Apache Trail, AZ (3/15/2019)

Nearly two weeks after driving the first part of the Apache Trail, I returned to complete the mission.  While the first section is paved, and recently re-surfaced, the next 25 miles are unpaved.  Because of a large increase in traffic, plus bountiful rains over the winter, I found the road to be much rougher than on my previous visit in 2006.  On that trip, I only drove it one way, this time I returned the way I had come, making a total of forty miles of bad road...pot holes, wash board and hundreds of gullies across the road.  Still, the scenery on a beautiful sunny day made it all worthwhile.

 

At one point, the road can be seen far below, reached by a 1000 foot (approximate) descent in a mile.  That makes for a grade of nearly 20%.

At the bottom of the canyon, an old bridge crosses Fish Creek and invites travelers to stop for a break and photo ops before resuming the journey.

Naturally, wildflowers are a big part of the experience.

Sixteen miles after leaving Tortilla Flat, Apache Lake comes into view.  Second largest of the four lakes in the Salt River, it was created in 1927 by construction of Horse Mesa Dam.  A popular recreation area, the lake offers a marina, motel and campground.  Fishing is said to be really good here.  With all the rain over the past few months, the river and all its reservoirs are quite full these days.

Near the end of the trail, Theodore Roosevelt Dam forms the largest Salt River reservoir, Roosevelt Lake.  Its purpose is to store water, produce electricity and control flooding in the Salt River Valley.  Construction began in 1903 but wasn't completed until 1911, ironically delayed by several catastrophic floods during that time.  When completed, it was 280 feet tall (tallest concrete dam in the world) and more than 700 feet long. making its lake the largest reservoir in the world at that time. 

Starting in 1989, the dam was re-surfaced and raised to a height of 357 feet, increasing water storage capacity by about 20%.  While the original dam cost $10 million to build, the renovation cost $430 million.  The overall value of the dam is hard to assess, but it is the single most important factor in allowing the growth and development of Central Arizona.  Whether that's good or bad depends upon your point of view.