State Route 78 is Scarlett Johansson before Lost in Translation. Or, if you prefer, Ryan Gosling before The Notebook. That tortured metaphor is a roundabout way of saying that SR 78, in Arizona’s far eastern reaches, is the most beautiful road you’ve probably never heard of. This 34.2-mile drive, which extends into New Mexico, features everything from vibrant grasslands to mountain vistas, with a little roadside history along the way.
There are countless scenic routes in Arizona just waiting to be discovered, but these days, a newly acces-sible drive doesn’t often just materialize on the map. Yet that’s what happened in 2008, when Pinal County finished a multi-year project to pave Park Link Drive, a key connection between Interstate 10 and State Route 79 (the Pinal Pioneer Parkway) northwest of Tucson. It was thought the pavement would spur development along the road, but so far, that hasn’t happened.
Aspens and maples. When it comes to fall color in Arizona, it seems like those two tree species get most of the attention. They put on spectacular autumn displays, but so do oaks, which grow in abundance amid the ponderosa pines atop the Mogollon Rim of Central Arizona. These trees’ yellow and orange leaves make the drive along Dane Ridge a lovely experience in October, but the abundant evergreens make it a pleasant, accessible trek through the woods at other times of year, too.
Arizona has its share of deceptively named roads. The Senator Highway — which in places barely qualifies as a road, let alone a highway — is one of them. Another is the Swift Trail, which climbs into Eastern Arizona’s Pinaleño Mountains. And while this steep, winding road requires patience and careful driving, the panoramic views, varied flora and cool breezes at the top make it an essential drive, especially as an escape from the summer heat.
For most people driving to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Red Butte is a signal they’ve almost arrived. But the Kaibab National Forest landmark once served the same purpose for air travelers. This 14.2-mile loop, an ideal side trip during a South Rim visit, offers a peek at a mostly forgotten chapter of the Canyon’s history and a closer look at the butte itself.
Sometimes, a scenic detour isn’t one you make by choice. That was the case in 2013, when a “geological event” caused a section of U.S. Route 89 south of Page to buckle. Until the road was repaired two years later, motorists had to use more circuitous routes to travel to and from Page, Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam. One of those was State Route 98 — and, as you’ll see on this drive, the scenery along this 66.3-mile road proves that not everything about a detour is a hardship.
On most mountain roads, the higher you go, the rougher the road gets. Carr Canyon Road, the only driving route to the upper reaches of Southern Arizona’s Huachuca Mountains, is no exception: What begins as a paved meander later becomes a steep, rutted and patience-testing climb. Luckily, the panoramic views and fascinating geology you’ll see along the way make it more than worth the effort.
Photographers tell us that Doll Baby Ranch Road, which winds into the mountains west of Payson, is best experienced at day’s end, when the light of sunset brings a beautiful glow to the hills. But this 11-mile drive is nice for other reasons, too: It’s mostly paved and little traveled, and you’ll get mountain views and even a little history along the way.
When you start this drive amid a thick forest of ponderosa pines, you’ll find it hard to believe that you’ll soon be peering into one of Arizona’s largest canyons. But Sycamore Canyon, despite its size, has a way of surprising you. Although a wildfire raged in the canyon this summer, the view from Sycamore Point is as spectacular as ever — and there’s plenty to enjoy along the way.
