Outstanding Scenic Drives on US Route 89 Enhance the Road Trip Experience

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Historic US Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Flagstaff, Arizona

Driving US Route 89, a traveler encounters the greatest variety of scenery available along any one road in the United States

Oracle, AZ (Vocus) November 18, 2009

Although most of US Route 89 between Mexico and Canada could be considered as a scenic drive, several sections stand out above the rest. Here is a list of the top five scenic drives selected by the US Route 89 Appreciation Society.

“Driving US Route 89, a traveler encounters the greatest variety of scenery available along any one road in the United States,” explains James Cowlin, a landscape photographer and founder of the US Route 89 Appreciation Society. From the deserts of Arizona, across the Colorado Plateau in Utah and into the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Montana, five of the most outstanding scenic drives are featured in the Road Trip Guides on the US Route 89 website. The Appreciation Society also encourages visitors to the website to add a description and photographs of their favorite scenic drive along highway 89.

Pinal Pioneer Parkway, Arizona
From Oracle Junction north of Tucson to Florence, this 42-mile section of historic US 89 (now AZ 79) is known as the Pinal Pioneer Parkway. Crossing the high Sonoran desert, the road is lined with ancient many-armed saguaro cactus and forests of chain fruit cholla. Black Mountain dominates the view to the east and in the distance are the the Tortilla Mountains. To the south, the peaks of the Santa Catalina Mountains rise to over 9000 feet. While the drive is enjoyable in all seasons, summer temperatures can be quite hot. Be sure to bring plenty of drinking water along. Spring and fall are the best times for this drive when wildflowers and cactuses are in bloom. At the mid-point of the drive is a memorial to the cowboy actor, Tom Mix, who died in a car crash nearby in 1940. Historically, the Pinal Pioneer Parkway was part of the main road linking Phoenix and Tucson, so driving the road today gives the motorist a small taste of what that journey was like before the era of Interstate highways.

Oak Creek Canyon, Arizona
Oak Creek flows south from the edge of the Colorado Plateau through Sedona to the Verde River. The 16-mile stretch of historic US 89A (now AZ 89A) from Sedona to the Oak Creek Vista Overlook takes the traveler through a wonderland of creek-side cottonwood and sycamore trees. Oak Creek has cut down through ancient layers of sandstone and limestone forming red and white cliffs that tower above the road. There are a number of parking areas and campgrounds that give access to the creek for hiking and picnicing. The switchbacks at the head of Oak Creek Canyon mark the transition from the lowland desert and the central mountains of Arizona on to the Colorado Plateau.

Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway, Utah
Logan Canyon is 40-mile stretch of US Route 89 between Logan in the Cache Valley and Garden City on the shore of Bear Lake. From the Wasatch-Cache National Forest boundary east of Logan, the road climbs steadily alongside the Logan River until it reaches the summit at the Bear Lake overlook. The forest-lined drive offers many places to stop for a picnic or to camp for an extended stay. The canyon is also renowned for its display of brightly colored fall foliage. The road is open year-round and recreational opportunities range from hiking and horseback riding to cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. From the summit, US 89 drops quickly to the shore of Bear Lake. A free brochure detailing this scenic drive is available from the Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway website.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
For 45 miles US Route 89 lies inside Grand Teton National Park. Ten overlooks and picnic areas line the highway, providing spectacular views of the jagged eastern face of the Teton Range. Each is a photographer’s delight, with the Snake River in the foreground in the southern stretch, and Jackson Lake reflecting the mountains in the north. Although the road is open year-round, the most colorful time to drive it is in the fall when the leaves are turning and the air is crisp and clear.

Kings Hill Scenic Byway, Montana
Passing through the Lewis and Clark National Forest, this 71-mile long section of US 89 winds its way along mountain streams through the Little Belt Mountains. Along the road are many outdoor recreation opportunities from fly fishing in the summer to snowmobiling in the winter. One of the highlights is a short hike to Memorial Falls located about a mile and a half south of the town of Neihart. Sluice Boxes State Park is near the northern end of the scenic byway. This primitive state park contains the remains of mines, a railroad and historic cabins lining Belt Creek through a beautiful canyon carved in limestone.

Special Offer for Highway 89 Travelers
Visitors to the US Route 89 website can share their favorites on the Scenic Drives page of the Road Trip Guides. Using the unique Share Your 89 Stories feature, contributors can add a description and photographs to the page. Each person who contributes to this page will receive a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat (pdf} version of the official US Route 89 Road Trip Map Book.

The US Route 89 Appreciation Society is a resource for planning a western road trip vacation and a place for sharing stories and photographs of this unique highway. It is part of the “slow road” movement that encourages travel on the two-lane roads that lead to the heart and soul of America. For more information, visit the US Route 89 website. Media Contact: James Cowlin, 602-944-3286, jim at us89society dot org.

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