Mountains along the Apache Trail, East of Phoenix, Arizona.
Yesterday, photo blog reader Joni reiterated a prior recommendation for the Apache Trail – I figured I better heed her advice, so we drove out that way yesterday evening. I wasn’t disappointed! It is a beautiful area. I’m looking forward to returning and driving a bit further, we didn’t make it too far past Tortilla Flat. There are a few places with nice flowers, and lots of places that are very green! I think the wildflowers should start looking nice in about a week.
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I would highly recommend going past Tortilla Flat. The road eventually meets up with highway 188 at Roosevelt Lake and you can take that south to Globe where that meets up with highway 60 which runs right back into Phoenix. It makes for an incredibly scenic loop and the dirt road part of the Apache Trail is still one of my favorite roads in Arizona. In fact I’ll be heading down that way in a couple of weeks and camping out there for a night was going to be a definite stop of mine. How long are you gonna be there? If you’re looking for more I found quite a few excellent drives in the four years I was living out there.
…Also forgot to mention, Roosevelt Lake is at its highest capacity ever recorded so it might be nice to see that and the Salt River that way before it starts receding again.
Nice looking country Ron
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Thanks Dennis!
Thanks a lot Mike on the detailed information! I forget you used to live in this area. Camping along that trail is the way to do it, it is pretty long otherwise. I’m looking forward to getting back out there. Thanks again.
Ron
Wonderful how the light catches and brings the eye into the image. This and the one before are great Ron!
That’s a beautiful area!
Great lighting, Ron. So glad you took my advice (and I believe that of at least one other person) and went out that way and plan to go back. I like the drive from Roosevelt Lake north as well. That’s where I find the saguaros with their feet in the water. One of my other favorite dirt roads is from Strawberry to the Childs area (where they recently removed an electric plant). Haven’t been there in a couple of years but there was a small lake along the way and some beautiful spots in the stream when it crosses the road. Just don’t try to cross the Verde River right now to get to the natural hot springs. The water is moving faster and higher than it looks.
Not a spot for wild flowers, but there is a spectacular waterfall on the south western part of the Navajo Reservation about 20 miles off I-40 heading generally toward Leupp. It is called the Grand Falls of the Little Colorado and is nicknamed “The Chcolalte Falls” because of its color. Though I haven’t been to Niagra Falls for along time and find it hard to believe, they say it is taller than Niagara Falls. This is the time of the year to see it with the snow melt. The “river” makes a right degree turn at the bottom of the falls and the cliffs are at about the height of the desert at the top of the falls so it is easy to get in front of it for some great photos. There is always a rainbow there too. and while there are some small, covered picnic tables at the top of the falls it gets very little visitation. Perfect for a photographer!
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Thanks a lot Paul and Greg!
Hi Joni,
Thanks again!
Funny, I was just researching Grand Falls last week and I am considering a run up that way. I also had read they are taller the Niagara. Thanks for the other tips – I will try to check them out.
I hear you on the Verde River – we are camped on the banks of it and I can’t believe how high it is flowing – much higher then previous years!
Thanks again,
Ron