February 19 – February 20, 2023
We left Tucson after breakfast and headed north on US 177, nice scenery but this area is rich in minerals and the land has been disfigured by massive mines where the mountain is artificially terraced like a pyramid.
We stopped in Globe to get some groceries. The town is very close to a large Apache Reservation and quite a few Native Americans were in town doing their shopping too.
We were now on Route 88, known as the Apache Trail. It gets its name from the Apache Indians, who originally used the trail to navigate through the Superstition Mountains and the Tonto National Forest. It then became a stagecoach route in the early 1900s and was used to ferry materials and workforce to the construction of the Roosevelt Dam.
We made a small detour to Tonto National Monument. The Monument features two ancient Native American cliff dwellings dating back 700 years. The Lower Cliff Dwelling is open for viewing year-round and is accessible via a steep, 0.5-mile walk . The Upper Cliff Dwelling is accessible only by guided tour from November through April on the weekends.
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We drove on to Roosevelt Lake where we camped on the shore for the night. The weather was warm-ish and hummingbirds were flying around us.
Roosevelt Lake
Theodore Roosevelt Lake was formed by the construction of a masonry dam on the Salt River in 1911, making it the oldest artificial reservoir in Arizona. At the time, Roosevelt Dam was the world’s tallest masonry dam at about 280 feet high and Roosevelt Lake was the largest man made lake in the world. In 1996, modification of the dam increased its height to 357 feet and expanded the lake’s water storage capacity by 20%. The lake had a multi-purpose of flood control, generation of electricity and harnessing the water for irrigation.
Lake Roosevelt a favorite water recreation destination. The lake features several marinas and fee-based camping sites, and contains a wildlife refuge area.
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The next day, we resumed our journey north, going through Payson and stopping at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park.
The weather was not so warm today with a cold wind. We took the small trail leading to the bridge, a natural arch, that is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. The bridge stands 183 feet high over a 400-foot long tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point.
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