Coronado Trail Scenic Byway
Seeking the riches of the legendary Seven Cities of Cibola, Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado's 1540 route ran close to this 123-mile scenic Byway. Scenic points along this eastern Arizona route feature the Sonoran Desert, the White Mountains (including 7,951' Mitchell Peak and 8,786' Rose Peak), and the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.Start and Endpoint: The Coronado Trail Scenic Byway runs from Springerville to Morenci in east-central Arizona.
For further information, contact: Apache and Sitgreaves National Forests
Historic Route 66
Route 66 was designated in 1926 as a federal highway linking Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA. The 2,448-mile route passed through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. The road was decommissioned in 1985 in favor of the new interstate highway system and today only 1,410 miles of the original route in three states (Illinois, New Mexico and Arizona) have been designated as National Scenic Byway.The 370 miles of Arizona's Historic Route 66 is the longest unbroken stretch of the original route and features some of the most picturesque scenery in the Southwest. Areas along the way include the city of Flagstaff, Petrified Forest National Park, Meteor Crater, Sunset Crater Volcanic National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument, Grand Canyon Caverns, as well as Homolovi Indian ruins and cliff dwellings of the Sinagua Indians.
Start and Endpoint: Historic Route 66 in Arizona runs east/west from Lupton on the New Mexico/Arizona border to Topock on the Arizona-California border.
For further information, contact: Kingman (AZ) Visitors Bureau
Kaibab Plateau - North Rim Parkway
This 42-mile byway is the only route to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and passes through the Kaibab National Forest, which offers opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, backpacking, wildlife viewing, and primitive camping. The byway is closed to traditional vehicles during the winter, but is accessible by snowmobile or cross-country skiing.Start and Endpoint: From Jacob Lake to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
For further information, contact: Kaibab National Forest
Red Rock Scenic Byway
The 7.5-mile route through Cococino National Forest curves through the high desert country, a colorful mosaic of red soil and green junipers. Giant Rock formations include Castle Rock, Bell Rock, and Courthouse Butte, a popular spot for off-road mountain biking. The Red Rock Scenic Byway is designated an "All-American" Road, which means it is considered a destination unto itself.Start and Endpoint: A stretch of SR 179 from Milepost 302.5 to 310, about 100 miles north of Phoenix.
For further information, contact: Arizona Scenic Roads
Sky Island Scenic Byway
The only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of 9,157-foot Mount Lemmon, the 27-mile Sky Island Scenic Byway rises dramatically, passing through five life zones, from Sonoran Desert lowlands all the way up to a mixed-conifer forest, the geographic equivalent of traveling from Mexico to Canada. It provides a range of recreational opportunities, including backcountry hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Mount Lemmon offers alpine skiing in the during the winter months.Start and Endpoint: From the Sonoran Desert floor in Tucson to the village of Summerhaven near the top of Mount Lemmon in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson.
For further information, contact: Coronado National Forest
