The Arizona White Mountains
"Interstates are great...but give me a by-way...."
by Jan Paul Burr

Interstates are great for getting somewhere quick, but when you want to enjoy the scenery, give me a by-way. All over the United States are roads that take you leisurely through some very interesting towns and past some very beautiful scenery.

The White Mountains (photo by Jan Burr)

U.S. Highway 60 from I-25 in New Mexico to Phoenix in Arizona is one of my favorites. Mountains, high desert plains, historic sites, ancient Indian ruins, wildlife, and friendly people all can be found on this route.

Climbing from I-25 and Socorro, New Mexico, and heading west you will soon reach the V.L.A.  Very Large Array is a project that uses Radio Observation Antennas to view outer space and other galaxies. From the road you can see the large satellite dishes mounted on railroad flatcars. Stop along the road or drive into the visitor center and learn more about this project.

Magdalena, N.M., is interesting in that large cattle-drives from the White Mountains of Arizona and other areas around the mountains ended here. From here they were shipped all over the U.S.

Datil and Datil Springs was a stopping point for those cattle drives and a small public campground is available for those wishing to spend some time in the area.

Being a Louis L’Amour fan, I enjoy seeing Pie Town, which he mentioned in some of his writings. Annually, a Pie Day celebration features all kinds of delicious pies for you to enjoy.

Quemado has its own unique history as a town that was in existence when Apache Indians from the White Mountains raided and burned the town in the 1800's.

After you pass the New Mexico and Arizona border, you come to my favorite part of the trail - The White Mountains of Arizona. With Mt. Baldy at 11,500 ft and Mt. Escudilla at 10,900 ft in view, you enter an area few people in eastern U.S. know exists.

Most people think of Arizona as desert. Sure, we have a lot of desert, but we also have the longest continuous stand of Ponderosa pine in the U.S. Part of that forest covers the White Mountains and its 50 lakes and 500 miles of trout streams. It shelters elk, mule deer, bear, turkey, and abundant amounts of other wildlife.

Highway 60 passes through Springerville and the adjacent community of Eagar about fourteen miles after you enter Arizona. Here you can "home base" for awhile and explore the mountains and the mountain communities of Alpine, Nutrioso, and Greer, as well as Springerville and Eagar.

A few of the attractions in the area include the oldest man-made lake in Arizona (Becker Lake - Springerville), the longest continuous operating lodge (Molly Butler Lodge - Greer), and the longest continuous operating Ford dealership west of the Mississippi. This is in Springerville, where the first great transcontinental automobile race serviced their race cars (Fuller Ford). John Wayne had a ranch here that is now owned by the Hopi Indian Nation.

Also, see the beautiful Sunrise Ski resort and Hon Dah casino, both owned and operated by the White Mountain Apache Nation. They also have a museum at historic Fort Apache. The Fort was one of the primary reasons settlers came to the White Mountains in the late 1800's since it needed a constant supply of cattle, grain and other goods.

The area also has a historic driving tour with both a valley and mountain loop that is well marked with information about the sites. Families that settled the area were involved in sheep, horse and cattle ranching, as well as raising grain, hay and other crops. Logging was also a prime business in surrounding forests.

The large cattle ranches attracted outlaws and the area became known as one of the most lawless places in the old west. Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Billy the Kid, and the Clantons and Mclowrys of Tombstone fame are just a few of the area’s more notorious western characters.

Many of Arizona’s residents spend their summers here in the mild climate found at the higher altitudes. Most of the communities are located 7,000 to 8,500 ft. in elevation. Summer highs are usually in the 80's and nights in the 50's.

Beautiful hiking trails can be found in the area. Biking, photography, rock hounding and bird watching are popular, in addition to the hunting and fishing. Fall aspen colors make the mountains one of the most scenic places in the state to visit in October.

After you leave this area, you can continue on hwy 60 to Showlow or use hwy 260 from Eagar. The mountain route, hwy 260, takes you past the ski resort and the casino and through some beautiful forests and past some pretty mountain lakes on the Apache Nation. Pinetop and Lakeside, also popular resort areas, lead you to Showlow and back to 60.

Showlow was named after a card game when two ranchers decided its ownership by playing a card game. The game involved a point for low card and at the last hand they found themselves tied before the "low card" was shown. Cooley told Clark, "show low and the place is yours." Clark rolled the deuce of clubs. Hwy 60, in Showlow is named after that card.  JPB

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