One the best drives around the Phoenix area, the Apache Trail takes you from Goldfield ghost town to Roosevelt Dam. The trail is paved for part of the way, but then gives way to a gravel road which whilst less comfortable, is great fun and easily passable in good weather.
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Named for the Apache Indians who once used the route, the trail is about a 40 miles (65 km) stretch of road that winds through the Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. Leaving Phoenix you take US 60 East to Apache Junction to the cut-off for AZ State Route 88, which is the official highway number for the Apache Trail. You then follow the stunning scenery all the way through to the Theodore Roosevelt Dam where the route ends.
HIGHLIGHTS OF APACHE TRAIL
The Apache Trail runs for 38 miles (61 km) from Youngberg, Arizona to Theodore Roosevelt Dam, Roosevelt. Whilst a relatively short drive, it manages to pack in quite a few sights along the way and the drive itself is great fun as the road twists and turns its way through the superstition mountains.
GOLDFIELD GHOST TOWN AND LOST DUTCHMAN STATE PARK
Just outside of Apache Junction you’ll come to Goldfield Ghost Town which is an 1890s reconstructed mining town with a museum, Old West gunfights, and gold mine tours. It’s pretty commercialized but gets good reviews on TripAdvisor and makes for a fun day out, especially with children. Just past the ghost town is the Lost Dutchman State Park which is worth a stop for the views of the mountains.
Legend has it that in this area was a very rich gold mine, called Lost Dutchman, but the location was lost when its lone prospector died. While you are unlikely to find any gold on your walk on the trails you will find lots of cacti and the first of the many, many stunning views you’ll see over the day.
CANYON LAKE
After several kilometres, you’ll come to Canyon Lake, which is one of four lakes formed by the damming of the Salt River that runs through Phoenix. The land in this area has lots of steep cliffs, ravines, and not much ground cover, just a lot of cacti. There is an official scenic stopping point here along with a restaurant, marina, store, and the Dolly Steamboat ride. The Steamboat takes you on a 6-mile cruise around the lake which takes about 1.5 hours. Your guide will talk about the flora of the area and you might get to see desert bighorn sheep and bald eagles if you are lucky.
TORTILLA FLAT
The next stopping point along the way, besides any impromptu stops along the side of the road you want to make (be sure to pull way over and make sure your car can be seen for enough distance), is the very small town of Tortilla Flat. How small is it? Well, the population is just six people! You wouldn’t even guess it is an actual town but there are some old-west style buildings including a little curio shop with mementoes from visitors over the years, a restaurant, and some ancient mining and agricultural equipment.
It’s not long after Tortilla Flat that the pavement gives way to dusty, single-lane dirt roads and the mountains start to really rise up above you. This is really where you want that convertible as it is so neat to look way up the sides that shoot straight up, and then way over the sides of the road that go way down into the ravines below.
APACHE LAKE
After a few hairy turns and, if you want to, a bit of sliding on the dirt, you can enjoy a stop off at Apache Lake. Here you’ll find a walking path leading down the side of the hill away from the road to a nice little look-off place which is ideal for a picnic with a view. The lake is a 25 km long man-made reservoir that is just perfect for boating,fishing, camping, and hiking.
ROOSEVELT DAM
Once you get back on the road you can finish the drive along Fish Creek Canyon and along the Apache Lake to the Theodore Roosevelt Dam. This dam harnesses the Salt River to create the Theodore Roosevelt Lake and allow for irrigation for farming. At the dam, there is a parking lot with toilet facilities and scenic look-off points with information placards. The dam was built in 1911 of bricks and remains the world’s largest masonry dam at 91 metres tall.
TONTO NATIONAL MONUMENT
The dam marks the end of the Apache Trail but if you want to head a little further you can visit the Tonto National Monument. Then, you can either take the main highway’s back to Phoenix or if you liked the Apache Trail, drive it back the other way. Our advice; turn around and drive back to Phoenix on it! If you are heading back later in the day you’ll get a whole new experience as you’ll catch it setting and shining on the sides of the cliffs and mountains on your way back.
PLAN YOUR DRIVE ON THE APACHE TRAIL
Information last updated November 2019
HOW TO GET THERE
The Apache Trail runs from Youngberg, Arizona 85119 to Theodore Roosevelt Dam, Roosevelt, AZ 85545. Click for a map of the Apache Trail.
HELPFUL LINK:
- If you need an app that will navigate you around whether walking, driving or using public transport and even works offline then click for a guide about how to use Here WeGo.
TIPS
- Give yourself lots of time to take it all in. Pack a picnic and make a whole day of it.
- Rent a convertible to really get the best views all around and over you. Plus you’ll get great photos since you won’t have car windows in the way of all the awesome scenery.
- The roads can be steep and narrow in places and much of it is unpaved, so while a 4×4 isn’t necessary (we drove it quite comfortably in a convertible Ford Mustang) it isn’t recommended for large RVs and caravans. We did meet one on the road and were glad we saw it coming from several bends away which gave us time to pick as wide a spot as possible for it to pass by.
- There are several scenic stops along the way and some have parking lots, paths, visitor info and, well, let’s just call them “rustic” restrooms.
- If you want to get out of the car and explore or have the roof down, then the height of summer can be very hot, so we’d advise driving the trail during the cooler months.
- Bring your patience for slower-moving vehicles, and your camera to capture the wonderful scenes and memories.
IS APACHE TRAIL WORTH THE DRIVE?
Unequivocably yes. This is a beautiful scenic drive with lots of places to pull over and admire the views. You can take short hikes off the road and be the only people around within minutes, soaking up the nature that’s all around you. Though the drive is relatively short, the speed you’ll do on the unpaved sections make it seem much longer and it’s a great way to spend a day out of Phoenix, stopping along the way and enjoying the scenery. It’s a drive that should be taken with patience, especially on the unpaved sections which are full of hairpin turns and single-lane bridges to navigate. None of the road is challenging and it’s an easy drive in almost anything other than a low-slung sportscar.
See what others think of this attraction on Trip Advisor.
ADD TO YOUR PHOENIX ITINERARY
From stunning mountain drives and trails to desert landscapes with their unique flora, Phoenix has plenty of attractions to tempt visitors, from the quirky to the mainstream.
IN THE AREA
- Not far from the Roosevelt Dam at the end of the Apache Trail, you can see ancient cliff dwellings at the Tonto National Monument. Home to the Salado people centuries ago, these well-preserved homes can be explored by those willing to climb up to them.
- Taliesin West is the winter home of esteemed architect Frank Lloyd Wright It is now home to his foundation and open for tours of this stunning example of how he designed in harmony with nature.
- One of the most popular trails in the White Tank Mountains, Waterfall Canyon Trail passes ancient hieroglyphs en-route to the waterfall. Only running after wet weather, dry weather allows you to climb right up into the fall area that would normally be inaccessible.
- Built by Boyce Gully for his daughter Mary Lou, the Mystery Castle is constructed out of whatever material he could find to provide a castle his daughter could live in, which she did for many years.
- See how people lived in Pioneer times at the Pioneer Living History Museum. Visit 30 homes, both authentic and recreation to see how life was lived in the late 1800s.
- Explore 140 acres of Papago Park at the Desert Botanical Garden. Over 21,000 plants are laid out in several ecosystems for visitors to explore.
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RESOURCES | PLAN YOUR TRIP TO PHOENIX
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