A fun destination before temperatures start to climb is a drive out along the scenic Apache Trail to experience these four points of interest. Starting from Apache Junction, head northeast along Arizona State Route 88 (the official name for the Apache Trail)
By Andreas Schmalz
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1 Lost Dutchman State Park
PHOTO BY ANDREAS SCHMALZ
Named after the fabled Lost Dutchman Gold Mine, the park lies at the base of the iconic Superstition Mountains which serve as the backdrop to a number of scenic hiking trails. It’s also where those with more intense desires can hike up the Siphon Draw trail to the Flatiron and onward across the Ridgeline all the way to the Peralta Trailhead. The Flatiron hike is just under 6 miles round trip but involves a 2,900-foot accumulated gain in elevation. The Superstition Ridgeline hike is an 11.5-mile one-way hike with a nearly 4,500-foot accumulated gain in elevation, and requires one to plan a shuttle ride back from the other end. These two hikes require some serious research and preparation and are probably best left to those who planned ahead and came prepared for that kind of an adventure, but the Siphon Draw trail is scenic even if one chooses not to take it quite that far.
https://azstateparks.com/lost-dutchman.
2 Canyon Lake
Further along the Apache Trail, this lake is one of a series of lakes along the Salt River. The Dolly Steamboat offers several different tours of the lake, including a 90-minute scenic nature cruise. Aside from the natural beauty of the lake and the canyon walls, there’s also the chance to see wildlife, such as desert bighorn sheep and various birds of prey. https://dollysteamboat.com.
PHOTO BY ANDREAS SCHMALZ
Canyon Lake Vista along the Apache Trail
3 Tortilla Flat
A lively little place that features the Superstition Restaurant & Saloon and the Tortilla Flat General Store and Ice Cream Shop—along with gift shops and attractions. It can be very busy at times, so plan a little extra time if stopping here. https://www.tortillaflataz.com.
4 Fish Hill Creek Overlook
If venturing further east, be advised that the pavement ends soon, and the road beyond can be a bit rough. Once you reach the Tortilla Trailhead it’s just a little bit further to the overlook. There you will find a parking lot and a concrete walking path that leads to various scenic overlook points. Unfortunately, due to the flooding that followed the 2019 Woodbury Fire, a landslide has closed off the road beyond the Fish Hill Creek Overlook indefinitely, so that spot now becomes a turnaround point when traveling the Apache Trail in an easterly direction.
Heading back to Apache Junction from here, the chance to see everything one more time but in the opposite direction offers yet one more way to soak in the natural beauty that Arizona is known for.
GETTING THERE
Apache Trail
Head south on I-17 to the AZ-101 Loop East and continue to AZ-101 Loop South. Take exit 51 to merge onto AZ-202 Loop East. Take exit 26 to East Brown Road. Follow East Brown Road and West Lost Dutchman Boulevard to AZ-88/Apache Trail.
Andreas Schmalz is a local Realtor® and an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys trail hiking, nature photography, and scenic drives throughout Arizona.