Apache Trail | March 23, 2023
I have been wanting to drive the Apache Trail for a while now and I thought this would be something that Joe could do! Other than to go out to eat, he doesn’t get out of the house very often, so I was glad he was able to enjoy this trip!
This historic trail gets its name from the Apache Indians, who originally used the trail to navigate through the Superstition Mountains. It then became a stagecoach route in the early 1900s and now winds its way through both the Superstition Mountains and the Tonto National Forest.
The Apache Trail, known more officially as Arizona State Route 88, is a 40-mile scenic drive starting in Apache Junction and ending at Theodore Roosevelt Dam. The road is very winding, with switchbacks and sharp turns! Once you reach the trail’s end, you can either turn around and go back the way you came or continue onto the circle route, which takes you back through Globe.
Our first stop along the Apache Trail was Goldfield Ghost Town, a reconstructed 1890s ghost town.
Next along the route was Lost Dutchman State Park. We didn’t actually stop in the park, but with the blooming wildflowers we did make many roadside stops so I could take photos! Legend has it that there is a ‘lost gold mine’ within the mountains that was discovered, then lost to time by an infamous “Dutchman”!
One of three man-made lakes along the Apache Trail, Canyon Lake is by far the most scenic. It boasts a large marina, sandy beaches, an RV park, and campgrounds. Dramatic red rock cliffs surround the lake!
And finally we stopped at Tortilla Flats. It was founded as a stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail in 1904. The stop includes a saloon and restaurant, a country store, and a mercantile shop. The Country Store is known for its prickly pear gelato, and the town boasts of its population—a total of six people.
We had lunch at the saloon. The food was awesome and every square inch of the walls inside the saloon were covered in dollar bills!
We continued on for a few more miles on an unpaved road past Tortilla Flats up to Fish Creek Hill Viewpoint. A really scenic drive, but lots of narrow, winding roads! Beyond Fish Creek Hill you could normally start a steep decline down to the canyon floor, but from this point on the road was closed, so we turned around and re-traced our drive back to Apache Junction.
