Highway Mileposts

DRIVING IN ARIZONA IT CAN BE A GREAT ADVENTURE IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT

If you asked travelers to name the most tedious drive in Arizona, the ride between Gila Bend and Yuma would be right up there. The land is flat; the road is slide-rule straight, and the scenery is unspectacular. But if you know what to look for, this is one of the most interesting and energizing routes in the state. Both east and west of Gila Bend, for example, on the south side of the highway, is a 2,500-square-mile Air Force gunnery range, the largest such firing range in the Western world.

On the north side of the road just west of Gila Bend is the largest irrigated farm in the world, the Paloma Ranch. Its 85,000 acres are irrigated from deep wells to grow cotton and cattle feed.

A few miles farther west you can see Oatman Mountain, scene of the infamous Oatman massacre. In 1851 the Oatman family, traveling by wagon to California, was attacked by Yavapai Indians. Royce Oatman, his wife, and four of their seven children were killed. A son, Lorenzo, was thrown off a cliff and left for dead, but he survived. Two of the daughters, Mary Ann, eight, and Olive, 12, were captured then traded to some Mojave Indians. Mary Ann, a sickly girl, died a year later. After he recovered, Lorenzo pursued rumors of a white girl living with an Indian family and, eventually, was able to get Olive back in return for a horse, some blankets, and beads.

A few more miles down the road, you'll see a small mountain range to the north. On top of the range lies the head of a sleeping giant with his nose in the air and his mouth open. You won't hear him snore because, as you get nearer, he will close his mouth.

And so it goes on down the highway to Yuma. There's a new sight to see or a new story to tell every few miles. Knowing the history and geology of the region and what plants, animals, and sights to look for gives motorists a new perspective of travel in Arizona.

A new Arizona Highways book does just that. It tells you what to look for on the major highways in the state. It points out landmarks, names mountain ranges, tells you brief accounts of historical events, and provides other interesting tidbits as you zip down the roadway.

The laminated softcover book, Arizona Mileposts Travel Guide written by William Hafford, correlates the anecdotes to the mileposts and exit markers along the road. By reading ahead, you'll know what's coming up and when to look for it.

So on the interstate to Yuma, at Milepost 29 you'll know the mountain range in front of you is the Gila Mountains and the one to the southeast is Tinajas Altas.

You'll find out that they are essentially waterless ranges and very difficult to traverse. The only road going through them is the dreaded El Camino del Diablo, "The Devil's Highway," a desolate track that took the lives of many early-day travelers.

The state's 15 most traveled routes are covered in the book: Phoenix to Flagstaff, Tucson, Lake Mead, and Payson; Tucson to Globe, New Mexico, and Nogales; Flagstaff to California, New Mexico, and Utah; Casa Grande to Yuma; Apache Junction to Globe; and Globe to Springerville.

After May 28, the book will be available at bookstores, or you can order it directly from Arizona Highways by calling tollfree 1 (800) 543-5432. In the Phoenix area, call 258-1000. The cost is $15.95, plus shipping and handling.

Oh, by the way, if you're traveling north on Interstate 17 toward Flagstaff, check out Milepost 250. Just before the marker on the west side of the highway you'll see the last saguaro on your way north.