Southern Arizona Travel Guide

The Southern Arizona Travel Guide is a resource for those planning a road trip or vacation to the region. The southern half of Arizona, including the metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson areas, is within the Sonoran Desert. The Mogollon Rim and White Mountains stretch across the central and eastern part of Arizona. When the desert region becomes extremely warm during the summer, the Rim Country's high elevation and lush forests offer desert dwellers a cool escape from the summer heat. This section contains suggested itineraries for road trips originating in Tucson or Phoenix.

This guide offers descriptions of many points of interest, links to many references, travel itineraries, and suggested visit times.
See below for Travel Itineraries and the complete Index for this guide.

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Southern Arizona Pull-Down Menu Southern Arizona Introduction Metropolitan Phoenix Central & Western Arizona White Mountains & Mogollon Rim Metropolitan Tucson Southeastern Arizona Travel Itineraries

Phoenix | Central/Western Arizona | White Mountains | Tucson | Southeastern Arizona | Itineraries | Index

Suggested Itineraries for Southern Arizona Road Trips

(I) Apache Trail - US-60 Loop - 1 to 2 days or more -

The Apache Trail offers one of the finest scenic drives in Arizona and America, a great combination of desert, mountains, and canyons. The trail also provides access to excellent camping and water recreation on Canyon, Apache, and Roosevelt Lakes.

From Phoenix, take US-60 east to Apache Junction, then Arizona-88 north. Beyond Roosevelt Dam, take Arizona-98 south with a return to US-60 just west of Globe. US-60 west will return you to Phoenix. The loop can be done in one long day but will take two or more days if you make numerous stops or want to recreate on the desert lakes.

Roughly five miles north of Apache Junction, the "tourist" ghost town of Goldfield, an 1893 gold boomtown, offers mine tours, gold panning, exhibits, and specialty stores. Another half mile brings you to the entrance of Lost Dutchman State Park. The park offers camping, picnicking, guided activities in season, and hiking trails with access to the adjacent Superstition Wilderness.

Beyond the park, Apache Trail twists and turns through scenic foothills before arriving at Canyon Lake where you will find recreation facilities and wonderful vistas. Two more miles bring you to the historic old settlement of Tortilla Flat. There are several tourist shops, including the famous Superstition Saloon.

The pavement ends shortly after Tortilla Flat, and the feeling of wilderness begins to prevail. Colorful gorges below the road and distant mountain ranges provide world-class scenery. The road continues through the thrilling drop into Fish Creek Canyon and continues unpaved until just before Roosevelt Dam.

The route ends just beyond the dam - take Arizona-98 south. Be sure to stop at Tonto National Monument which features two fascinating cliff dwellings built and occupied by the prehistoric Salado people in the first half of the 14th century.

The route ends just beyond the dam - take Arizona-98 south. Be sure to stop at Tonto National Monument which features two fascinating cliff dwellings built and occupied by the prehistoric Salado people in the first half of the 14th century.

The towns of Globe and Miami feature old downtowns and plenty of evidence of their mining past. Just outside of Globe, the Besh-Ba-Gowah Archaeological Park features a museum and the remnants of a 300 room pueblo occupied by the Salado people from 1225-1400 AD. The return west of US-60 runs through highly scenic Devil's Canyon. West of Superior, stop at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park, one of the finest such facilities in the Southwest. The arboretum has several miles of beautiful trails, one of which runs through beautiful, riparian Queen Creek.

(II) Chiricahua Loop - 2 to 3 days or more -

This remote corner of Arizona is rich in wildlife and stunning scenery. If you can handle a rough dirt road (high-clearance, not 4WD, under normal conditions), this is one of the top routes. You will visit the amazing formations at Chiricahua National Monument, cross the Chiricahua Mountains on an exciting and scenic dirt road to the remote eastern flank where there is great camping and easy access to the beautiful Chiricahua Wilderness.

From Tucson, Take Interstate-10 east to Wilcox. Leave the interstate heading southeast on Arizona-186. Chiricahua National Monument is less than an hour from Wilcox. an interesting stop en route is at Fort Bowie National Historic Site where there is a small visitor center and trails to the remnants of the 19th century fort which was the focal point of the Apache wars.

Expect to stay at least one night at the pretty, shaded Chiricahua National Monument campground. This riparian area is rich in wildlife ranging from birds and butterflies to large mammals, including bear. Guided tours are available at the 19th century Faraway Ranch. The park's highlight is the network of trails running through the bizarre scenery of the Heart of Rocks and Echo Park.

When leaving the Monument, look for the turnoff to Forest Road 42. This rugged road climbs through beautiful woods and crests the Chiricahua Mountains at Onion Saddle. A spur road leads south to Rustler Park Recreation Area at 8,500 feet where there is high country recreation.

The road descends the east side of the mountains with many fine vistas, reaching pavement near the town of Portal (note: the route from FR-42 to the semi-ghost town of Paradise is very rough and requires 4WD). The Cave Creek Visitor Center provides information on camping and the Chiricahua Wilderness. There are excellent wooded campgrounds in the area. The South Fork of Cave Creek Canyon is a birder's paradise with one of the richest lodes of bird life in the United States. The first few miles into the canyon offers fairly level hiking and fine fall foliage.

For the return, look for the San Simon Road, a left turn just after leaving the town of Portal. This easy dirt road provides a direct return to Interstate-10.

(III) Spanish Missionary Trail to Tombstone - 2 to 3 days or more -

Head south on I-19 from Tucson. The first stop is Mission San Xavier del Bac just south of Tucson. The 18th century building is one of the most beautiful of the early missions. The murals and decorations inside the sanctuary have been refurbished in recent years and restored to their original beauty.

Other stops on I-19 include the Titan Missle Museum, a former ICBM site outside of Green Valley. Continuing south, look for Tubac Presidio State Historic Park, Arizona's first European settlement dating from 1752, and Tumacacori National Historic Park, a massive adobe church dating from 1800 but never completed.

At Nogales, Arizona, you have the option of visiting Nogales, Mexico. This is a popular border crossing because you can walk across the border without your car to tour or shop. From Nogales, proceed east on Arizona-82, which is scenic and mountainous for a short distance. Patagonia Lake State Park is a nice stop for camping. After leaving the mountains, the route passes into ranching country as it reaches Sonoita. The quaint villages of Sonoita and Elgin are the heart of Arizona wine country. There are five small family wineries in the area, which are generally open for tasting Friday through Sunday. There are bed and breakfasts in this pretty area.

Continue east on Arizona-82, then south on Arizona-80 to the famous old-west town of Tombstone. Plan to spend most of a day to see the attractions which include Allen Street, the OK Corral, Boothill Graveyard, the Birdcage Theater, Tombstone Courthouse, and more.

From Tombstone, you can continue south to tour Bisbee, a historic mining town, or return to I-10 via Arizona-80. You can also return to the interstate via Arizona-90 and stop for a tour at the beautiful Kartchner Caverns State Park.

(IV) White Mountains Tour - 3 to 4 days or more -

From the Phoenix area, take Arizona-87, the highly scenic Beeline Highway, north to the town of Payson, the gateway to Arizona's Mogollon Rim country. From Payson, proceed east on Arizona-260. As the elevation increase, the environment becomes progressively more wooded. In the area of Christopher Creek, there are camprgrounds and cabins. This area is still at the base of the Mogollon Rim. A steep and scenic climb takes you quickly to the top of the Rim where the weather is cool, and the woods are deep.

Look for the Rim Lakes Visitor Center on the south side of the road. Here you will find information on recreational opportunities in the national forest areas. Also, a scenic view off the rim behind the building. The Rim Lakes Recreation Area is accessed by Forest Road 300 off of Arizona-260. This is an area of lakes, campgrounds, hiking trails, and scenic unpaved roads. The Rim Lakes are a popular destination during the hot Phoenix summer.

For the more remote White Mountains, with even cooler weather at higher elevations, continue east on Arizona-260. Outside of Show Low, Fool's Hollow Lake Recreation Area, offers especially good camping for large RVs. To proceed directly to the more remote eastern White Mountains and the Coronado Trail, continue east on US-60. Arizona-260 continues east through the built-up area of Pinetop-Lakeside where there are traveler services and a variety of lodging available. The route then continues onto the White Mountain Apache Reservation where there is a variety of recreation available. The Hon-Dah Resort and Casino offers lodging, an RV park, and shopping.

The high country begins in earnest after Hon-Dah. Look for the turnoff to scenic Hawley Lake which offers camping, cabins, boat rentals, and fishing. Excellent opportunities here to spot wildlife. Further east on Arizona-260, trun right on Arizona-273 for a variety of remote recreation. The Apache nation manages Sunrise Lake which offers boat rentals and some of the state's finest fishing, and the Sunrise Ski Resort.

Arizona-273 becomes unpaved and continues into the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest. At an elevation typically over 9,000 feet, the area offers an alpine feeliing. Lee Valley Recreation Area features pretty Winn Campground and tiny Lee Valley Reservoir, ideal for tubers. The route merges into Arizona-261 and continues to Big Lake, Arizona's most famous trout lake, where there are several campgrounds, a store, and boat rentals. You can return to Arizona-260 via Arizona-261 north, or continue south to even more remote camping and fishing along Forest Road-249 which eventually comes out on US-191 near Alpine.

Back on Arizona-260, the town of Greer can be reached via Arizona-373. This town features bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, three fishing lakes, and guided flyfishing on the Little Colorado River.

Arizona-260 ends at Springerville. Turn south on US-191 to access the remote eastern White Mountains and the Coronado Trail. It is 27 miles to the village of Alpine. There is a nice campground north of the town and fishing at Nelson Reservoir. A few miles east of Alpine, there is beautiful camping at Luna Lake. Proceeding south on US-191, it is 22 more miles to remote and unspoiled Hannagan Meadows Recreation Area. There is camping and lodging here with year round recreation: beautiful hiking and fishing in the summer, cross-country skiing in the winter. Horseback rides are available at Hannagan Meadow Lodge, a very pretty bed and breakfast. They also offer cabins. East of the highway, there are trailheads into the Blue Range Primitive Area, a remote and unspoiled wilderness.

US-191 south of here is also known as the Coronado Trail, and is considered one of Arizona's finest scenic routes. Look for beautiful fall foliage in the area of Hannagan Meadows and south. As the route continues south it drops spectacularly down to the desert via hundreds of switchbacks. The route reaches the town of Morenci, where it passes an enormous and surreal copper pit. US-191 reaches US-70 which can be followed west to US-60 and a return to Phoenix.

The US-191 and US-70 route can be a long and tedious return drive to the Phoenix area. As a shorter alternative, return to Show Low and follow US-60 to Globe (and eventually Phoenix). This highly scenic route follows then crosses the spectacular Salt River Canyon with immense scenery.

Note that the White Mountains (especially the eastern area) and Mogollon Rim can be subject to enormous and sometimes blinding thunderstorms during July and August.

Index to the Southern Arizona Travel Guide

• Southern Arizona Travel Guide - Introduction
  
  
• Metropolitan Phoenix Points of Interest
  
  
• Central & Western Arizona
  
  
• White Mountains & Mogollon Rim
  
  
• Metropolitan Tucson Points of Interest
  
  
• Southeastern Arizona
  
  
• Travel Itineraries
  
  

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