| As Arizona 88 starts entering the Superstition Mountains,
the road starts to wind through the terrain. Photo taken
April 22, 2007.
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| Distance sign to Roosevelt (38 miles, on Arizona 188)
and Globe (73 miles, on U.S. 60). Photo taken April 22,
2007.
|
| Apache Trail winds through Apache Gap, between the mountains.
After this, the road starts its descent towards Canyon
Lake. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
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| Arizona 88 descends down a short canyon to paralell
the shoreline of Canyon Lake. The road used to paralell
the river, but was rerouted as part of the construction
of Canyon Lake. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Advance warning for the first of many one-lane bridges
along Arizona 88. All of these bridges date back to the
1930s along the route. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Canyon Lake is impounded behind the waters of Mormon
Flat Dam, completed in 1925. Canyon Lake is 142 feet deep
at the dam, with a maximum water elevation of 1660' MSL.
Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| The first one-lane bridge crosses First Water Creek.
This bridge was completed in 1937, and has a corrugated
steel deck. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| This is another view of the bridge, looking westbound
at it. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 meets the Palo Verde Boating Site road here.
The boating site is part of Canyon Lake. Photo taken April
22, 2007.
|
| The Boulder Recreation site lies along Boulder Creek,
which runs into Canyon Lake. The recreation site features
a picnic area and fishing. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Just before crossing the Boulder Creek Bridge, there
is an access road to the Canyon Lake Trailhead and Canyon
Lake recreation area. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| The Boulder Creek bridge was completed in 1937, and
is 488 feet long. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| The Boulder Creek bridge has a concrete deck, and like
every other bridge, is one lane. Photo taken April 22,
2007.
|
| Distance sign to Tortilla Flat, Apache Lake and Roosevelt
Dam. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| The Laguna Boating Site is the last boat ramp located
along Canyon Lake. After this point, Arizona 88 breaks
away from the river to head toward Tortilla Flat. Photo
taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Tortilla Flat is located along Tortilla Creek. The town
was established in the 1860s, and has gone through several
boom and bust periods. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Tortilla Flat today is a popular day trip from Phoenix.
The town burned down in a fire in 1987, but was rebuilt
from donations by loyal patrons. Today, the town has a
population of 6, and features the popular Supersitition
Saloon, with walls covered by dollar bills. An ice cream
shop next door serves Prickly Pear ice cream. Photo taken
April 22, 2007.
|
| Curving away from Tortilla Creek, Arizona 88 passes
some interesting rock formations as it climbs the side
of the canyon. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 features nice views of Black Cross Butte
and Coronado Mesa as it climbs along Mesquite Creek. Photo
taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 winds along the ridgeline above Mesquite
Creek for a distance. This sign, denoting a speed limit
of 45, marks the highest speed limit along the Apache
Trail. The majority of the road is signed at 25 MPH or
below. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| This reassurance marker is the last one seen eastbound.
Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| This corner along the Apache Trail shows a nice view
east towards Fish Creek Hill. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Advance warning for the end of pavement along Apache
Trail. In 500 feet, pavement will end and the road will
revert to dirt. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| 22 of the remaining 23 miles of Arizona 88 are gravel
and/or dirt road. The road will not see pavement again
until reaching Roosevelt Dam. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Distance sign to Apache Lake (10 miles) and Roosevelt
(22 miles). The Roosevelt mileage marker here refers to
the dam and not the town. Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| The first few miles of the dirt road are covered by
decaying asphalt, and the road is in good condition. It
is still wide enough for two lanes, but in two miles,
this will end and the road will drop to a one lane road
(for the most part). Photo taken April 22, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 begins to wind around and up Fish Creek Hill.
As seen here, the road is covered by mostly asphalt at
this point. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Horse Mesa and Bronco Butte can be seen in the foreground
of this photo of Apache Trail, with Goat Mountain and
Buckhorn Ridge in the background. This photo was taken
from a trail overlooking the road. Photo taken May 26,
2007.
|
| This sharp turn looks toward Coronado Mesa and Bronco
Butte. Sharp turns like this are common along the road.
Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Advance warning of the Fish Creek grade. The grade is
relatively short (2 miles) but very steep (up to a 10%
grade), and the entire grade - including cuts and fills
up to 70 feet deep - was built by hand. Photo taken May
26, 2007.
|
| At the top of Fish Creek Hill, the U.S. Forest Service
built an overlook of the road and grade. For those who
are not comfortable with continuing on Apache Trail, this
is a good place to turn around and head back toward Tortilla
Flat. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| The small size of the minivan in this photo shows the
steepness of Fish Creek Hill. In the late 1980s, this
road was recommended for Four Wheel Drive only, but can
now be driven in a passenger car (very carefully). A SUV
or other high clearance vehicle is recommended, though.
Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| This scenic road trailblazer is the only sign noting
that this is a state highway. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Welcome to Fish Creek Hill. The 10 MPH curves sign is
not a joke. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 snakes along the side of an unnamed canyon
before turning into Fish Creek Canyon proper. Photo taken
May 26, 2007.
|
| Watch this turn...it's a doozy. Most of the curves along
this road have limited to no sight lines. Photo taken
May 26, 2007.
|
| Many sections of the Fish Creek grade are effectively
one lane, with barely enough width at certain points for
cars to pass. Driving slowly and anticipating drivers
heading the other direction is strongly advised - as drivers
heading uphill have the right of way. Photo taken May
26, 2007.
|
| This photo overlooks Lewis Pranty creek, which Arizona
88 follows as it departs Fish Creek Canyon. At the bottom
of this photo, the curves of Arizona 88 can be seen, around
600 feet below this point. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| If you're afraid of heights or overhanging rocks, maybe
you shouldn't drive Arizona 88. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 continues it's steep descent
alongside Fish Creek Canyon. Photos taken May 26, 2007.
|
|
|
| Cars travelling the opposite direction tend to sneak
up on drivers on the APache Trail. Photo taken May 26,
2007.
|
| Many cars have slid off the side of Fish
Creek Hill over the years. The second photo shows the
drainage culvert constructed under the road, while the
others show the narrow width of the grade. Photos taken
May 26, 2007.
|
|
|
| Advance warning of the one-lane bridge across Fish Creek.
Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| At the very bottom of Fish Creek Canyon, a sharp turn
leads to the one lane bridge crossing the creek. Photo
taken May 26, 2007.
|
| The Fish Creek bridge dates back to 1928. This photo
was shot just after crossing the bridge, looking back
at it. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| This culvert dates back to the original construction
of Arizona 88, and shows how drainage was constructed
along the road. The Fish Creek bridge is just to the left
of this photo. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 now turns east to paralell Lewis Pranty Creek.
The water provided by the creek supports taller vegetation
than seen previously on the hill. Photo taken May 26,
2007.
|
| The walls of Lewis Pranty canyon are quite impressive,
rising up to 1000 feet above the canyon floor. Photo taken
May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 twists and turns to follow the creek bed,
approaching this one lane bridge. The powerlines above
paralell the road all the way to Roosevelt dam, and bring
power from the dam to Phoenix. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| The bridge over Lewis Pranty Creek is the oldest along
Arizona 88, with a completion date of 1922 - when the
road was rebuilt. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 now turns north, away from Lewis Pranty Creek,
and crosses a low drainage divide to move closer to Apache
Lake. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| All of the original rock retaining walls are still in
existence along the Apache Trail. We are approching another
one lane bridge here. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 crosses Dry Wash here. The road now winds
northeast, staying above Apache Lake. The road originally
went closer to the Salt River, but was moved up the hillside
in the 1920s with the construction of Horse Mesa Dam.
Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 descends off the hills above Apache Lake
and passes near Burnt Corral Creek, passing under the
powerlines here. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| This is the first view of Apache Lake from the road.
Arizona 88 was rerouted in 1925 to avoid the construction
of Apache Lake. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 approaches the Apache Lake recreation area.
Next to this road is an overlook of the lake. Photo taken
May 26, 2007.
|
| Apache Lake is impounded by Horse Mesa Dam, constructed
between 1924 and 1927. The 305 foot high concrete dam
impounds a 266 foot deep lake. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Distance sign to Arizona 188 and Roosevelt Dam (12 miles).
11 of the remaining 12 miles are completely dirt, with
no asphalt cover on the road. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| North of Apache Lake Marina, Arizona 88 starts to twist
and hug the side of Apache Lake as it proceeds north to
Roosevelt Dam. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 features a view northward toward Vineyard
Mountain, located just southwest of Roosevelt Dam.Photo
taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 crosses Davis Wash on this 1939-vintage concrete
bridge. This is the last of the vintage bridges along
Apache Trail. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 twists and winds around the upper
reaches of Apache Lake. This shot shows the road in the
distance as a clearly delinated line. Photos taken May
26, 2007.
|
|
| Before reaching Roosevelt Dam, Arizona 88 drops back
down next to the Salt River and upper reaches of Apache
Lake. Notice the dust clouds caused by traffic. Photo
taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 does a quick climb away from the river as
it makes its final approach to Roosevelt Dam. Photo taken
May 26, 2007.
|
| Roosevelt Dam was the first dam along the Salt River,
and the project that led to the construction of Apache
Trail. The 1911-vintage dam was once the world's tallest
Masonry dam, and is a critical part in the development
of Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun. The dam was rebuilt
in the early 1990s in concrete to add storage space and
space for potential floods. Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Just past the access to Roosevelt Dam, Arizona 88 receives
pavement, albeit without a centerline. The road passes
a new lookout over Roosevelt Dam and Roosevelt Lake, with
a view of the 1991 bridge over the lake (which carries
Arizona 188). Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Advance signage for Arizona 188, 1/2 mile. Photo taken
May 26, 2007.
|
| Upon reaching Arizona 188, travellers may turn left
to reach Payson (via Arizona 87), or right to reach Globe
(via U.S. 60). This bridge was constructed in 1991 as
part of the Arizona 188/88/Roosevelt Dam reconstruction.
Photo taken May 26, 2007.
|
| Arizona 88 ends here, at Arizona 188. Until 2000, Arizona
88 turned south along Arizona 188 to end at U.S. 60 near
Globe. This signpost has the space for Arizona 88 on the
right, but with the shield removed. Photo taken May 26,
2007.
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Page Updated May 30, 2007.
