former movie set. Past the faux Old West town, the road winds through thick stands of wild grasses, then past sycamores and cottonwoods as it passes over Ash and Paige creeks. At the 9-mile mark, you’ll straddle the line between Cochise and Pima counties, where stands of ocotillos appear along the roadside like cryptic fingers emerging from the boulder-strewn soil. After another 3 miles, the road climbs, revealing a spectacular view of the Little Rincon and Galiuro mountains, as well as Happy Valley.

Getting There: From Tucson, drive east on Interstate 10 for 39 miles to Mescal Road (Exit 297) and turn north. After 2 miles, the road crosses railroad tracks. Continue for 5.5 miles to the Ash Canyon Ranch turnoff, but stay on Mescal Road and proceed another 8 miles to the Miller Creek Trailhead.

Accessibility: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Heed creek-crossing warnings in wet weather.

Information: Santa Catalina Ranger District, 520-749-8700 or www.fs.fed.us/r3/coronado

( 6 ) PEARCE FERRY ROAD
Near Kingman
The terrain outside of Kingman has been stimulating people’s imaginations for years. Some people claim to have seen flying saucers, alien creatures and a rock that kills on contact. The back-road route from Kingman to Pearce Ferry cuts through this unusual terrain, which will have you wondering whether you’ve landed on another planet. Begin this drive at Interstate 40 and Stockton Hill Road in Kingman. As you head out on Stockton Hill Road, you’ll find yourself traveling along one side of a wide valley. In the distance, to your right, the Grand Wash Cliffs stand like a giant bookend holding the valley together. Later, you’ll see the cliffs again where the Colorado River forms Lake Mead. On your left are the Cerbat Mountains. Farther on you’ll come to dry Red Lake, which gets its color from the soil. Four miles after the paved portion of the road resumes, you’ll arrive at Pearce Ferry Road, which leads to South Cove and Pearce Ferry in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Getting There: From Interstate 40 and Stockton Hill Road (Mohave County Route 20) in Kingman, drive north on Stockton Hill Road for 21 miles to Pearce Ferry Road and bear right. Continue for 7 miles to the Y-junction with Diamond Bar Road, and veer left to stay on Pearce Ferry Road. Continue north on Pearce Ferry Road for approximately 14 miles to the edge of Lake Mead.
Accessibility: The route, which is primarily dirt, is accessible to all vehicles in fair weather.
Information: Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 702-293-8990 or www.nps.gov/lake

( 7 ) Bonita-Aravaipa Road
Near Klondyke
This road winds across fine, rolling countryside studded with clumps of grama grass, sotol and creosote, climbing and descending to between 3,500 and 4,500 feet in elevation. Roughly a dozen miles in, a side road joins the main road. It leads to Eureka Springs, a favorite haunt of cowboys back in the day and now a privately owned ranch that backs onto the rippled Black Hills. Just a bit farther along, the main road turns to run parallel to Aravaipa Creek, which is ablaze with cottonwoods in their fall splendor this time of year. An hour’s leisurely drive leads to the little hamlet of Klondyke, which officially boasts a population of five. There’s no shortage of beauty here. The same is true as the road winds below the foothills of the Santa Teresa Mountains, the range northwest of the Pinaleño Mountains, and closes in a little as the broad Aravaipa Valley narrows into a magnificent finale. This section of the road ends about 35 miles northwest of Bonita at the eastern gates of Aravaipa Canyon.

Getting There: From Willcox, take Exit 336 or Exit 340 to Fort Grant Road and drive north to Bonita, about 32 miles north of Willcox. Turn left at the T-intersection onto Bonita-Aravaipa Road and continue 30.5 miles to Klondyke.
Accessibility: Accessible to all vehicles in fair weather. Following a storm, however, a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle is recommended.
Information: Bureau of Land Management, Safford District, 928-348-4400 or www.blm.gov/az

( 8 ) WILDLIFE REFUGE
Yuma
Yuma is often stereotyped as a great place to get gas before heading down the road to San Diego. Like all stereotypes, that one is unfair. There’s a long list of reasons to visit Yuma, including the scenic drive to Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. To get there, take U.S. Route 95 north out of the city, where chain restaurants quickly give way to fields and farm stands. Pass the suspension bridge and visit the tiny roadside chapel before turning left at Martinez Lake Road. Turn right at Red Cloud Mine Road and follow it to the wildlife refuge. Once in the refuge, the road is jarring, and the landscape, apocalyptic. All of which makes the sight of the Colorado River, flanked by greenery as bright as a party dress, so unexpected.At the riverbank, the breeze blows a veil of sequins across the water and the occasional sound of a motorboat interrupts the chatter of birds. With any luck, you might spot a big-horn sheep.

Getting There: From Yuma, drive north on U.S. Route 95 for approximately 24 miles to Martinez Lake Road and turn left. Continue on Martinez Lake Road for approximately 10 miles to Red Cloud Mine Road and turn right. Follow the signs to the refuge.
Accessibility: Accessible to all vehicles.
Information: Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, 928-783-3371 or www.fws.gov/refuges

( 9 ) FOREST ROAD 224
McNary to Vernon
This drive takes you from the center of McNary, on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation, to Vernon, a small community 18 miles up the road. No tribal permits are required to travel this stretch, and when you leave the reservation to enter the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests 5 miles later, there’s no noticeable change to the landscape, other than a solitary sign. Lush stands of aspens, oaks and ponderosa pines congregate among fields of black volcanic rock. Just beyond the turnoff for Los Burros Campground, a large meadow opens up through the trees to the left. On maps, it’s usually called the Naegle Ranch; however, a sign at the gated entrance suggests it’s the Bonita Ranch. Another large meadow opens up to the left as you continue north. This is another historic spot — the site of the former Goodman sawmill. Beyond the site, you’ll come to the junction with Forest Road 61. From there, it’s possible to take a short side trip to Harris Lake, or turn around and retrace your tracks back to McNary.

Getting There: From McNary, take Forest Road 224 for 18 miles to Vernon.
Accessibility: The dirt road is accessible to all vehicles in fair weather.
Information: Springerville Ranger District, 928-333-4372 or www.fs.fed.us/r3/ansf

( 10 ) CHEVELON ROAD
Winslow to Heber
The early part of this drive runs along a treeless plain interrupted here and there by an occasional jumble of sandstone boulders. To the east, out of sight, Chevelon Creek inches its way northward to the Little Colorado River. When you’re 7 miles south of Interstate 40, the road dips into a little ravine and crosses Clear Creek, another tributary of the Little Colorado. As you continue south, small clumps of shagbark junipers appear on either side of the road, and there are hills in the distance. Six miles after crossing Clear Creek, the valley widens, and Chevelon Butte is clearly visible to the southwest. Eighteen miles south of Interstate 10, a sign indicates the end of State Route 99, but the road continues as Forest Road 34. Ten miles later, FR 34 veers southwest and Forest Road 504 heads southeast toward Mormon Crossing and Chevelon Canyon. Take the left fork and cross the boundary into the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Heber is 23 miles southeast of the forest boundary, accessible via the switch-backing, ragged FR 504. As you climb up the rim, small meadows appear at irregular intervals, and in the spring and fall, they’re bright with wildflowers.

Getting There: From Winslow, drive south on State Route 87 for approximately 2 miles to its junction with State Route 99 and turn left. After 18 miles, SR 99 becomes Forest Road 34. Continue south on FR 34 for approximately 10 miles to its junction with Forest Road 504, turn left, and continue on FR 504 for approximately 23 miles to its junction with State Route 260. Turn left to Heber.
Accessibility: A high-clearance vehicle is recommended.
Information: Black Mesa Ranger District, 928-535-7300 or www.fs.fed.us/r3/ansf