BACK ROAD ADVENTURE

Once and fought a losing war of attrition with the U.S. Army in the 1860s and late 1880s.

After that the Sierra Anchas and Cherry Creek fell into a long slumber. The discovery of uranium caused a flurry of activity and road building. But mostly the rugged Sierra Anchas and the steep Cherry Creek Valley remained the domain of placidly munching cattle, scattered ranches, and black bears. The valley's just down the mountain from Young, where an extended family of cattle ranchers once waged war with a rival clan of sheepherders.

Now the Sierra Anchas are protected by a Wilderness designation, most of the traffic between Globe and Young follows the well-maintained gravel meanders of State 288, and Cherry Creek Road provides a precious escape from the bustle of the 20th century.

Gary and I had nearly worn ourselves out congratulating one another on outflanking the washout when we hit the real challenge: a toppled tree and an eroded slope that made a section of road on a steep slope an invitation for a rollover for anything but a dirt bike or an all-terrain vehicle. We detoured back out onto State 288 and drove to within eight miles of Young, where Cherry Creek Road connects to 288.

The rutted dirt intersection proffered a cattle guard and a sign designating it as Forest Service Road 203. That road snaked down the mountain, then turned and headed back down Cherry Creek Valley to the washout, which remains unrepaired five years after the hill slides.

We puttered on down Cherry Creek Road, stopping beneath the big-crowned trees at each rutted creek crossing. We wandered down the creek until I discovered a rock covered with glowing orange lichen and bright-yellow sycamore leaves. I sat and savored the breeze as golden leaves drifted down from above, like stray thoughts and lost time. In the seams of the breeze, I fancied I could detect the palpable turn of the seasons. After pondering the issue for 20 minutes, I could not reliably name the century into which I'd wandered, somewhere just off Cherry Creek Road.

(ABOVE, LEFT) The east slope of the Sierra Anchas forms a rocky background for the treelined Cold Springs Canyon.

(LEFT) The route winds down the mountainside to parallel the creek on a graded road subject to washouts.

(ABOVE) Viewed from Cherry Creek Road, the sunset over Roosevelt Lake and the Tonto Basin provides a perfect end to the day.

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS

Once a month, Gila County grades the first 13 miles of Cherry Creek Road, FR 203, from its intersection with State 288 to the second crossing of Cherry Creek, and it is passable by passenger vehicles. (You will cross two creeks before Cherry Creek.) The last 10 miles are high-clearance four-wheel drive only. Currently the washouts have not been repaired, but back road travelers should always call the Tonto National Forest's Pleasant Valley Ranger District, (520)-462-4300, in Young for the latest information.

Back road travel can be hazardous if you are not prepared for the unexpected. Whether traveling in the desert or in the high country be aware of weather and road conditions, and make sure you and your vehicle are in top shape and you have plenty of water. Don't travel alone, and let someone at home know where you're going and when you plan to return. Odometer readings in story may vary by vehicle.