Miles 125
Riding Time 3-4 hours
Restaurants Avery ’ s Barbeque Booga Red ’ s Hannagan Meadow Lodge Attractions Apache National Forest Rose Peak Watch Tower Morceni Copper Mine Historic Clifton , AZ
THIS month ' s Recommended
Ride is a hidden gem of motorcycling magic in eastern Arizona . The Coronado Trail is a 120-mile section of Hwy 191 from Springerville to Clifton and is appropriately designated as a National Scenic Byway . The route is named after Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado , who reportedly traveled this way while searching for gold and the mythical Seven Cities of Cibola in 1540 .
Springerville , the starting point for this trip , is easily accessed from east or west on US Hwy 60 . If you happen to arrive in the area at meal time , Avery ' s offers excellent BBQ , and Booga Red ' s has a wide variety of Mexican , American , and Southwest options .
While you can start the trip in either direction , the views are spectacular , beginning in the 7000-foot high alpine environment of Springerville in the north , crossing over the 9500-foot pass , through the canyons , and descending to the 3500-foot desert climate of Clifton in the south . Remember to dress appropriately for the varying seasonal temperature extremes .
Before 1992 , the Coronado Trail was designated Hwy 666 and referred to as the Devil ' s Highway . It is now part of 12⎪AUGUST 2022⎪shop . cmausa . org