Scenic 89 From Mexico to Utah

IT IS OFTEN asked what highway offers the most interest and scenic views in Arizona. The writer, after a number of years travel and work on various highways and frequent side exploration on branch roads not designated as highways, is of the opinion that Highway 89 traverses the most scenic and historical and interesting sections of Arizona. This opinion is made without any reservations, but is not made with the intention of misleading the reader or prospective visitor into thinking that the other main high ways do not possess interesting scenery or other spots well worth a visit. From its beginning at Nogales, Arizona, on the Sonora, Mexico, border, to the sandstone cliffs of southern Utah, this highway leads one to any of the celebrated spots that Arizona alone possesses, from the ancient Spanish Missions and oldest inhabited towns of the state to the most modern cities and highly cultivated agricultural districts; from the hot glaring desert to the snow peaks in the pine forests of the Coconino plateau, and from the prehistoric ruins of a forgotten and gone race of the rich river plains in central Arizona to the now living nomads of the Painted Desert of Arizona's farthest north, and their remote ancestor's ancient homes in the Canyon of the Colorado and its branches. All of this can be seen from the car windows as the visitor glides over the wide Highway 89.

Any one coming into Arizona from the east or west must necessarily intersect Highway 89 somewhere as it runs north and south across the state; it is the only highway in the state that does so. Highway 80 meets Highway 89 at Tucson, only 67 miles from the Mexican border; Highway 180, which is the shortest route across Arizona in combination with Highway 60, intersects it midway between Globe and Phoenix, while Highway 66, the next and last east and west highway is 168 miles north of Phoenix and intersects it at Ashfork. At any of these intersections the visitor may be sure of some extraordinary sights if he will take time to take Highway 89 over as much of its length as he can afford.

For purposes of simplicity we will start at Nogales, the extreme southern end of Highway 89 on the border of Mexico, and go through to Utah.

Last Link in Great NorthSouth Route Now Nearing Completion

By NORMAN G. WALLACE Nogales, across the street from Mexico, has much to offer. We suggest that before starting we get a square meal of venison chops and Guaymas oysters with a drop or so, if we are thirsty, of some real French or Italian wine, or some real German beer made by Germans at Hermosillo, Mexico. You will notice a great difference in the event you become thirsty farther northward. To those who prefer plain water Nogales has some very good water taken from the Santa Cruz river bed seven miles away. If you do not visit one or both of those caves right across the line and not one hundred yards in Mexico, where they have hollowed out the mountain into rooms like caves, and where as good food as the writer has ever had is served, your trip to Nogales will have been in vain. The Mexican town of Nogales is the most quiet and peaceful of any of the border towns and they pride themselves on their courtesy and treatment of the visitor.

Nogales lies in the mountains at the bottom of a narrow valley, but the streets have been so arranged that one does not realize that a small river runs beneath the car as we leave town and strike out for Tucson the next city of Highway 89. The car has hardly been warmed up before the Tumacacori Mission looms up but 19 miles from Nogales.

Here Father Kino founded his second mission in the Santa Cruz valley and the United States has preserved its ruins by making it a National monument, where now the National Park Service has put well informed guides to tell the story of the old Spanish padres. Three miles farther is the oldest town in Arizona and it was old when Juan Bautista de Anza started out one spring morning and said he was going to found another town if he could find the Pacific Ocean. He found the Pacific Ocean and celebrated by founding the town of San Francisco, California, then returning home to Tubac to polish off a few Apache Indians.

As Highway 89 is a smooth oiled pavement nearly all of its way it does not take long to shoot down the Santa Cruz valley past the Tumacacori mountains and the nine thousand foot pine covered Santa Rita peaks which rear high above the eastern horizon. As the car nears Tucson, a glance to the west will disclose some small hills away and a white building huddled at their foot. It is the San Xavier Mission also founded by Father Kino and which is now the only mission in Arizona where regular services are held. It is said by travellers that the San Xavier Mission is the most beautiful of all the missions and the best preserved. As it is only three miles to the west of the Highway this side trip to the San Xavier Mission should be taken to complete the enjoyment of our sightseeing.

Tucson has everything a modern Arizona city has to offer, so after taking in all the sights we resume the northward journey. About two miles north of Tucson, Highway 89 branches off from the direct road to Phoenix, but as it is only ten miles longer by Highway 89 than by Highway 84 which goes through Picacho, we remain on Highway 89. Highway 89 is parallel to Highway 84 but is about fifteen miles or so more north easterly, and was the original road to Phoenix. North of Tucson and dead ahead of the car as we leave the city limits the Santa Catalina mountains loom up, about ten miles away. If it is sunset there will be as gorgeous a sight as you will see anywhere. The rugged front range of the Santa Catalina mountains with its side canyons deep in purple shadows, and its red and orange spurs at sunset, are surpassed by nothing this side of the Grand Canyon. The Catalina mountains rise to above 9,000 feet and are pine covered near their summits.

As the car heads northwesterly, the (Continued on Page 22)