Scenic Drives USA

The Kaibab Plateau - North Rim Parkway is in north-central Arizona about 35 miles south of the Utah/Arizona border. The northern access is in Jacob Lake off US Alternate 89, about 30 miles southeast of Fredonia. The byway travels south to North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park.

The 44-mile route follows AZ 67, a paved, two-lane road suitable for all vehicles. The road ends in North Rim; you'll need to retrace the route back to Jacob Lake. Due to heavy winter snow, the byway is usually closed from mid to late November through mid-May.

Parker Dam Road is in southeast California and west-central Arizona on the banks of the Colorado River. On the California side, the byway travels between Earp and Parker Dam. Earp is on CA 62 about 50 miles north of Blythe. The Arizona side travels between Parker and Lake Havasu City. Lake Havasu City is approximately 60 miles south of Kingman.

The California side of the byway is the officially designated portion. As its name implies, the scenic drive follows Parker Dam Road, which is a two-lane paved road safe for travel by all types of vehicles. The Arizona side also follows a two-lane paved road, AZ 95. Both roads generally remain open year-round. Eleven miles of this 55-mile route is designated a Type I Back Country Byway.

The Sky Island Scenic Byway is located in southern Arizona. The byway begins near the eastern city limits of Tucson and travels north to Summerhaven. Sky Island is reached from I-10 by following Grant Road east to the Catalina Highway.

Sky Island is 30 miles long and follows Catalina Highway through Coronado National Forest. Catalina Highway is also known as General Hitchcock Highway or Mount Lemmon Highway. The byway officially terminates near the village of Summerhaven. Catalina Highway is a two-lane paved road. It twists and turns as it climbs in elevation, with turns becoming more severe as elevation increases. The byway is usually open all year.

White Mountain Scenic Highway is in east-central Arizona, approximately 170 miles east of Phoenix. The southwest access is in Whiteriver in Fort Apache Indian Reservation. From Whiteriver, the byway travels north to McNary and then east to the junction of US 180/191, north of Alpine.

The 123-mile scenic drive follows Arizona Highways 73, 260, 261, 273, and 373 and Forest Service Roads 87 and 249. This series of connecting roads follow a combination of two-lane paved and gravel-surfaced roads that are suitable for all vehicles. Arizona Highways 73 and 260 are usually open year-round. The remaining roads are subject to closure in the winter.