Borderlands Brewing Company on Historic US Route 89 in Tucson, Arizona

I hear the train before I see it through the window behind the bar at Borderlands Brewing Company. It is a reminder that Tucson’s newest brewery is located in an old warehouse near downtown. The red-brick building was built in the early 1900s originally used by the Toole and Sons Produce Company. The exposed brick walls and roof trusses give the brewery an industrial feeling which is warmed by the original art on the walls and the long wooden bar.

Borderlands is the dream come true of two long-time homebrew buddies, Mike Mallozzi and Myles Stone. Mike is a microbiologist doing research at U of A and Myles is a medical student. Shortly after starting the brewery, they met Blake Collins who is well-know in the Tucson homebrew community and has a wealth of professional beer brewing experience. He acted as an advisor doing the start-up period and is now the brewmaster.

Borderlands Brewing is licensed as a production brewery. Consequently they are open for limited hours to offer the public an opportunity to sample their brews. Currently, you can join the crowds on Wednesday and Friday from 4 to 7 pm and on the second Saturday of the month from 12 to 4 pm. According to Borderlands’ Facebook page, they are planning to add a few more hours. There is always music provided by local bands and there is often a food truck or two parked outside to satisfy your cravings.

While the Borderlands Brewing Company website lists six beers, they are not all available all the time. When I visited, there were three on tap which I was pleased to sample.

First up is Ol’ Loco, Ol’ Frontier Citrus IPA. It pours with a clean white head that leaves behind a lacy pattern on the glass. A rich gold color, it hit my nose with a floral aroma. A bready not too sweet malt flovor is accented by the mild citrus flavor of the hops. It finishes with a mild well-balanced bitterness that left me wanting to keep on sipping. At 7% ABV and an IBU of 56, Ol’ Loco will satisfy all IPA lovers.

I next sampled Noche Dulce, Moonlight Vanilla Porter, which is about as far away from Ol’ Loco as you can get and still be drinking beer. Noche Dulce is black as the ace of spades and pours with a rich tan head. Contrary to popular belief that dark beers are heavy and bitter, Noche Dulce is smooth as silk with a the strong flavor of vanilla. At first, it seems almost too sweet but that impression is quickly offset by a spicy note that I can’t quite identify—cinnamon perhaps. This porter would be perfect for sipping with dessert.

Finally, I sampled Santa Rita, A Refreshing Amber Ale, which completed the spectrum between the IPA and the porter. As the name implies, Santa Rita is amber in color with a fine white head. The aroma reminded me of apples and berries. The taste was different than any beer I had experienced which I learned was due to the generous amount of rye in the malt. The rye contributes a bready, sour-dough, flavor that I could easily get used to. Santa Rita is lower in alcohol at 5.5% and would make an excellent session beer.

Borderlands Brewing Company is supplying their beers in kegs to several local restaurants. The list keeps changing so check the website to see where you can find them around Tucson. Mike and Myles have plans to add additional capacity to there current six barrel fermentors so they can step up production and make their brews more widely available. In the meantime, you can pick up a growler of your favorite Borderlands brew to take home.

For a brewery that has only been open for a few months, Borderlands shows great promise. I’m looking forward to summer when they will be serving up their Prickly Pear Wheat and maybe a surprise or two.

Where Is US Route 89 in Arizona?

When you look at a map of Arizona, US 89 is hard to find. In fact, it only exists from Flagstaff to Page and into Utah. So what happened to our border to border highway?

A little background—when the federal highway system came into existence in the late 1920s, US Route 89 connented Utah and Arizona from near Salt Lake City to Nogales. It was the most important road in Arizona because it was the best road between all of the major cities from Flagstaff to Prescott to Phoenix to Tucson to Nogales and all the smaller towns along the way. It was Arizona’s Main Street.

Construction of the new Interstate Highway system began in the late 1950s and by the end of the 1970s, the distance from Nogales to Flagstaff was covered by three Interstates—19, 10 & 17. US Route 89 lost its prominence and in 1992, the inevitable happened and it was decommissioned as a federal highway. In my opinion, it was a sad day in Arizona history. Even sadder is that only part of the route retained the number as AZ Route 89.

In any case, most of the pavement that was US 89 is still on the ground. So if you want to follow the original highway and experience Arizona’s Main Street, here’s how to do it.

Flagstaff to Prescott

Starting in Flagstaff, turn right on West Route 66 just south of downtown from Milton Street. Yes, historically US 89 and US 66 occupied the same stretch of road from Flagstaff to Ash Fork, 50 miles to the west. In four miles, you will merge onto Interstate 40. If you are adventurous, you can still find remnants of the old road to explore. Be sure to follow the signs for old 66 through Williams.

From Ash Fork head south on AZ 89 through the Chino Valley to Prescott. In this 52 mile stretch, you will gradually descend from the Colorado Plateau to the central mountains that separate it from the southern deserts. From Ash Fork to Phoenix, the highway follows the same route as the Sante Fe, Prescott & Phoenix railline that came into service in the 1890s.

Prescott to Apache Junction

Continuing on AZ 89, the next sixteen miles is called the White Spar and was the first federally funded highway in Arizona. It was constructed to bring timber from the national forest to Prescott. At Wilhoit you enter the Peeples Valley. Driving across the valley is a step back in time to an era when the west was all about ranching. Take the time to wander through the shops and have a bite to eat in Yarnell at the south end of the valley.

Going down Yarnell Hill, you drop 2500 feet in four miles and enter the Sonoran Desert on your way to Wickenburg. AZ 89 ends six miles north of Wickenburg as it intersects with US 93. As you enter the town at the roundabout, take Tegner Street rather than the US 93 bypass to visit the historic downtown. On Frontier Street, stop at the Chamber of Commerce in the old train station for a walking tour guide to historic buildings. Also, check out the art in the Desert Caballeros Western Museum down the street.

Tegner and Center is the intersection with US 60 which you will follow all the way through Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa and Apache Junction. To stay on historic US 89 which was cosigned with US 60 take the following route: as you leave Wickenburg, Center becomes Grand Avenue past Surprise, Peoria and Glendale into Phoenix. At 7th Avenue, turn onto Van Buren through Phoenix to Mill Avenue in Tempe and around the curve at ASU onto Apache Boulevard. Apache becomes Main Street in Mesa and the Apache Trail in Apache Junction. Take the Old West Highway past the Superstition Mountains to the intersection with AZ 79.

Apache Junction to Nogales

Turn south on AZ 79 for sixteen miles to Florence. To see the historic downtown, take Butte to Main and follow Main back to AZ 79. The forty mile stretch of AZ 79 to the intersection with AZ 77 is called the Pinal Pioneer Parkway. It became Arizona’s first scenic byway when a 1000 foot wide right of way was set aside so that travelers could enjoy the Sonoran Desert scenery.

AZ 77 is Oracle Road through the towns of Catalina and Oro Valley into Tucson. To stay on the historic route, turn left at Drachman Street and go four blocks to Stone Avenue. Turn right and stay on Stone until it merges into 6th Avenue which becomes the Old Nogales Highway in South Tucson. Stay on the Nogales Highway until in merges with Continental Road near Sahuarita and intersects with I-19 at Green Valley.

From Green Valley to Nogales, the original road is overlaid by the Interstate. Be sure to get off I-19 at Tubac and follow the old road to Tumacåcori National Historic Park to visit an old Spanish mission. Reenter 1-19 toward Nogales and exit at Grand Avenue to the center of town and the Mexican border.

Flagstaff to Prescott on Scenic Arizona 89A

There is a historic alternate route from Flagstaff to Prescott. It is easy to follow because it is designated as AZ 89A and posted with signs for the 92 mile trip. Take 1-17 south from Flagstaff to the 89A exit at the Fort Tuthill Fairgrounds. Head south into Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona and across the Verde Valley to Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Jerome. From Jerome, AS 89A climbs over Mingus Mountain and down toward Prescott where in rejoins AZ 89.

You’ll find more detailed road descriptions, maps and notes on special attractions in the Road Trip Guides on the US Route 89 Appreciation Society website.

The Slow Road Movement

I had just begun photographing along US Route 89 when an article appeared in the New York Times Magazine that changed my thinking about the project. It was entitled A Slow-Road Movement? and was written by Robert Sullivan on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Interstate highway system. He detailed some of the negative consequences of the system and then cited new thinking about what purpose roads can serve besides moving cars from one place to another as fast as possible. He concluded the essay with this thought:

“Now we have to decide whether our roads will continue to strangle us, to drive us crazy, to pollute and poison our air and water or maybe slow us down in a good way and give us a chance to enjoy everything we still have left and have worked so hard to build.”

It was at that moment that the philosophical underpinning for my work on Highway 89 became apparent. Until then I had thought of it as a landscape photography project. I would go from one national park to the next, take my photographs and publish a coffee table book. End of story and on to the next adventure. The Sullivan essay made me realized that the project also needed to be about the road trip itself and about the joys of slowing down on a two-lane highway through some of the most beautiful country in America.

The notion of driving for pleasure is as old the automobile itself. The grand parkways that were constructed in the late 19th and early 20th century were explicitly designed for scenic beauty. The mythology surrounding the family driving vacations of the 1940s and 50s has much to do with the adventure of discovery that slower roads and cars provided. The Interstates, which were originally conceived of as military roads, intentionally bypassed the small towns and cities so that cargo could move as fast as possible. For me the project became about encouraging a return to an older way of thinking in which the journey is as rewarding as the destinations.

Out of that thinking came an email newsletter, Along 89. Then came the website with its Road Trip Guides. Keeping up with online publishing, I started the US Route 89 blog to document the road trip Barbara and I made in 2010. It has now become a sort of magazine full of articles to excite travelers about the adventure of taking the slow road. All of this is aimed at encouraging travel on 89 as well as being a place to display my photographs. I haven’t forgotten about that coffee table book and someday it will become a reality. For now I’m enjoying sharing my work with you through all this “new media.”

Finally, out of all this philosophizing came the idea that there should be a way for people who feel the way I do to be part of it. Thus, the US Route 89 Appreciation Society. I thought long and hard about the name. Should it be a club, organization, association or alliance. All those seemed to modern or sterile for what I was feeling. I wanted to suggest something a little more old-fashioned and quirky. To me, Appreciation Society suggests a group of people who have come together because of their love for one of America’s most beautiful slow roads.

I want to say thank you to the individuals, businesses and civic organizations that have become members of the Society. Join us and become part of the slow road movement.

Note: this article was originally published in Along 89, our free email newsletter. To read back issues, go to the US Route 89 newsletter archive.

El Charro Café Serves Great Mexican Food in Tucson, Arizona

I have a passion for Mexican food. In Arizona that means Sonoran-style featuring tacos, tostadas, burros, enchiladas, chimichangas, fajitas, red and green chile, chile rellenos, and tamales. I love them all and always have a hard time deciding what I want most when we go out for Mexican. One solution is to choose one of the ubiquitous combination plates, but I prefer a single entrée with the usual side dishes.

The menu at El Charro Cafe in Tucson can be daunting at first glance. It is four pages long with what seems like hundreds of dishes. On careful examination, though, it is logically divided into the traditional categories with many variations on each. Once you decide which broad category you’re going to have—taco or enchilada or chile—then you pick which variation on the theme sounds best. It is like composing music for your palate. Are you in the mood for a simple melody or a symphony?

For me the real test of any Mexican restaurant is the chile relleno. If the kitchen can prepare a proper relleno, then everything else they cook will be good, in my humble opinion. El Charro does superior chili rellenos. I have tried all the variations and my favorite so far is the Poblano Bandera Relleno, a fresh whole Poblano chili battered in a golden Cerveza Modelo tempura and finished off with red, white and green sauce.

The dish that made El Charro famous is their carne seca. Dried in the sun on the roof of the restaurant, the marinated lean Angus beef is shredded & flash-grilled with green chile, tomato & onions. You can order a plate with salsa, rice and beans or have it in a taco or enchilada. Ask your server for a sample and you’ll taste why it is so popular.

To accompany your meal, El Charro mixes up several varieties of marguerites and offers a selection of Mexican beers. They have recently introduced their very own craft-brewed amber ale.

El Charro Café has been a fixture in downtown Tucson since 1922 and claims to be the oldest Mexican eatery in the country. The downtown location feels like you have been invited into someone’s home with diners filling several rooms decorated with old El Charro menu covers and Mexican folk art. There are four other location scattered around town so you don’t have to go far to get your El Charro fix.

Wildflowers

Moving to Oracle, Arizona, three years ago has had a profound effect on my photography. For the first time in my life, I am in the ecosystem that surrounds me. I don’t have to get in the car and drive for miles to find natural places to shoot. I walk out my door and I’m there. I watch my environment change with the seasons. I feel connected to the land in a way I have never really experienced before.

When I began the US Route 89 project, I was living in Phoenix in a home with an irrigated lawn and citrus trees, not exactly a natural environment for the desert. Part of the motivation for the project was to find and photograph the untouched landscapes of the West. That meant road trips with all of the planning and expense entailed. I’m not complaining; I love being on the road, exploring new places. But being able to pick up my camera when something out the window catches my eye is new and special to me.

Oracle is in the chaparral at an elevation just above the Sonoran desert. The weather is cooler with milder summer temperatures and an occasional snow storm in the winter. There are a couple of very old oak trees behind the house. Last spring a pair of juvenile Cooper’s hawks visited often perching in the oaks watching for prey. I was able to observe and photograph them through the window of our sun room. It was thrlling to see them grow and I was sad when they left to find a new territory to call their own.

In front of the house is a hillside that had been stripped of vegetation before we moved in. We are in the process of returning it to a more natural state by recontouring the slope and planting native vegetation. We have also been discovering wildflowers that grow here and planting them among the scrubs and trees. I couldn’t resist photographing the beautiful colors and varied shapes of the flowers. Because I only had to walk out the door, I could shoot them all day as the light changed.

Here is a gallery wildflowers that I added to my photography website. If you would like a print of any of the images, click on the photograph to go to the website to order.

Wildflowers – Images byJames Cowlin

A Photographer’s Guide to America’s Most Scenic Highway

Learn Where and How to Photograph the Scenic Beauty of the American West

US Route 89 is called America’s most scenic highway for good reasons. National parks and monuments are just the beginning. Miles and miles of two-lane highway pass through landscapes ranging from lush desert to rocky plateaus and towering mountains.

My new guidebook introduces photographers to the wonders photographing along US Route 89. I have logged over 20,000 miles between Mexico and Canada to discover both well-known and off-the-beaten-path places to photograph. The book describes these locations, illustrated with photographs and captions that detail where, when and why the photos were shot. By looking over my shoulder the reader will gain insight into the making of landscape and nature photographs.

This e-book is for:

• Beginning to advanced travel photographers who want to improve their craft.
• Anyone looking for outstanding places to photograph in the American West.
• Photographers seeking little-known locations away from the crowds.
• Anyone planning a road trip on US Route 89.
• Those who enjoy landscape and nature photography.

“Amazing photographs. The descriptions and especially the history were very educational and well done.” Doug Groppenbacher

“Just downloaded your new e-book. Impressive! The narrative was just long enough to not be boring. Lots of good information as to why you took the pictures and at the different times of day.” Ron Melancon

“I think this eBook is well done and dividing the route into three geographical zones is smart, logical and makes this more than a park or monument guide…but a comprehensive…continuous guide to the variety and beauty found along this route. Sometimes I think people get real focused on the end-destination rather then the whole trip from home and back. This emphasizes the whole tour. Linking the various opportunities along the road is something I think many people have forgotten about. The small towns, museums, and out-of-the way visual attractions are too easily by-passed on the efficient but bland interstate. A book such as this could spark the thought of linking points of interest rather than just hell-for-bent driving to a single spot.” Randy Schaffer

“Thank you for US 89 Photography Guide. I have been on much of US 89, and  I am truly enjoying your guide. Excellent work!” Gerald Mcilvain

“Being a regular visitor to Arizona, and a very amateur photographer, I have a particular interest in trying to convey the feel of the desert, mountains, the overall terrain of the southwest. Sometimes I succeed. You have a real talent for it. I particularly like the geology overview you give. It is of assistance in orienting yourself as to what to expect on your travels.” Georgeann Vleck

“Your new e-book is a great addition to the saga of route U.S. 89. Beautiful pictures and very good narrative. I highly recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the mountain west but particularly those planning to explore route 89.” Doug Taylor

“I think that the book as a whole will do the job of inspiring people to seek out and travel US 89 – it has me…The photographs are stunning and I liked the off the beaten track tips about where and when to get shots. I particularly liked the pictures of Glacier and Grand Teton parks—a real sense of space and a chilling, brooding quality.” Steve Tippell

You’ll learn insider tips about photographing along US Route 89 as you travel through these landscapes:

• The Basin and Range of Arizona filled with desert vegetation against a backdrop of jagged mountains. The journey here includes Spanish missions, Saguaro National Park and off the beaten path treks to the Tumacácori Highlands and the Red Rocks of Sedona.
• The Colorado Plateau of Arizona and Utah is a series of horizontal rock strata marked by colorful sheer cliffs. The rocks are shaped by wind and water into fantastical forms and enormous canyons giving the photographer an endless variety of places to shoot including Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.
• The Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Montana are an iconic landscape including Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. The challenge for a photographer is to find a unique vision of these often photographed places.

The e-book displays 30 photographs along with the story of where, when and why I made each one. Here’s a sample photo page:

The book is formatted for the computer screen. You can easily download and read it in any PDF reader.

Border to Border on US Route 89: A photographer’s guide to America’s most scenic highway is ready for you to download for just $7.

To secure your copy, simply click the Buy Now button below.

You’ll be taken to a page where you can make your payment via PayPal or credit card and get immediate access for download.

About the Author:

James Cowlin started his career as a photographer 40 years ago when he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and opened a commercial studio. He began traveling around Arizona to photograph the landscape. His work was rewarded with an Arizona Artist’s Fellowship which he used to fund a month backpacking and documenting the length of the Verde River. Since then he has produced several portfolios of photographs from all corners of the state. For twelve years, he spent as much time as possible at the Grand Canyon and in 2006 was included in a book and exhibition celebrating 125 years of Grand Canyon photography entitled Lasting Light.

Ten years ago, Cowlin started working on his current project on US Route 89 between Mexico and Canada. In 2007 he closed his commercial business in order to work full-time on fine art nature and landscape photography. He has now logged over 20,000 miles on highway 89 photographing in well-known scenic locations and discovering many hidden gems along the way.

To view more of James Cowlin’s photographs visit the Road Trip Guides on the US Route 89 Appreciation Society website. To view galleries of his fine art photographs and purchase prints, go to James Cowlin Photographs.

The Craft Beer Brewers of US Route 89

If given a choice at the end of a day on the road, I prefer to visit a local brew pub to sample whatever is on tap and enjoy a meal. Fortunately, there are ample opportunities on US Route 89 for such simple pleasures. By my count, there are at least twenty-eight microbreweries and brew pubs along the way.

My quest for a better beer began at about the same time as my travels on 89. My enjoyment of mass produced American lagers had wained. Then on a trip to Flagstaff we had dinner with friends at Beaver Street Brewery where I had my first pint of R&R Oatmeal Stout. What a revelation that was. I didn’t know that beer could have such flavor and add so much to a meal.

Since then I have made a point of finding the local craft beer brewers during our trips on highway 89. Craft beer brewing in the United States has been on a steady growth curve for the last decade as the graphic from the Brewers Association shows. The blossoming of brewers on 89 is testament to that fact. Each one has there special brews, many of which have been awarded metals at craft beer competitions.

I have compiled a list of microbreweries and brew pubs along US Route 89. Having visited many of them, I can attest to the goodness of their beers. In future blog posts, I will provide details about the individual craft brewers and review my favorite ales and lagers. In the meantime, add any brewers that I have overlooked to the comments and let me know about your favorite brew.

5 National Monuments on US 89 Highlight Prehistoric Indian Cultures

Can you imagine living in Arizona 800 years ago? By visiting five National Monuments along Highway 89, you can learn about and experience the living conditions of Native Americans in the early part of the last millennium. How did they obtain food? What sort of dwellings did they build? What arts and crafts were part of their cultures? A two day road trip can answer these questions and more while taking you on several of the most scenic drives in America. Begin the journey in the Sonoran Desert midway between Phoenix and Tucson or on the Colorado Plateau an hour north of Flagstaff and go back in time to experience the dynamic culture of Arizona’s prehistoric inhabitants.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Location: Coolidge, Arizona. From historic US 89, now AZ 79, take AZ 287 west from Florence for nine miles to AZ 87. The park is half a mile south of the intersection.
Period of Occupation: 1100 to 1450 C.E.
Culture: Ancient Sonoran Desert People known as the Hohokam. The Hohokam farmed the surrounding land which was irrigated by an elaborate system of canals bringing water from the Gila River. They grew corn, beans, squash, cotton and tobacco and harvested native plants and hunted desert animals. They crafted jewelry such as bracelets, rings and necklaces from shells often inlaid with turquoise. Pottery from the period has distinctive red on buff designs.
Type of Structures: A three-story building constructed of caliche, a naturally occurring soil consisting of clay, sand and calcium carbonate, is in the center of a large compound. The main building is now protected by a metal-roofed structure built in 1932 to prevent further deterioration.
What to Do: The main attraction is a self-guided tour of the ruins. Ranger-guided tours are available from December to April which is the best season to visit Casa Grande Ruins. There is a museum with a 15-minute introductory video and a bookstore Friendly park rangers are on hand to answer your questions. Ample parking for cars and RVs is provided as well as a picnic area with shaded tables.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/cagr/index.htm

Tuzigoot National Monument

Location: Clarkdale, Arizona. The monument is located between Clarkdale and Cottonwood on AZ Route 89A in the Verde Valley.
Period of Occupation: 1100-1400 C.E.
Culture: Tuzigoot is a pueblo built on a hilltop by a culture known as the Sinagua. The hill overlooks the Verde River which supplied water for farming. The Sinagua at Tuzigoot traded with other groups of people over a network that spanned hundreds of miles.
Type of Structures: The pueblo consists of 110 rooms some of which were two and three stories tall. It is constructed of limestone blocks from nearby cliffs. The masonry isn’t as fine as other pueblos to the north due to the soft nature of limestone which was a more difficult material with which to build. Consequently most of the dwellings are reduced to low walls that give us a hint of their former size.
What to Do: Two main trails are found at Tuzigoot. The Ruins Loop is a third of a mile in length and climbs to the highest rooms on the hill. Tavasci Marsh is a wetlands next to the monument and is designated as a Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. A half-mile long trail leads to an overlook of the marsh.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/tuzi/index.htm

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Location: From AZ 89A in Cottonwood, Arizona, take AZ 260 12.5 miles east to I-17. Go north toward Flagstaff 2.5 miles to exit 289 and follow the signs to Montezuma Castle. Another set of ruins is located at Montezuma Well. Continue north on I-17 to exit 293; go east through the towns of McGuireville and Rimrock, following the signs for four miles to the entrance to the Well.
Period of Occupation: 1100-1400 C.E.
Culture: Montezuma Castle is cliff dwelling built next to Beaver Creek on the edge of the Verde Valley. Early settlers mistakenly thought that it was Aztecan in origin. It was actually built by people from the Sinagua culture. The Sinagua were peaceful village dwellers farming the fertile land nearby. They were also fine artisans making stone and bone tools and weaving cotton cloth for garments. They also made ornaments from shells inlaid with turquoise. Their utilitarian pottery was made for cooking and storage. Montezuma Well is a limestone sink fed by continuously flowing springs. The water was used to irrigate crops as indicated by the lime-coated ditches surrounding the well.
Type of Structures: Montezuma Castle is a 20-room, five story structure set into the limestone cliff a hundred feet above the valley. Nearby is the ruin of a six-story structure built against the base of the cliff. At Montezuma Well, dwellings include a 55-room pueblo.
What to Do: The visitor center features exhibits on Sinagua history and culture. There are hard surfaced trails at the Castle and Well that lead to views of the ruins. The trail at Montezuma Castle is wheelchair accessible and there is ample parking for cars and recreational vehicles.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/moca/index.htm

Walnut Canyon National Monument

Location: Flagstaff, Arizona. From US 89 on the east side of Flagstaff, take Country Club Drive south to the east-bound entrance to I-40. Go 3 miles to exit 204 and follow the signs 3 miles south to the Monument.
Period of Occupation: 1100-1250 C.E.
Culture: Walnut Canyon National Monument provides another example of the diverse ways in which the Sinaguan culture survived in the valleys and canyons of the Southwest. The canyon is twenty miles long, four hundred feet deep and a quarter mile wide. After living on the rim of the canyon for hundreds of years, the people moved down into the canyon, building dwellings in the many recesses in the sandstone cliffs. They found water in the bottom of the canyon from rain in the summer and snow in the winter. They continued to plant crops on the rim and harvest the abundant plant and animal life throughout the canyon.
Type of Structures: Multi-room structures built into low-ceilinged alcoves in the sandstone walls of the canyon.
What to Do: The visitor center has exhibits on Sinagua history and culture. There are two trails to explore. The Rim Trail (.7 mile) is an easy hike with views into the canyon. The Island Trail descends 185 feet into the canyon providing access to 25 cliff dwelling rooms. While it is a strenuous .9 mile round-trip hike, it is the best way to experience the park. However, the 240 steps that lead down to the trail can be daunting on the way back up, especially at an elevation of 6600 feet. Wear sturdy shoes and take plenty of water.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/waca/index.htm

Wupatki National Monument

Location: Between Flagstaff and Page, Arizona. There are two ways to drive to Wupatki. The first and most scenic is to take US Route 89 north for 12 miles to the Loop Road that goes through Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Follow the road as it winds past Sunset Crater and over lava flows for 21 miles to the visitor center. The alternative is to take 89 north 26 miles to the Loop Road and then east 14 miles to Wupatki.
Period of Occupation: 1100-1250 C.E.
Culture: Wupatki is the largest Sinagua pueblo on the Colorado Plateau. It is situated just north of Sunset Crater Volcano and was established shortly after it erupted in 1066 C.E. The layer of ash formed by the volcano created fertile farming conditions as it trapped and held moisture. Wupatki was the center of a population that numbered in the thousands within a day’s walk. Artifacts found in the ruins indicate that the people traded for jewelry, pottery and other goods over a wide area of the Southwest. The ceremonial and recreational facilities at Wupatki suggest a place of great importance and activity.
Type of Structures: Wupatki Pueblo stood three stories high in places. Sandstone slabs, limestone blocks and chunks of basalt are set with clay mortar forming finely crafted sturdy walls. Near the main pueblo is a ball court and and a large round room which may have been used for religious ceremonies.
What to Do: From the visitor center, a half-mile self guided tour allows visitors to explore Wupatki Pueblo and the other nearby structures. Two additional trails lead to five ruins near the north entrance to the monument. A picnic area is located on the Loop Road between Sunset Crater and Wupatki. From there a half-mile trail leads to the top of a cider cone with spectacular views of the San Francisco Volcano Field. Nearby camping is at Bonita campground in Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/wupa/index.htm

Bonus Side Trip: Navajo National Monument

Location: Navajo, Arizona. From the intersection of US 89 and US 160, drive east 63 miles to AZ 564. Go north for 9 miles to the visitor center.
Period of Occupation: 1150-1400 C.E.
Culture: Two cliff dwellings within Navajo National Monument were build by Ancestral Puebloan people, sometimes referred to as the Anasazi. They farmed the fertile canyon bottoms below their dwellings. They are known for beautifully decorated black on white pottery and petroglyphs etched into the sandstone walls of the canyon. Modern day pueblo tribes such as the nearby Hopi and the Zuni of New Mexico are their descendants and continue their religious practices.
Type of Structures: Betatakin is a 200 room dwelling built into a large recess in the canyon wall near the visitor center. Keet Seel has 350 rooms and is the largest cliff dwelling in Arizona. Keet Seel is also one of the most intact ruins because of its location in a remote canyon, an eight mile hike from the visitor center.
What to Do: Exhibits in the visitor center relate the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloans who built the nearby dwellings. Three mesa top trails guide visitors to views of the canyon and Betatakin. The most popular is the Sandal Trail, an easy paved trail with a cross-canyon view of Betatakin. The Aspen Trail branches off the Sandal Trail and descends 300 feet to a relic aspen forest. Two guided tours of Betatakin are conducted daily during the summer. These are strenuous hikes descending 700 feet into the canyon and take 3 to 5 hours. Hiking to Keet Seel is by permit only. There are two campgrounds with 48 sites. Sunset View Campground is open year-round and Canyon View Campground is open in the summer only.
Website: http://www.nps.gov/nava/index.htm

A Note on Climate, Weather and Driving Conditions: This journey will take you from an elevation of 1000 feet in the desert to over 7000 feet on the Colorado Plateau. The ideal time for this road trip is in the spring and fall when weather conditions are favorable in both the north and south. It is always a good idea to check the individual monument’s website to get current weather conditions no matter what time of year you plan to visit.

Flagstaff to Page on US Route 89—black and white and red all over

Driving US Route 89 between Flagstaff and Page brings you into contact with three distinctively different landscapes: black volcanoes, multicolored desert hills and red cliffs.

At the southern end near Flagstaff is a volcanic area dominated by the San Francisco Peaks, the highest point in Arizona at over 12,000 feet. The peaks are surrounded by cinder cones and lava flows. The dominant color here is black—black lava and black cinders and the dark green of ponderosa pines. All that darkness is offset by red pine tree bark and patches of cinders in rusty red colors.

You can get close to one of the biggest of the volcanic formation by taking the loop road sixteen miles north of Flagstaff through Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Sunset Crater is the youngest volcano in the San Francisco Field erupting about 900 years ago. The road passes through the Bonita Lava Flow where magma oozed out at the base. The cone is 1,000 feet high and is crowned by red oxidized cinders that seem to glow at sunset and gave the peak its name.

 

Also on this loop road off US Route 89 is Wupatki National Monument where the ruins of prehistoric Indian dwellings are open to visitors. These ancient buildings were occupied for about 100 years shortly after the formation of Sunset Crater. The ash from the volcano made the land more fertile by absorbing moisture and preventing evaporation. By 1180 thousands of people were farming this region. Their multistory buildings are still standing today as a testament to their excellence as stone masons.

The middle part of US 89 between Page and Flagstaff passes through the Painted Desert on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Here you will marvel at the soft hills striped in white, red, brown and purple. It is hard to believe that this now dry land was once dominated by dinosaurs and giant trees as evidenced by logs of petrified wood. The highway reaches its low point at the Cameron Trading Post on the banks of the Little Colorado River.

Cameron was established in 1911 when the bridge across the Little Colorado was completed. Today it is a popular stop for travelers and includes a large gift shop, restaurant and lodge. Be sure to visit the gallery in a separate historic building where you will find examples of fine Indian arts and crafts, both historic and contemporary. Also, tucked away in the back of the gift shop are a couple of display cases of “pawn”. You will feel like you’ve found a hidden treasure when you spy a very nice piece of jewelry at a reasonable price.

Cameron is also the gateway town to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Look for the intersection with Arizona Route 64 just south of town. It is a 30 minute drive to the east entrance of Grand Canyon National Park. Stop at one of the view points along the way to see the canyon of the Little Colorado River.

At the northern end, US 89 parallels the 800 foot high Echo Cliffs that gently guide you toward the Colorado River in Marble Canyon. Here the dominant colors are the red and white strata of petrified sand dunes.. At Bitter Springs, US 89 continues north and switchbacks up the cliff face to a broad, high desert plateau leading to Lake Powell, a blue expanse of water from the Colorado River backed up behind Glen Canyon Dam. Alternate US 89 turns west toward Marble Canyon and the Vermilion Cliffs. See the Guide to Driving US Route 89 and 89A for details of the two roads between Bitter Springs and Kanab, Utah.

At A Glance:
Distance: 135 miles

Driving Time: 2.5 hours

High Point: 7,300 feet at the entrance to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 16 miles north of Flagstaff

Low Point: 4,100 feet at the Little Colorado River at Cameron 52 miles north of Flagstaff/83 miles south of Page

Services:
Flagstaff: gas, food, lodging, camping
Cameron: gas, food, lodging
Cedar Ridge: gas, food
Page: gas, food, lodging, camping

Access To:
Kachina Peaks Wilderness
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Wupatki National Monument
Strawberry Crater Wilderness
Grand Canyon National Park
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

89 or 89A: That is the Question

Of all of the questions I am asked about traveling on US Route 89, one of the most frequent is about the two possible drives between Bitter Springs, Arizona and Kanab, Utah. Since both US 89 and 89A are about the same length and take the same time to drive, neither one has a clear advantage over the other. However, each road has unique features and possibilities for exploring this corner of the Colorado Plateau. I’ll describe what you can expect along each road so you can answer the question for yourself. For a map and more information, check out the road trip guides here Flagstaff to Page, here Page to Kanab and here Bitter Springs to Kanab.

 

 

Bitter Springs to Kanab on US 89A

US Route 89A is the original alignment of the highway when it came into existence along with the rest of the federal highway system in 1926. It became an alternative when 89 was rerouted to Page to facilitate the construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. From Bitter Springs it is 14 miles to the low point on this route at the crossing of the Colorado River in Marble Canyon. Navajo Bridge was completed in 1929 as the final connecting link in the border to border highway. A new vehicle bridge was built in 1992. Stop at the visitors’ center and take a walk out on the old bridge to view Marble Canyon and the Colorado River 470 feet below.

The road to Lee’s Ferry is on the west side of the river. River trips downstream through the Grand Canyon start here and some of the best trout fishing in Arizona is upstream toward Glen Canyon Dam. You can also visit Lonely Dell Ranch, the home of John D. Lee, now lovingly maintained by the Park Service.

For 28 miles through the House Rock Valley, 89A parallels the Vermillion Cliffs. California condors have been reintroduced to make their home here and can be seen along the cliffs and near Navajo Bridge. Stop at the Donimgues-Escalante Interpretive Site to learn about the history of Spanish exploration across the Colorado Plateau. At the west end of the valley, a dirt road goes north along Coyote Wash and eventually connects to US 89 in Utah.

Straight ahead is the Kaibab Plateau. For the next twelve miles the road climbs 2,500 feet to the top at Jacob Lake. From here, Arizona Route 67 runs south to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This road is only open from the middle of May until the end of October depending on snow conditions. If you are traveling 89A in the off season, be sure to check ahead for current driving conditions.

From Jacob Lake, highway 89A descends the west side of the Kaibab Plateau to Fredonia. Pipe Springs National Monument is 13.5 miles west of Fredonia on highway 389. Continue on 89A for 7 miles to Kanab.

Bitter Springs to Kanab via Page on 89

From Bitter Springs, US 89 climbs 1,000 feet in 3 miles hugging the face of the Echo Cliffs through Antelope Pass onto the Kaibito Plateau. Near the top, there is a small parking area where Navajos set up tables to display and sell jewelry and other craft items.

The road slowly descends for 20 miles to Page. Three miles south of Page is short road on the west that leads to an overlook of the Colorado River at Horseshoe Bend. US 89 reaches its low point as it crosses the Colorado at Glen Canyon Dam. The visitors’ centers offers tours of the dam including descending inside the dam almost to river level to view the giant turbines that produce electricity for distant cities.

Views of Lake Powell and access to the lake at Wahweap are available along the highway to the west of Page. The road crosses the Paria River 29 miles from Page. A hike into the Narrows of the Paria is one of the highlights of this section of US 89. Check in at the BLM Ranger Station for a permit and for information on current weather conditions. Flash floods are common on the Paria in the summer rainy season, so proceed with caution.

Five miles west of the Paria is the intersection with House Rock Road. Take the road south to access the Coyote Buttes and eventually connect to US 89A. Permits are required to hike to the Wave and other spectacular rock features along this road and are available at the BLM Ranger Station.

US 89 continues west for 40 miles to Kanab.

What about recreational vehicles?
Several people who have asked this question have been driving larger RV’s and are concerned about steep grades. Be assured that both roads can be driven in larger vehicles. They are federal highways and conform to the national standards of construction. Since both roads connect Bryce Canyon, Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks, they are heavily traveled by tourists in all kinds of vehicles, especially in the summer months.

When we travel through this area on a round trip from our home near Tucson, we drive 89 in one direction and 89A the other. That way we can enjoy both roads and avoid having to choose one over the other. If you can only choose one, both are beautiful drives so you can’t go wrong either way.

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