With so many beautiful sights to find in Arizona, sometimes it can feel overwhelming deciding how to start exploring all 113,990 square miles. One great way is taking a joy ride on Arizona’s highways. Experience the open road, rugged terrain, and shockingly beautiful landscapes on these nine roads that lead you from the desert into the pines.
- Catalina Highway
Chanel Wheeler/Flickr
Denny Armstrong/Flickr The first drive on this list heads up the Santa Catalina Mountains to Summerhaven near Mount Lemmon. The drive is approximately 25 miles long one-way and is perfect for a quick day trip from the Sonoran Desert into the pines! Route Map: Google Maps
- Historic Route 66
Chuck Choker/Flickr
Olivier Bacquet/Flickr Route 66 is an iconic American highway and you’ll find this to show off some lovely Arizona scenery. This particular route takes you from Kingman’s rocky terrain all the way to the incredibly green Williams and Flagstaff, where you’ll find the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the country. Route Map: Google Maps
- Dinétah “Among The People” Scenic Road, Navajo Route 12 & 64
Alan Levine/Flickr
Chuck Coker/Flickr Be prepared to ride some rough roads through this section of the Navajo Nation when the weather is pleasant. This route takes you from Lupton, through Window Rock and the Chuska Mountains before ending near Canyon de Chelly in Chinle. Route Map: Google Maps
- Desert View Drive, State Route 64
Kent Kanouse/Flickr
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr If you want your drive up to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim to be a different experience, you will enjoy this drive. Starting at Cameron on the Navajo Nation, this drive slowly extends from a sweeping desert to forest most people don’t expect to find surrounding this area of the canyon. Route Map: Google Maps
- Beeline Highway, State Route 87
Ken Lund/Flickr
Alan Levine/Flickr I’ve driven this road so many times, I know exactly where the top view is (approximately one mile past the 4 Peaks Road turn-off). This drive is a long one at 162 miles one-way but you’ll get a sense of just how mountainous Arizona’s landscape is and how quickly it turns into forest. Route Map: Google Maps
- State Route 89A
dalioPhoto/Flickr
Arizona Department of Transportation/Flickr Long hailed as one of the prettiest drives in Arizona, the views on this state route do not disappoint! You’ll find beautiful red landscapes and pines jutting from mountainous terrain as you head north from Prescott to Sedona to Flagstaff. Route Map: Google Maps
- Desert to Tall Pines Scenic Road, State Route 288
Alan Stark/Flickr
Google Maps Also known as the Globe-Young Highway, this road can be rough in areas so make sure you’re driving a four-wheel drive before embarking on this road. You’ll cross the Salt River, drive through the Sierra Ancha mountain range, and end near Willow Springs Lake on the Mogollon Rim. Route Map: Google Maps
- US 89A to State Route 67
Michael Wilson/Flickr
Alan English CPA/Flickr The other 89A, this road is best traveled between April and October, before the roads become impassable from snow and ice. You’ll drive over Marble Canyon, past the Vermilion Cliffs, and to the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, which is heavily forested and a more secluded experience. Route Map: Google Maps
- Coronado Trail Scenic Byway, US 191
Tom Blackwell/Flickr
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests/Flickr Located in eastern Arizona, this highway runs 117 miles from Morenci and Clifton up to Alpine and Springerville. The road was named for the conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, who led an expedition from Mexico up through this section of Arizona before crossing into present-day New Mexico. Route Map: Google Maps
You can find more beautiful drives in Arizona by reading Take These 10 Country Roads In Arizona For An Unforgettable Scenic Drive.
Chanel Wheeler/Flickr
Denny Armstrong/Flickr
The first drive on this list heads up the Santa Catalina Mountains to Summerhaven near Mount Lemmon. The drive is approximately 25 miles long one-way and is perfect for a quick day trip from the Sonoran Desert into the pines! Route Map: Google Maps
Chuck Choker/Flickr
Olivier Bacquet/Flickr
Route 66 is an iconic American highway and you’ll find this to show off some lovely Arizona scenery. This particular route takes you from Kingman’s rocky terrain all the way to the incredibly green Williams and Flagstaff, where you’ll find the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest in the country. Route Map: Google Maps
Alan Levine/Flickr
Chuck Coker/Flickr
Be prepared to ride some rough roads through this section of the Navajo Nation when the weather is pleasant. This route takes you from Lupton, through Window Rock and the Chuska Mountains before ending near Canyon de Chelly in Chinle. Route Map: Google Maps
Kent Kanouse/Flickr
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr
If you want your drive up to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim to be a different experience, you will enjoy this drive. Starting at Cameron on the Navajo Nation, this drive slowly extends from a sweeping desert to forest most people don’t expect to find surrounding this area of the canyon. Route Map: Google Maps
Ken Lund/Flickr
I’ve driven this road so many times, I know exactly where the top view is (approximately one mile past the 4 Peaks Road turn-off). This drive is a long one at 162 miles one-way but you’ll get a sense of just how mountainous Arizona’s landscape is and how quickly it turns into forest. Route Map: Google Maps
dalioPhoto/Flickr
Arizona Department of Transportation/Flickr
Long hailed as one of the prettiest drives in Arizona, the views on this state route do not disappoint! You’ll find beautiful red landscapes and pines jutting from mountainous terrain as you head north from Prescott to Sedona to Flagstaff. Route Map: Google Maps
Alan Stark/Flickr
Google Maps
Also known as the Globe-Young Highway, this road can be rough in areas so make sure you’re driving a four-wheel drive before embarking on this road. You’ll cross the Salt River, drive through the Sierra Ancha mountain range, and end near Willow Springs Lake on the Mogollon Rim. Route Map: Google Maps
Michael Wilson/Flickr
Alan English CPA/Flickr
The other 89A, this road is best traveled between April and October, before the roads become impassable from snow and ice. You’ll drive over Marble Canyon, past the Vermilion Cliffs, and to the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, which is heavily forested and a more secluded experience. Route Map: Google Maps
Tom Blackwell/Flickr
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests/Flickr
Located in eastern Arizona, this highway runs 117 miles from Morenci and Clifton up to Alpine and Springerville. The road was named for the conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, who led an expedition from Mexico up through this section of Arizona before crossing into present-day New Mexico. Route Map: Google Maps
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