![]() The road that leads up to it is a great drive too - you can keep on going up the twists and turns if you like a scenic drive. The Ghost King Mine and Ghost Town just above Jerome is a little kitsch but still an awesome stop with a number of old rusted out pickup trucks and derelict buildings. The small town of Jerome is the next step along Route 89A with an optional stop at the Verde Canyon Railroad for a trip on a classic train. This is another historic ruin of a large pueblo construction that had over 100 rooms sitting on top of a mountain ridge. It's a relatively easy hike up to see the ruins and a great start to the trip.įrom there it's a half hour drive up to Tuzigoot National Monument along Verde River. Montezuma Castle is a ruin of an old fort that was built into the sheer rock cliff by the Sinagua people in the 12th century. Start off by taking the I-17 out of Phoenix and come off 90 minutes later in Camp Verde to make a stop at the Montezuma Castle National Monument. Mix culture and history on a drive to Prescott and JeromeĢ hours 50 minutes from Phoenix (146 miles) Gold King Mine Ghost Town near Jerome is home to quite a collection of rusty old trucks.Ī relatively short drive out of Phoenix, the towns of Prescott and Jerome are a great road trip if you want to mix seeing spectacular nature, a few historic sites and local culture. Some of the best known rock formations, such as Cathedral Rock and Bell Rock, are right along the Highway and you can see them from the road or follow a short hiking trail to get closer. Red Rock Scenic Byway is the highway you've driven to get from Phoenix to Las Vegas. Slide Rock State Park is to the north of the city, Red Rock State Park to the southwest and a large wilderness area with the Devil's Bridge to the northwest. Once you get to Sedona, you can go in virtually every direction and find the amazing red rocks. There's a few things you can see on the way - two junctions before your turn is the Montezuma Castle National Monument (see #4 below) and as you approach Sedona, you might want to visit the very unusual Chapel of the Holy Cross that is built into a red rock cliff - it looks spectacular from the bottom and has even better views from the top. The drive up to Sedona from Phoenix is simple - the I-17 will take you most of the way before you turn off onto Highway 179 for the last stint. If you're in Arizona, it is almost compulsory to go to Sedona and see the amazing red rocks that dominate the landscape. Hike amidst the Red Rocks of SedonaĢ hours from Phoenix (116 miles) Devil's Bridge is one of the amazing red rock formations near Sedona. If you see one, the rest of the family is usually somewhere about too! 3. Look out for javelinas that live here - these small animals look a little like wild boar and are impossibly cute. The Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is on the way and has some great hiking options - bring your boots and water. Once you've stopped in Payson, keep on driving up towards the towns of Pine and Strawberry. Remember that it's going to be much cooler on top of the ridge than it may be in Phoenix and even below the ridge, the plateau is at a height of 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level which is a lot higher than the Phoenix metro area. The area is part of the Tonto National Forest. It's only going to take a couple of hours to get there, but you'll notice a lot of change as the dusty Sonoran desert makes way for lush pine forests and rivers the closer you get to Rim Country. To get to see the rim and the nature around it, head up the Beeline Highway (Route 87) to the town of Payson. The Mongollon Rim is a 2,000 foot tall ridge that runs for some 200 miles through Arizona. Take a scenic drive to Arizona's Rim CountryĢ hours from Phoenix (108 miles) Tonto Natural Bridge between Payson and Strawberry is worth a stop. There is a lot of old colonial buildings that make Tucson feel almost European but the Pueblo-style architecture and the unique local mix of Mexican and traditional Apache-influenced food styles are unmistakably Arizona. ![]() Tucson itself is a rich mix of architecture and culture. This is a classic Western movie set that is open to visitors as a family theme park when it's not being used as a movie backdrop. Then, just before you enter the city, you'll get to Old Tucson. Make a stop at the (very good) Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum that has a botanical garden and various animals including birds of prey. The famous huge cacti of the Sonoran desert are everywhere here and can reach heights of over 40 feet (12 m) over their lifespan that can last 150 years or longer. The Old Pueblo as the locals affectionately call it is "the other big city" in Arizona although Tucson is also commonly known as America's biggest small town.Īs you drive down the I-10 to Tucson, the Saguaro National Park will be to your right as you approach.
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