Old Black Canyon Highway

Before Arizona became a state, a stagecoach ran from Prescott's booming metropolis to the tiny hamlet of Phoenix along a rough and bumpy trail through the eastern foothills of the rugged and wild Bradshaw Mountains. The stage ran twice a week, and the trip took a day and a half. Stagecoach service ended in 1917 as motorized vehicles became more common in the 48th state. The section of the road north of Phoenix became known as the Black Canyon Highway. By the 1970s, Interstate 17 replaced most of the Black Canyon Highway. Today some paved and a few unpaved sections of both the stagecoach road and the Old Black Canyon Highway still exist. This trail is a segment of the original stagecoach road. Passing through a pristine Sonoran Desert landscape with hillside forests of stately saguaros and impressive views of the Bradshaw and New River Mountains, Old Black Canyon Road provides a time capsule escape into historic Arizona. While the driving won't be as bumpy as in stagecoach days, the extremely narrow shelf roads, hairpin switchbacks, and steep climbs and descents will generate some white knuckle steering wheel grips, contrasting vividly with the occasional glimpses of traffic zipping smoothly along Interstate 17. The trail lies almost exclusively in the 11,500 acres BLM administered Table Mesa Recreation Area, a popular destination on weekends. So pack a lunch, air down, and take a trip through Arizona's history on the Old Black Canyon Highway. Stop by historic Rock Springs afterward and reward yourself with a slice of their famous pies. You will have earned it!