Apache Trail

So sad, this is our last full day in Arizona. We had to drive back Phoenix so instead of taking the fast and boring Interstate, we took the scenic view. Our first scenic stop was at the Tonto National Monument cliff dwellings near Roosevelt, AZ. These dwellings were built and inhabited by the Salado people in the Tonto Basin. See this location in Live Maps.

Tonto National Monument cliff dwellings

While we were still at the dwellings, up in the sky was a group of hawks flying around. I was lucky to have my camera pointed at them at the right time when these two were diving straight for the ground. It's basically a game of chicken where one tries to crash the other into the ground. They released each other a fair distance from the ground, so no one got hurt.

Dueling hawks (enlarge)

From Roosevelt, we took highway 88 back to Phoenix. This section of the Apache Trail has 30 miles of unpaved dirt road that takes you up narrow winding paths, but all with incredible views. I was tired of driving all week long, so Martha took the wheel while I took the pictures. Most of the road is a two lane road, but there is a one lane section that takes you up a steep cliff side. There are only a few places where two cars can pass each other. We were on the outside of the road, making it even more interesting.

One lane road on the Apache Trail

Towards the end of the road, there is a an overlook we stopped at for this beautiful view.

Scenic view towards the end of the trail

Crepuscular rays in the distance