Surviving Arizona’s Apache Trail

Winding through the heart of Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, the Apache Trail is not a drive for the feckless. It twists around jagged mountain peaks and runs off recklessly in steep switchbacks. If you are brave enough, however, Apache Trail is a drive you won’t soon forget.

Named for the Apache Indians that first used it, the trail next became a route for stagecoaches traveling through the mountains then became Arizona’s first highway.

But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a four-lane, well-paved and traveled freeway; there are times when there is nothing between you and the bottom of a cliff but a few loose pebbles. Stacked up against cacti at the bottom of cliffs, the husks of old cars that have slipped from the trail do nothing to reassure drivers the passage is indeed safe. Every year the road gets safer; however, and now it is almost completely paved.

Superstition Mountains © Jennifer Barrow | Dreamstime

The principle part of the Trail is 40 miles of breathtaking and heart-pounding road that connects Mesa to the mining town of Globe and Theodore Roosevelt Lake. If you go, take that route instead of the reverse, as heading east will keep you on the inside of the road most of the ride. Stop in Tortilla Flat to stretch your legs and calm your heart. Take advantage of the many pullouts and observation points. Other interesting stops are Lost Dutchman State Park and Fish Creek. Visitors can also scout for Apache Tears, a unique form of obsidian stone, early on in their passage.

If you go be sure to exercise caution: Do not travel in bad weather as the Trail is subject to flash floods; be aware of other drivers who may be watching the scenery instead of the road; give way at one-lane bridges; and bring plenty of water. And enjoy!