Drive the Apache Trail to Tortilla Flat

About

The Apache Trail is State Route 88, and the paved stretch from Apache Junction to Tortilla Flat runs about 18 miles into the Superstition Mountains. You pass Goldfield Ghost Town on the way out, then the road winds through rock canyons before dropping toward Canyon Lake about 15 miles in. Driving it costs nothing, and the Forest Service counts scenic drives among the Tonto's free activities. Canyon Lake's developed boat launch and picnic sites, like Laguna and Palo Verde, do need a Tonto Pass if you stop there. The bends get tight, with 10 to 20 mph curves, so take it slow and use the pullouts for photos. Tortilla Flat is the natural turnaround, since the pavement ends there and the road turns to dirt on the way to Roosevelt Dam.