Fire does what it does. On just about any scenic drive in the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona, you’ll be reminded of that. But the forest does what it does, too. On this easy loop drive just south of Big Lake, you’ll see ample evidence of the Wallow Fire, which was sparked by an improperly extinguished campfire and scorched more than a half-million acres of this landscape in the summer of 2011. But you’ll also see what it looks like when the forest undergoes a vibrant rebirth — and in summer, that rebirth is lovely to see.
Gary Ladd knows Northern Arizona as well as anyone. For more than half a century, he’s been photographing that part of the state — including Marble Canyon, the gorgeous gorge through which the Colorado River runs before it reaches the Grand Canyon. That made Gary the person to ask about a dirt road leading to what looked like a remote Marble Canyon overlook. “I’d call that Buck Farm Viewpoint,” he replied. “Good view!”
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument covers 516 square miles of Southern Arizona, so you could spend a month there and not see all of this isolated, biodiverse jewel of the national park system. But most people spend significantly less than a month there — and Ajo Mountain Drive is for them. Careful drivers can navigate this 20-mile loop in most vehicles, and it traverses much of what makes Organ Pipe great, including unique desert flora, steep mountains and dramatic views.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned in recent years, it’s that we all could stand to be a little more polite to each other. On the route to the summit of the Globe area’s Pinal Peak, that’s a necessity. This narrow mountain road presents a few challenges and a need for driving etiquette, but a pleasant trek with remarkable views at the top is the reward.
There’s no shortage of history at Apache Pass, the route between the Chiricahua and Dos Cabezas mountains of Southeastern Arizona. A freshwater spring — one of the only reliable water sources in the area — made the pass a gathering place for Indigenous people, sparked a battle during the Civil War and led to the creation of a U.S. Army fort.
It’s too bad Tom Mix was in such a hurry. In the fall of 1940, the Western film star was south of Florence, driving down what now is State Route 79, when he came upon a washed-out bridge and couldn’t stop in time. The resulting crash took his life, and a roadside memorial now honors an actor who “served to better fix memories of the Old West in the minds of living men.”
Nearly five centuries ago, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s expedition crossed into present-day Arizona, following the San Pedro River north in search of seven legendary cities of gold. It came up empty, but the expedition became the stuff of legend. A drive through Coronado National Memorial, on the U.S.-Mexico border, offers plenty of that history, but those simply interested in unspoiled wilderness and stunning panoramas will find treasure there, too.
It takes a lot for a scenic drive to become a Scenic Drive. That’s a goofy way of saying we at Arizona Highways try to publish the best of the best. Because of that, there are more than a few misses that get driven but never make it into the magazine. But sometimes, to mix a couple of metaphors, you throw a dart and hit a home run. Cherry Creek Road, which includes a historic mining town and pristine views of the Prescott National Forest, is that dart. Or that home run. Or both.
The San Francisco Peaks, Escudilla Mountain and Big Lake are just a few of the Arizona locations where people flock to see aspens display their autumn hues. If you’re an aspen enthusiast and you’re reading this magazine, you’ve probably been to one of those places, or to all three. You probably haven’t been to Greens Peak, the focus of this easy 20-mile drive in the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona.
