The Apache Trail: One of Arizona's Great Scenic Drives

The Apache Trail — State Route 88 between Apache Junction and Roosevelt Lake — is one of the most dramatic scenic drives in the American Southwest. Sixty-two miles of mostly paved road traces the northern edge of the Superstition Wilderness through canyon country that earned Teddy Roosevelt's declaration of scenery beyond equal in the world. The route begins at Apache Junction and climbs through the Goldfield Mountains before descending to Fish Creek Canyon — a sheer-walled drop the road negotiates on switchbacks without guardrails. Not appropriate for drivers with height sensitivity. Tortilla Flat, at mile twenty-two, is a historic stagecoach stop operating since 1904. The restaurant makes a serviceable Sonoran hot dog. Canyon Lake and Apache Lake offer boat launches, campsites, and swimming. The clarity of water against dark volcanic canyon walls is a consistent surprise. The route ends at Roosevelt Dam, completed in 1911 as the first reclamation project of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Allow a full day.