Top Driving Route North of Phoenix!
Some days the sounds and sights of the city can be too much, and your senses demand a swift respite from the continuous incursion of hustle and bustle. To accomplish this, simply hop into your car and head due north on the 101 towards the black mountains of a sleepy town known as Carefree, where the environment complements the name.
As you travel north, exit onto N Pima Rd and immediately you will notice a change of scenery. The glamour of the city quickly dissolves to dust dotted with small cacti and the occasional tumbleweed. Soon you will spot the majestic arms of the saguaros beckoning you forward into their world. It is an odd, un-earthly sight to see these tall proud cacti becoming more and more dense; each bringing its own personality until you are immersed in a sea of colorful cacti characters. Also, if you look closely along the road you will notice small wooden signs in front of each of the other cacti providing their common name. These include manzanita, prickly pear, and my personal favorite, the spiny teddy bear cholla.
As you continue along Pima Rd you may also notice flat brown rooftops hidden amid the desert. These are actually homes that have been built to embrace the environment as their walls turn and dip with the landscape. These may range from 1200-12,000 sq ft and belong to both natives and vacationers. These homes are featured in many national architecture and home magazines. Blending indoor and outdoor living, these homes often feature large outdoor patios, gardens, and eating areas that flow seamlessly in and out of the home and hill.
By this time you will reach Cave Creek Rd so take it due west and you will find yourself again immersed in a new environment. Old saloons, pub houses, and authentic smokehouses dot the roadside plunging you back into the days of the old west. Stop here for a bite to eat and you are sure to hear some entertaining adventure stories. Again there is a strong mix of native residents and transient visitors with whom you can mingle, drink, and talk.
Now that you are refreshed it is time to head south on Old Scottsdale Rd back towards home. But don’t leave in a hurry! There are amazing vistas along this route as you dip back into the valley. All around are hills made of boulders the size of houses precariously perched in piles that rise hundreds feet above the road. From the top of the mountain you can see the entire Phoenix valley. If you have come in the evening you get the extra treat of seeing the sun set on the valley turning the mountains pink and purple and illuminating the buildings of downtown into fiery pillars on the horizon. By now you have decompressed enough to come back to the city and by the looks of it, it seems to be celebrating your return.
