US60 red, covered in this article green

Leaving New Mexico behind, we entered the Gila River Valley still following US70. The Gila is Arizona's "other" river. After arising in the Mogollan Mountains, it enters the state near Duncan and zig-zags all the way to Yuma, where it joins the Colorado. Tapped out as a major source of irrigation and municipal water supplies for central Arizona, there is no great joining of the waters. But it carves its way through some of the state's most rugged terrain along the way.

In Duncan I noticed that the highway is designated "The Old West Highway - where history still lives." Duncan still retains an old west look, though my limited research failed to turn up any interesting tales from its early days. Next stop, Safford, a farm town along the Gila which also seems to lack a colorful heritage. But it does have cotton, lots of it.

Geronimo

That's the last farmland along the Gila for many miles. US70 follows it northwest into the San Carlos Apache lands. Home of Geronimo, this area definitely does not lack in history. The Apache, always aggressive, were upset over miners moving into their lands, especially after the government took back a chunk of their reservation when silver was found. Some bloody years followed.

Globe and its sister city Miami grew up as mining towns, but it was copper not silver that made them. Copper mining and processing is still the major economic activity here. Copper mining is not an environmentally friendly activity. Whole mountainsides have been carved away, to be transformed into massive slag mounds. So despite its colorful past, I decided not to linger. 

US70 now ends right in Globe at the junction with US60, which retains the Old West Highway designation. Originally they were co-routed from here to Los Angeles, but the highway keepers decided about 40 years ago that it didn't make a lot of sense to put up double signage for hundreds of miles. It's kind of interesting that these two highways also join at Clovis, NM, but only for a few miles.

I had decided to continue on west on 60 on into the Phoenix area. Immediately beyond Miami the highway ascends a steep and curving grade into the Pinal Mountains. After passing through a mountain community called Top of the World surrounded by rugged peaks, the route descends another steep grade. This last stretch drops all the way down into the Sonoran desert, immediately identifiable by its signature plant form, the Saguaro cactus. Off to the north the Superstition Mountains dominate the skyline here.

Superstition Mountain at Sunset, by jkbrown

Then it's only a few miles to Florence Junction, where US80 once joined 60 and 70, coming all the way north from the Mexican border. The fact that 3 major east-west routes funneled together in central Arizona speaks to the lack of roads in this part of the country 80 years ago. From here the combined highways soon reached Apache Junction, which now marks the eastern edge of greater Phoenix. US60 is now a modern freeway running parallel a few blocks south of the old road, initially named Apache Trail, then in Mesa becoming Main Street. This is another reminder of the early days of our highway system, when many roads connected one town's Main Street to the next.

Since I planned to stay in the area for a few days, I headed for Lost Dutchman State Park, just outside Apache Junction. It's nestled right at the foot of Superstition Mountain, and a short hike to the nearby wilderness area, yet with easy access to Phoenix and the surrounding area. The park does not provide any sites with hookups, but water and dump facilities are available.

The Mammoth Saloon, Goldfield Ghost Town, by jkbrown

Just down the road is the Lost Dutchman Museum, where I learned more about the famous lost gold mine and the many stories that it has inspired. On display are no less than 20 hand drawn maps that claimed to locate the mine. But the old prospector took the secret to his grave.

This was a legitimate gold mining area though, and the original nearby mining town of Goldfield has been recreated just across the road from the museum. Take a stroll up the dirt street or the boardwalk. You might even see a gunfight.

This area was also a favorite of western film makers over the years; stars like John Wayne and Elvis Presley worked nearby at Gold Canyon. Unfortunately, the Apacheland movie set with its vintage old west props burned in 2004.

We enjoyed our stay in the shadow of the Suspicions. Before heading back out on the highways, I explored the routes of US60 and old US80 through the Phoenix area. But that's another column.

Route 66: Lonely Planet Road Trip Get your RV kicks on Route 66. Most of it is easily negotiated by RVs of all sizes. This pocket-sized book is crammed full of useful information plus maps and more.	Blue Highways Join William Least Heat-Moon on his 13,000-mile journey along the back roads of America. First published in 1982, the author’s account of his journey has become a classic, an inspiration to all who love to travel the back roads of America.	The New Roadside America This is it! The guide to goofy America. Learn what’s along the back roads – giant statues, huge balls of twice, flying pigs, live rattlesnakes, muffler men, mermaids and much more.