Scenic drive: Apache Trail to Roosevelt Dam
Contrary to the popular belief by non-Arizonans, Arizona actually isn’t an arid desert with just a canyon (albeit grand) in the north. There are a ton of springs that lead to rivers, canyons, and lakes! For a casual scenic drive on a weekend with the kiddos to see all three, plus some cool stops along the way, drive up the hair-pin turns of the Apache Trail to Roosevelt Lake and Dam. After all, Teddy Roosevelt himself said in 1911 when visiting the Dam, the Apache Trail “combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies, the magnificence of the Grand Canyon and then adds an indefinable something that none of the others have, to me, it is most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful.”
Sites along the way
The Apache Trail cuts into the Superstition Mountains and partially follows the Salt River. Along the way you'll see quite a few sites:
Goldfield Ghost Town
Lost Dutchman park and hiking trails (hey, you might find that legendary hidden stash of gold!)
Canyon Lake
Tortilla Flats
Tons of beautiful saguaros
Apache Lake
Roosevelt Dam
Roosevelt Lake
Tonto National Monument
you might encounter some Big Horned Sheep!
Fun Facts
Lots of history along the route — this was the wild west! Before there were gold mines and legends of stashed gold in the area, the native Apache tribe used the trail to migrate through the Superstition Mountains during the season changes
Check out Tonto National Monument just east of the dam to see some amazing and well preserved cliff dwellings dating back to 1300 CE: Tonto National Monument
Later, the trail was used as a stagecoach for building the Roosevelt Dam (completed in 1911, before Arizona was even a state). This dam in the Salt River formed Roosevelt Lake (Roosevelt Lake isn’t exactly a natural occurrence)
The Roosevelt Lake Bridge that’s right after you pass the dam was constructed in 1990 and was cited one of the top 12 bridges in the US along with Golden Gate Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge. Before the bridge, traffic drove over the top of the dam. Roosevelt Lake Bridge is the longest two-lane, single-span, steel-arch bridge in North America.
Getting there
Here’s map of the trail (aka Highway 88). This is a 2.5 hr drive from Scottsdale taking the Apache Trail to the dam, then 1.5 hrs return through Globe on 188 & 60 or via the Beeline 87 Hwy.
Just after you pass Saguaro Lake and Tortilla Flats (good pit stop if you’re hungry), the paved road turns into a dirt road so this is when you get to take your time and really absorb all the beauty! We recently did this in our front-wheel-drive crossover, but we have also done this in a Jetta, so it’s totally doable in any car as long as you drive slowly.
Cost
Free 99 + gas
Hours
Anytime you desire, but we recommend afternoon if you want to catch the dam at sunset and see the lights running across the top. Just account for 2.5 - 3hrs on the Apache trail, and some extra time you’re planning on making stops for the ghost towns, lakes, Tortialla Flats, photography, etc.
Driving along the trail, you really do get to experience a sliver of the sublime. Whether you live in the Phoenix area, entertaining out of town guests, or just visiting, this is a fantastic way to see what Arizona has to offer without going to the Grand Canyon or having to get out of your car (if that’s more your style).
