Looking for info on AZ roads

I may be considering moving down to the Phoenix area in the next couple of years and wanted to get an idea of the riding down there. Up here in New England we have a lot of everything. Not as many twisty roads as I'd like, but enough to keep things fun. Lots of variety. Worst things are the winter (I park 'em from mid Nov-1st March) and pavement quality due to frost-heaves and lack of maintenance.

I pictured southwestern states to be primarily long, straight stretches of highway...but maps seem to show a good amount of twisty secondary roads. My regular rides are day trips on the weekends, normally ~100-200 miles (round-trip) from home...so speaking of the same length trip from Phoenix area.

Just collecting info on the area...thought it couldn't hurt to ask here too. Really looking for someone who has lived in the northeast and can give me a good comparison.

 

I have a close friend who lives in Phoenix. There are some good roads in that "Vicinity" however the western interpretation of "Vicinity" may be measured in hundreds of miles

Her web site is at www.SeizeTheJourney.com. Send her an email with any questions about the area and be sure to tell her I told you to write. I'm her webmaster and if she ignores your email I'll turn her site into a porno site

 

Theres a lot of really good year round riding here. West side has Volture Mine rd to Yarnell hill to white spars that takes you into Prescott. Then you could go on to Jerome, Sedona, Flagstaff. East side has Just as many good rides. Then theres always the Devils Hwy, AKA Hwy 191. From what i hear its a 10 hour ride that can be rough in places. dirt in corners, that kind of stuff. All in all, we have a lot of good rides out here.

 

Salt river canyon is a blast! And don't forget Catalina Highway. That road is awesome, but they have really cracked down on the sport-biking fun there. Then there is the renowned and just as secret Arivaca road. It has about a 100 turns and undulations in a 25 mile stretch. Everyone speaks of the Dragon out East, but we have some stuff that would be right there with it.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I newer friend of mine happened to live down near Phoenix for 1.5 yrs. He loved it (he rides) & was able to give me some good comparisons. He liked it much better than MA.

I've got a trip planned for the beginning of May to checkout the real estate and get a feel for the area.

 

You have to be willing to share the slabs with 4 million other people though. All the good riding is out of town.

 

Although I am originally from the SF Bay Area and moved back home 3 years ago, I lived in Arizona for 16 years (University of Arizona guy). There are many, many awesome roads to ride and places to visit. Year round riding can't be beat. I was down in Phoenix for New Years and it was 70 degrees!

In the summer, when it's hotter than h-e-double hockey sticks in the Phoenix metro area you can head up towards Prescott, Pinetop, Flagstaff, or Greer. Salt River Canyon is pretty wicked too. There is some absolutely fantastic scenery in Arizona. The Grand Canyon is just one of thousands of places I would recommend seeing. You can also head south and be in Rocky Point, Mexico in a matter of hours, even though it is a slab grind, you can get a good weekend Mexico fix.

Mostly year round riding is hard to beat, if you can handle the summers......

 

Great year around riding. The hardest is just getting out of Phoenix.

During the summer, just leave early in the morning and head up into the higher altitudes.

 

Apache Trail (AZ 88) to Tortilla Flat!! (watch the downhill hairpins on the way back!!)

Beeline highway (AZ 87) to Payson.

 

I forgot to mention the devils highway 666, now renamed 191. Fun and scary!

 

I'm thinking I might do Tortilla Flat tomorrow morning, it's been a while and it is SO much fun; not to mention the incredible scenery.

 

+1 on the Devil's Highway (former 666 now 191). I'm originally from that area around Morenci, AZ. That is one of the most extreme roads in the country IMO. The older locals call the road the "Coronado Trail." And it is like a trail, very narrow in parts.