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The Apache Trail's famous Circle Route begins
and ends in Apache Junction, Arizona. This 120 mile scenic
route
is America's oldest roadway and Arizonas first Historic
Highway. The Apache Trail received that honor
on February 25th, 1987. In fact, the Apache Trail has the
distinction of being the only recognized Historic and Scenic
Highway in Arizona. The Apache Trail
will take you through deserts, mountains, by
cliff dwellings, along lake shores, through old mining towns
and through beautifully eroded canyons. This popular route
has been used by tourists since 1915.
The State of Arizona, under the leadership of
Governor George P. Hunt in 1919, decided to build a
transportation link between Phoenix and the cities of Globe
and Miami. Governor Hunt wanted to open the Globe and Miami
copper industry to the Phoenix market. The only road in 1919
linking these two important economic centers was the
Mesa-Roosevelt Road (Apache Trail) or the long rail route
through Tucson, Bowie and Safford. The Apache Trail was not
an efficient roadway for moving goods from place to place.
The roadway originally was built as a haul and service road
for the construction and maintenance of Roosevelt Dam. For
the most part the Apache Trail was a single lane road with
occasional pull outs; however the roadway fascinated
tourists who visited the area. In 1919, there were several
stations along the Apache Trail. There was Government Well,
Mormon Flat, Tortilla Flat, Fish Creek Lodge and Snell's
Station between Mesa and Roosevelt Dam. The completion of
the Phoenix-Globe Highway through Superior in May of 1922
completed the famous Circle Route that allowed drivers of
automobiles to circumnavigate the entire Superstition
Wilderness Area, an almost road-less region.
 Lets
take a trip over this famous route. Starting in Apache
Junction, drive northeast along State Route 88 (Apache
Trail) for about four miles and you will come to Mining Camp
Road on your right. Drive one miles up this road and you
will arrive at the Mining Camp Restaurant established in
1961. This popular restaurant has been a landmark for the
past thirty-five years in the Apache Junction area. On the
left-hand side of the "Trail" just beyond the Mining Camp
Road turn-off you will find Goldfield Ghost Town Tours, Inc.
This modern re-creation of Goldfield has a mine tour, train
ride, a museum and many specialty shops. As you continue up the Apache
Trail you will see the Bluebird Mine Curio Shop on the right
side of the roadway. This curio shop and pop stand has been
operated continually since 1948, when "Red" Monigan first
opened it. Both Goldfield and the Bluebird are located in
the Superstition Mountain Mining District. A hundred years
ago this was a booming gold mining town on the desert
twenty-three miles east of Mesa. The Mammoth Mine produced
about three million dollars in gold bullion over a four year
period 1892-1896.
A short distance up the road on the
right-hand side is located the entrance to Lost Dutchman
State Park. This park was established in 1967 because of the
popularity of Superstition Mountain. This giant monolith
towers some three thousand feet with its cliffs and spires
above the Lost Dutchman State Park. The state park provides
fee camping and there are miles of beautiful hiking trails.
Immediately after leaving Lost Dutchman State
Park you enter Tonto National Forest. You will notice the
absence of billboard and advertising signs. No commercial
signing is permitted along the historic and scenic Apache
Trail for the next forty miles. The Apache Trail was
designated Arizona's first historic and scenic highway in
1988.
About two and half miles down the road from
Lost Dutchman State Park is located the site of Government
Well. This site was an important stage stop in the early
days (1903-1915) for teamsters and their teams when
traveling the Mesa-Roosevelt Road (Apache Trail) during and
immediately after the construction of Roosevelt Dam
(1906-1911). The first automobile to travel the Apache Trail
was on August 25, 1905. This car was a Knox Automobile built
in Springfield, Mass. The car would carry seven passengers
and it had a 20 horse power gasoline engine to power it.
The drive from Lost Dutchman State Park to
Canyon Lake is eleven miles over good asphalt roads. The
volcanic rock formations along the roadway are spectacular.
Most of the rocks were formed during the Tertiary Period of
geologic time about twenty-nine million years ago. This is
the case for most rocks in the western portion of the
Superstition Wilderness Area. Most of the rocks are composed
of volcanic ash and basalt. From Apache Junction to
Government Well, a distance of seven miles, the most famous
mountain in Arizona looms on the eastern horizon.
Superstition Mountain rises approximately 3,000 feet above
the desert floor. This mountain is the second only to the
Grand Canyon as the most photographed landmark in Arizona.
Driving along the shores of Canyon Lake
(formed in 1925, after the completion of Mormon Flat Dam) is
a real contrast for the desert. The visitor seldom expects
to see such a large body of water in the middle of the
desert. At Canyon Lake you will find a restaurant, marina
and the "Dolly". Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at this
beautiful lake side restaurant or take a cruise on the
"Dolly." Tourists have been visiting the beautiful waters of
Canyon Lake since October of 1925: first on the S.S.
Geronimo, today on the "Steamboat Dolly".
Our next stop, just two miles from Canyon
Lake, is the famous stage stop of Tortilla Flat. This stage
stop was constructed in 1904 as a staging area for the
construction of the Mesa-Roosevelt Road from this point to
the bottom of Fish Creek Hill. Here you can enjoy food,
drinks or just do a little shopping.
 There
are several interesting points along the Apache Trail
between Tortilla Flat and Apache Lake. As you leave Tortilla
Flat you will cross Tortilla Creek. This creek drains a
large portion of the Superstition Wilderness Area. It is in
this region that the alleged Lost Dutchman Mine is supposed
to be located. The next creek bed you cross is Mesquite
Creek. The pavement ends about four and three tenths of a
mile from Mesquite Creek. The Arizona Department of
Transportation has been experimenting with some soil
emulsions on portions of the road beyond this point. About
seven miles from Tortilla Flat you will see a sign marked
Fish Creek Hill. This is certainly one of the most famous
hills to automotive testing in the Southwest. Since 1906
cars have been tested on Fish Creek Hill because of its
steep grade. The roadway going down Fish Creek Hill has a
ten percent grade. Today professional filmmakers and
photographers still use Fish Creek Hill for their work.
 After
your descent of Fish Creek Hill, about eight tenths of a
mile from the Fish Creek Bridge on the right side of the
road is the sight of the old Fish Creek Lodge that burned
down January 6, 1929. You will soon cross another bridge and
then you will travel along the course of Lewis and Pranty
Creek until you come to the Arizona State Highway Yard and
the IV Ranch. At the top of the divide you will see a sign
on the right side of the road directing you to the Reavis
Ranch Trail Head. It was 1910 when a group of Mesa
entrepreneurs thought they could promote the qualities of
the Reavis Ranch valley. This group of men started selling
lots in the upper end of the Reavis Valley and promised to
build a road to the site some ten miles from the Apache
Trail. They called their summer resort area Pineair. A road
wasn't built to the Reavis Valley until 1946. This road was
built to service a ranch and not a resort. This ranch
service road was closed in 1967. The Reavis Valley's
greatest claim to fame has to be the choosing of the site
for the first Roosevelt Council Boy Scouts' Camp Geronimo in
1921. Arizona Governor Campbell also visited Camp Geronimo.
Your next view will be a short distance up
the road. At this point you can see Apache Lake (formed by
Horse Mesa Dam), Four Peaks and Goat Mountain. Goat Mountain
is the bluffy looking mountain on the north side of Apache
Lake. Several years ago the Desert Bighorn Sheep were
re-established on this mountain. If you look closely at the
top of the ridges just below Four Peaks you can see
Ponderosa pine trees. When Apache Lake was filled in 1927,
it permanently closed portions of the Apache Trail. The
"Trail" was closed for six months until a new road could be
constructed. A tug boat and barge were used temporarily to
move traffic up and down Apache Lake. Take a few minutes and
drive down to the Apache Lake Marina. You can rent boats and
even take time for lunch or supper at the restaurant.
Fishing is great in Apache Lake. The lake is known for its
Small Mouth bass.
 Some fourteen miles from Apache Lake turn-off
you can view the spectacular Roosevelt Dam. At one time this
was the largest masonry constructed dam in the world.
Construction began on the dam September 6, 1906 and the dam
was dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt on March 10,
1911. The dam was refitted and reconstructed between
1993-1995. The old dam was raised seventy-seven feet. This
new face-lift for Roosevelt Dam has completely changed its
appearance. Today the dam looks like a modern structure,
rather than the traditional masonry facade one could view as
they entered Horseshoe Bend for the past eighty-three years.
Once
you have arrived at the dam, you are looking at Roosevelt
Lake. This body of water is the largest lake totally within
the boundaries of Arizona. There is great Large Mouth bass
fishing here. On April 8, 1927, one month before Charles
Lindbergh flew the Atlantic Ocean, an Italian pilot and his
crew landed on Roosevelt Lake in a seaplane named the Santa
Maria. They had flown all the way from Italy across the
Atlantic Ocean. Commander Francesco de Pinedo had planned to
circumnavigate the globe in 1927, but tragedy struck at
Roosevelt Lake. A carelessly tossed cigarette ignited
gasoline which destroyed De Pinedo's aircraft at Hotel Point
on Roosevelt Lake.
Just up the road a short distance is the
turn-off to Tonto National Monument. This stop is well worth
your time. The national monument has an excellent
interpretive center on the ancient Salado Indians and their
culture. Even if you do not wish to visit the ruins you
should at least stop at the center.
It is about twenty-five miles from Tonto
National Monument to U.S. Highway 60 junction between Globe
and Miami. The scenery between Roosevelt Dam and Highway 60
is typical upper Sonoran Desert. As you drive along Pinal
Creek you can witness a typical riparian setting which
includes large Cottonwood trees, Sycamore trees and Arizona
Willow trees. Among all this vegetation are various types of
residences.
 As
you drive westward along U.S. Highway 60 toward Miami you
will see a towering bank of tailings on your right side.
These tailings are the results of milling thousands and
thousands of tons of copper ore from copper mines in the
area. Also you will notice a towering black bank that is
solid. This is slag from the smelting process. This is the
waste from processing copper ore for more than eighty years
in the area. When the smelter was still operating it was
quite a light show when they dumped slag off of the dump at
night. You could see the light radiating from the molten
slag as it flowed down the almost vertical walls of the
dump.
Miami is an interesting old mining town. Many
of the buildings date to about 1915. It is worth turning
around and driving east toward Globe (about four miles) to
visit the Clara Woody Museum (Gila County Museum) on the
right side of the highway between Miami and Globe.
As you drive westward on U.S. Highway 60
copper mining is evident all along the route. The towering
pine covered mountains on your left are the Pinal Mountains.
The highest mountain is Signal Peak, 7,812 feet above sea
level. This peak was used by the United States Army for a
heliograph station during the Indian wars.
Shortly after you cross the Pinto Creek
Bridge, on your left you can see the open pit work at the
Pinto Valley Mines. Eight miles west of Miami you will
arrive at a divide between Miami and Superior. This area is
known as the Pinal Ranch or sometimes it is called the
Top-of-the-World, which is actually incorrect. The
Top-of-the-World was a dance hall started in the 1920's
along the old highway east of the Pinal Ranch. This area was
settled by Robert A. Irion in 1878. His step-son Dudly Craig
continued the ranching tradition in the area after Irion's
death.
Leaving the Pinal Ranch area on U.S. Highway
60 you soon descend into Devil's Canyon, a beautiful region
filled with rock formations that would please anyone's
imagination. As you emerge from Devil's Canyon you will find
Oak Flat Campgrounds on your left. This road also leads to
the Magma Nine Mine hoist. The shaft below the Magma Nine
Mine hoist is 4,000 feet deep.
The descent from Oak Flats through Queen
Creek Canyon is one of the most spectacular drives in
Arizona. It was here in Queen Creek Canyon that the highway
department had such a difficult time building a road. As you
drive down through the canyon carefully look for portions of
the old road.
Finally seven miles west of Pinal Ranch you
arrive in another old Arizona mining town: Superior,
Arizona. The mining history of the area dates back to 1875,
when Aaron Mason discovered silver in the area. The prospect
he located turned out to be the fabulously rich Silver King
Mine, a mine that produced close to fifteen million dollars
in silver. Pinal City served as the mill town for the Silver
King Mine because it was located along Queen Creek, a
permanent source of water. Today all that remains of Silver
King and Pinal City are a few grave markers and the wagon
ruts cut in stone by the ore wagons carrying silver ore to
the mill. The marker for the wagon tracks can be found about
one and a half miles west of Superior on the left side of
the road.
Two miles west of Superior is the world
famous Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretum. This botanical
garden exhibits arid land plants from all over the world. It
is certainly a worthwhile visit on the Apache Trail Circle
Route. The arboretum has one of the finest selections of
Arizona books on sale and they also sell certain types of
desert flora. From the arboretum along U.S. Highway 60 you
are traveling through a typical Sonoran Desert environment.
The plant indicators for the Sonoran Desert along this route
are the Saguaro cactus, Teddy Bear cholla, creosote, etc.
At Gonzales Pass, about nine miles west of
Superior, we will leave the Tonto National Forest. As we
descend Gonzales Pass keep an eye to the north and you will
see Weaver Needle in the distance. The needle was named
after Pauline Weaver, a prospector, guide and mountain man.
The landmark was named in 1853, because it was such an
important landmark along the Gila Route.
Once you are down on the desert floor you
will soon cross the tracks of the Arizona Magma Railroad.
This railroad was first constructed as a narrow gauge
railroad in 1915. This turned out not to be an efficient
method of hauling mill concentrates so in 1921 a standard
gauge railroad was constructed. The Arizona Magma Railroad
was the last railroad in the United States to use steam
engines on revenue runs. Arizona Magma ended all steam
engine revenue runs in 1965 except for emergency runs. One
of the Arizona Magma's old steam engines was used in a
spectacular Hollywood motion picture titled "How The West
Was Won."
At Florence Junction you might want to stop
and look around. The small business there does sell soft
drinks. J.W. Willoughby opened Florence Junction for
business on June 15, 1923.
From Florence Junction to Apache Junction is
sixteen miles. George C. Curtis opened Apache Junction for
business on February 2, 1923. Now is the time to reminisce
about your journey around the Apache Trail Circle Route. You
have now joined thousands that have been making this trip
since 1922. As you drive toward Apache Junction, once again
Superstition Mountain dominates the eastern horizon and
fills one's mind with tales of lost gold mines, Native
American history, prospectors and cowboys.
About
the Author.
TOM KOLLENBORN, author, historian, lecturer and education
administrator. Recognized as the world's foremost expert on
the Superstition Wilderness and the Apache Junction Arizona
area. Awarded 2002 citizen of the year by the Apache
Junction News. |
