Exploring US 60 from Apache Junction

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The drive up to Globe-Miami through Devil’s Canyon bursts with color from late February to early April as wildflowers come into bloom. Photo by LCGross

Exploring US 60 from Apache Junction

BY DAVID ABBOTT

From museums in the East Valley to hiking trails and rock climbing in and around Superior, the road from Apache Junction to Globe is filled with history and adventure for the intrepid desert traveler on US 60, one of Arizona’s oldest stretches of highway.

Originally dubbed the “million dollar highway,” the 21-mile stretch of the Miami–Superior Highway cost $1 million to build and was constructed with prison labor between 1919 and 1922.

The road was dedicated on April 29, 1922, and the original 300-foot tunnel named for state senator W.D. Claypool was completed in 1926.

In 1952, the route became US 60 and the Claypool tunnel was replaced by the 1,200-foot Queen Creek Tunnel.

But the road’s history goes back decades, if not centuries before, to the first appearance of Europeans in the region that came to be Arizona.

What was to become US 60 is one of the oldest, most historic sections of highway in the entire state, according to an Arizona Department of Transportation historical report commissioned in 2011 ahead of the state’s centennial.

Once Spaniards, led by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, entered the region in 1540, Europeans’ movements along ancient indigenous trails created a framework for centuries of travel throughout the territory.

It wasn’t until 1853, in the wake of the California Gold Rush, that the United States began to invest in surveying and creating roads and railroad routes to speed up travel in what would become the Arizona Territory in 1863.

In 1877, the Territory’s first road project was a “wagon road” between Phoenix and Globe, funded with $10,000 in Territorial bonds, the first highway construction bonds issued in Arizona’s history.

Prior to WWII, between 1917 and 1938, and with the aid of $40 million from the federal government, the majority of the state highway system was mapped out and developed, although only a small percentage was actually paved until much later.

By 1938, the Arizona highway system had grown to include nearly 3,500 miles of highway, and the state’s tourist economy had been given a “tremendous shot in the arm,” in the words of an ADOT study. During that period, the author says, “the foundation had been laid for the highspeed and high-capacity highways that would be built after the Second World War.”

From that time to the present, the state and federal highway systems have evolved from routes built locally with whatever materials might be at hand, to the intricate and complex system of urban superhighways and rural roads that exists today.

US 60 is still evolving, with modern projects like the Pinto Creek Bridge and Devil’s Canyon widening project east of Superior that weighed in at nearly $9 million.

For the modern adventurer to truly appreciate this stretch of road, though, it’s important to take time to slow down and absorb what Arizona has to offer along one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the state.

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The downtown district of Superior. Courtesy photo

Starting from the west, Apache Junction offers a first glimpse into Arizona’s past with two museums dedicated to the pioneers who carved a home out of an often brutal and inhospitable landscape.

The Superstition Mountain–Lost Dutchman Museum and Goldfield Ghost Town feature relics from the region’s mining past, offering tours and historical reenactments throughout the year.

Goldfield Ghost Town has even added a zipline, in addition to jeep tours of the area that sits at the base of the Superstition Mountain range.

The Superstition Mountain–Lost Dutchman Museum offers lectures and demonstrations, along with the Elvis Presley Memorial Chapel, a movie prop built for the King’s 1969 western “Charro!” The museum also features vintage mining equipment and replicas of old western buildings, with a cast of characters that bring history to life for observers.

Apache Junction is also home to the Arizona Renaissance Festival, which runs through April 3 this year – but the Ren Festival is not the only festival in these parts.

Further east, in Superior, during the summer months people gather in the town square for Second Fridays, featuring music in the park and extended hours for businesses along Main Street.

High points on the Superior calendar are the Apache Leap Mining Festival, which usually takes place in October, and the Prickly Pear Festival in August, celebrating the iconic desert fruit.

If hiking is your thing, there are opportunities galore from Apache Junction to Globe. Along the way, you’ll find entry points for trails into the Superstitions for the advanced hiker, as well as less challenging trails for less experienced nature lovers.

The Peralta Trail in Gold Canyon is a popular 12.4-mile round trip that offers a gateway into the Superstitions and access to more challenging trails.

For the more casual hiker, the Hieroglyph Trail, also in Gold Canyon, offers a fairly easy 1.5-mile trail that winds gently through a classic Sonoran Desert canyon to a place with seasonal pools and rock carvings dating back to a civilization that existed as much as 1,500 years ago.

Closer to Superior, a section of the Arizona Scenic Trail intersects with several trails on and around iconic Picketpost Mountain, a postcard-worthy formation that should only be tackled by the most experienced hikers.

Novice hikers should check out the trails within Boyce Thompson Arboretum, founded in 1924, the oldest and largest botanical garden in Arizona and one of the oldest botanical institutions west of the Mississippi River.

The trails meander through stunning desert landscapes populated with plants collected by founder William Boyce Thompson, whose house still sits on a rocky outcrop with a view of Apache Leap, another iconic geological formation, in the background. Tours of the house are available throughout the year.

Superior itself is a hiker’s paradise, boasting miles of trails and world-class rock climbing within a short drive.

The Legends of Superior Trail, or LOST, features a 4-mile out and back that follows the original path of the old Miami–Superior Highway and overall stretches 11 miles from the historic Claypool Tunnel to the Picketpost Trailhead.

To the east of Superior, just beyond Apache Leap, is Oak Flat, which offers trails and rock climbing as part of the Queen Creek Canyon outdoor recreation area. The Queen Creek Coalition is a nonprofit dedicated to expanding climbing opportunities, overseeing nearly 1,000 routes throughout the area.

For those who would rather ride than hike or climb, the Superior Tour Company offers off-road jeep tours, including of the historic Silver King Mine. These tours are by reservation only.

Climbing east through Queen Creek Canyon, Highway 60 rolls past the Pinto Valley Mine into Miami and on to Globe.

There’s plenty to do on arrival, from art galleries to outdoor recreation in the Pinal Mountains, as well as a variety of restaurants – Mexican food aficionados will find plenty available for the discerning palate.

As a spring bonus, March is the time of year when the Copper Corridor blazes with wildflowers – hillsides abound with poppies from Miami to the bluffs around San Carlos. Be sure to mark your calendar for the two-day Poppy Fest on the first weekend in April, hosted by the Globe-Miami Chamber. u The Legends of Superior Trail (LOST) trail is a favorite hiking trail, following the original path of Highway 60. Pictured are the Claypool Tunnel, which was replaced in 1952 with the Queen Creek Tunnel, and the Pinto Creek bridge, which carries Highway 60 over the canyon just east of Superior. Courtesy photo

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a popular destination, offering pleasant shade and entertainment even during the warm summer months, thanks to the towering trees throughout the property. Photo by LCGross

Devil’s Canyon offers some of the best rock climbing in the world. Photo by David Abbott