Driving in central Arizona in June 2015, I stopped by the Tonto National Monument, above the Salt River and Theodore Roosevelt Lake. It's a stunning site, where 800 years ago people created villages in the cliffs. You can still tour one of the dwelling spaces at the top of a trail that winds through gorgeous cacti and wildflowers.
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Nice person in Portland, Oregon, and beyond.
In March 2016 I had a quick trip to Sedona, Arizona, to take pics for Visit Sedona. After Sedona, I swung by the Tonto National Monument above Lake Roosevelt. It's a stunning site, where 800 years ago people created villages into the cliffsides. You can still tour one of the dwelling spaces at the top of a trail that winds through gorgeous cacti and wildflowers.
This winter before some shoots in Sedona, I traveled up the Arizona Route 60 highway through the Pinal mountains between Superior and Miami (pronounced "My Amma"). With the altitude the desert there in the Tonto National Forest can get more moisture than the valleys and so it bursts full of life. It is a rugged, rocky area, home I'm told to some of the world's largest tin and copper deposits.
Cutting through the rugged Superstition Mountains from the towns of Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat to Roosevelt Lake, Arizona's Route 88 -- a.k.a the Apache Trail Highway -- is a gorgeous ride with endless spots of oohs and ahhs. Unfortunately, it is also one of the worst, most treacherous roads I've driven in all the United States. It winds its way around cliffside after cliffside on a pothole-infested, one-lane road that somehow is declared suitable for two lanes. And those two lanes are filled with large pickups pulling boats to the various recreational spots in the area. But if you survive, it's hard to mind a slow ride through unspoiled southwestern desert wilderness. If you're going, the best vehicle to take is a small car with good shocks. (And air conditioning!)
A funky little mining town along state highway 60, easy to ignore as you drive into the beautiful Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. But it’s worth a stop, particularly for the Boyce Thompson Arboretum…
