Pt 38 Backroads and Beelines--Chasing Forgotten Highways
Exploring a new side of Arizona and how AZ got its iconic license plate.
I thought I knew Arizona after 15 years of hiking, road-tripping, and playing cowgirl should’ve covered it. But one drive toward Payson proved me wrong. What started as a casual getaway turned into a rediscovery of forgotten roads, wild landscapes, and stories buried in the dust. This is the Beeline Highway… why is called the Beeline Highway?
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With meetings wrapped, chitchats with old colleagues and friends complete, and clients settled into their new protocols, it was finally time to unplug. I was officially off duty, heading north with Marteen to get gloriously dusty in the wilds of Arizona.
Now that I’ve caught the land travel bug, I want more; more cactus, more crags, more of the hidden corners I somehow missed during my 15 years of living here. Sure, I’ve hiked the canyons, wandered the vortexes of Sedona, gotten lost in caves, channeled my inner cowgirl in dusty pockets of the state, and even trekked miles to reach a ghost town so remote not even Amazon delivers. I’ve roamed all over Flagstaff during Marteen’s college years at NAU, too. She even summited Humphreys Peak, Arizona’s tallest mountain at 12,633 feet. The trailhead starts at 9,300 feet at the Arizona Snowbowl, which makes for a 3,300-foot climb. Most people knock it out in 4 to 5 hours. Me? I would’ve been halfway up, hoarding trail mix and calling a helicopter rescue service while questioning every decision that brought me to that slope.
I love a good hike, but some peaks are best enjoyed through someone else’s photos. Maybe in my twenties, when I bounced like Tigger, I could’ve done it. But at 50-something? I’ll take a lawn chair, a wide-angle lens, and a solid snack spread, thank you very much. But Payson? That whole pocket of northeastern stretches around Payson, Show Low, and Pinetop, had somehow escaped me.
Before I go further: if you're heading in that direction, bring lots of water, some snacks and fill your tank (the vehicles and yours). Depending on your route, gas stations can be as rare as a snowman in the Sonoran Desert.
We roll out of Scottsdale, but not on a typical freeway on ramp. No, Payson requires something a little different. We take East Shea Boulevard, a peculiar urban artery that feels more like a suburban scavenger hunt. It weaves past clusters of shops and an almost comical overabundance of grocery stores, giving way to 1980s-built HOA enclaves in Scottsdale Ranch. Then, the suburbs begin to breathe. The concrete fences softens. We hit ranch-style developments that seem to cling defiantly to hillsides, carved into the earth like architectural afterthoughts. And then, there it is: Fountain Hills.
Ah, Fountain Hills. Home to the once tallest man made fountain in the world (yes, really), designed by Charles Wood Jr., who also helped dream up Disneyland. The community feels like a retro mirage: part desert art project, part luxury hideaway, bordering the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. From the 1860s to the 1970s, this land was part of one of the largest cattle operations in the state, which explains why every neighborhood seems to have “ranch” in its name, even if it’s mostly decorative landscaping and three-car garages.
The vibe out here shifts, less frantic, more desert forward. It’s as if the land exhales. We drive deeper, where homes give way to open earth, creosote bush, and a landscape etched by time.
And then comes the real exhale: a left on to Highway 87, the Beeline Highway.
The Beeline Highway doesn’t just carry you north, it yanks you out of the city and plops you into a landscape so raw and wide open you wonder if you’ve just driven into another era. Civilization just disappears. Suddenly we are surrounded by mountains, sun bleached sagebrush, and I am feeling that maybe…just maybe…I can breathe again.
If you’ve ever studied an Arizona license plate, you’ll recognize what’s up ahead: the jagged silhouette of the Four Peaks and the spiny arms of saguaros reaching skyward. That design isn’t just state pride, it’s a real view, right here on this stretch of the Beeline. This is the land of the Mazatzal Mountains, a name thought to be derived from an Aztec word meaning “place of the deer.” These mountains are ancient formed from Precambrian rock that once rivaled the Andes in height, now worn into dramatic ridge lines, canyon folds, and granite gorges. They host everything from cacti strewn slopes to oak glens and piñon pines, depending on your elevation.
But before this road was the sleek, paved shoulder lined highway it is today, it was a whole different harrowing experience. In the early 1900s, getting from Mesa to Payson wasn’t just a Sunday drive. It was a two day expedition involving the Apache Trail, rattling over wagon wheel rutted passes, and navigating unpredictable riverbeds. Locals grew tired of losing axles and patience. By the 1930s, they rallied for a more direct road: one that wouldn’t make you question your life choices halfway through. What followed was a ten year effort to cut a rugged trail northeast, a precursor to today’s Beeline. It’s an interesting story and worth telling. After all, are you not intrigued as to how Hwy 87 got it’s name? I thought, so.
The first real shortcut came as the Bush Highway, a dusty, narrow route named after Harvey Granville Bush, a Mesa lumberman who needed access to the timber rich Mogollon Rim. It connected through Reno Pass and eventually linked with roads toward Payson. This was the OG adventure route, equal parts scenic and still bone rattling.
Then, in the 1950s, Jim Hart, a Maricopa County Supervisor, envisioned something better. A faster, straighter line from Mesa to Payson. He wanted something that cut through the Salt River basin and skipped the winding madness. Thus, the “Beeline” was born, a reference to its direct route, though anyone who’s driven it knows it’s more of a lazy S than a true line. Still, it was a game changer.
Back in present time, we spot the sign for Bush Highway on the right—where the old meets the new. This is where Keyhole Staging Area hides in plain sight. Today, it’s a hub for off roaders, hikers, and wild spirits who want to scramble up the desert’s craggy underbelly. You can venture into Goldfield Ranch, head toward Sycamore Creek, or climb into the Four Peaks Wilderness Area. There’s also a trail up to Sunset Lookout, where the views are equal parts ancient and Instagrammable (but don’t go there for that). This is also a jeep fun house!
If you take Bush Highway east instead, you’ll stumble into wild horse haven. These free roaming Salt River beauties are often spotted grazing along the banks, living their best unshod lives. If you see them, slow down and soak it in. It's Arizona’s version of a unicorn sighting.
Further down the road, you’ll find Desert Belle Cruises, the charming Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch, and even a sunbaked little patch of Arizona beach at the Water Users Recreation Site. Feeling adventurous? Keep cruising and you’ll hit Salt River Tubing, Arizona’s answer to a lazy river rave. It's hours of bobbing along the Salt River with friends, strangers, and the occasional misplaced pool float.
But let me give you the inside scoop, as someone lovingly nicknamed the Poop Queen, I’ve had more than a few people reach out in desperate need of advice on what to do when Montezuma’s Revenge comes knocking after a dip in the riverbank buffet of microbes. So here’s your survival kit: charcoal pills, probiotics, and enough hand sanitizer to fill a camelback. Don’t get me wrong, it's a blast, a joyride, a memory maker. But depending on the day, it can also be a bit of a biohazard with a view. Still, it’s one of those iconic desert experiences that leaves you sun kissed, waterlogged, and somehow wanting more.
We decide today to just stick to the Beeline highway. The road undulates gently, nothing dramatic, just smooth, steady curves through sunbaked wilderness. It’s quiet. Peaceful. Until we pass Sunflower, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it turnout and a relic of the old road. Here’s where the Bush Highway once connected with Reno Pass, before the Beeline rerouted it all.
But Sunflower has its own stories to tell. It’s an off roading mecca, scattered with ghostly mining sites like the Cornucopia, Story Mines and others, which once churned out mercury, copper, gold, and silver from the early 1900s up through the 1980s. After the Sunflower Fire torched much of the area in 2012, it’s not quite the same, but dirt loving Jeep folks still flock here, braving busted roads and relic shafts. Always check with the U.S. Forest Service before venturing in unless you enjoy surprise detours and the smell of a toasted clutch.
Soon we pass the turnoff to Highway 188, which curls east toward Jake’s Corner, a historic junction nestled in the shadow of the Mazatzals. Originally called Felton, this was a 1916 stage stop where travelers would hunker down when the Salt River flooded. Annie Hardt ran a ranch here, feeding wet and weary souls with her homegrown vegetables. As cars replaced carriages, New owners, George Felton and his wife Virginia opened a store in 1924, serving up fuel, tires, and repairs with a side of frontier grit. Today, Jake’s Corner is still kicking, a beloved biker hangout where you can grab a burger, swap stories, or just soak in the sun drenched vibe with a cold one and some local charm. It’s got just enough grit and grace to feel like the real Arizona.
Then, just like that, we ease into Rye, population 77 and proud of it. It’s another blink-and-you-miss-it town that doesn’t feel the need to shout. A few buildings, a few stories, and a whole lot of sky.
Finally, we begin the descent into civilization. Signs of life: Oxbow Estates, Round Valley, and the unmistakable glow of the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino, perched on the Tonto Apache Reservation. That’s when you know you have it Payson.
Just past the reservation line, we enter the town proper. What began as a 90 minute drive can easily become an all day odyssey, if you stop at the places that tug at your curiosity and whisper “just one more stop.”
Since this is a book about travels and RV adventures, and you might be thinking, I’d rather be camping. I am with you! The stretch from Scottsdale to Payson offers plenty of places to pull over and call home for a night or a week, depending on your level of wild spirit and water tank capacity.
Arizona is the undisputed land of Bureau of Land Management bliss and good old fashioned boondocking. If you're looking to get off grid, grab the free Outly app and tap into your own little slice of the Wild, Wild West. Just you, the creosote, and the coyotes. Don’t forget the marshmallows and a can of beans (I guess a can opener too).
Right near where we turned on to the Beeline Highway, you'll find Eagle View RV Resort at Fort McDowell, a full service spot with views, hookups, and proximity to the casino if you're feeling lucky. Head a bit south from there and you’ll run into Coon Bluff Recreation Area, or venture east to Bagley Flat, both nestled along the Salt River and better suited for rugged campers who don’t mind a little dust in their coffee.
Further north, if you detour onto Highway 188, you'll find a mecca of RV parks around Tonto Basin, perfect for water lovers and lake hoppers.
Jake’s Corner RV Park is another gem if you're a fan of history, cold drinks, and front porch storytelling. As you approach Payson, you’ll pass Oxbow Estates RV Park, then cross into a camper’s paradise, where a patchwork of campgrounds and RV resorts awaits. Whether you're looking for full hookups, fire rings, or just a place to slap on a bumper sticker that says “Been there, done that,” you’ll find something that fits your style.
But what awaits in Payson? Well, that’s a story for next week.
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Need to catch up?
Pt 36 Saved by a painted-mouth Starbucks Barista in the middle of an airport
Or, start from the beginning
Thank you for tuning in and reading this. I super appreciate you.
~Karen
A lovely read Karen, it was wonderful to travel with you. I look forward to reading about Payson soon.
I have been to fountain Hills a few times. I even wrote a couple of articles about where to eat and what to do. I know the roads you write about. I haven’t gone as far as Payson, but after this article, I think I need to explore there. You make me wanna hop in an RV (or my Sassy solo car-camping vehicle) and explore the dusty countryside.