Don’t skip these 4 scenic drives at Arizona Auction Week 2020

Whether you’re visiting the Scottsdale area during Arizona Auction Week, planning a vacation, or flying in for a business trip, everyone deserves a moment to escape the hustle and bustle of Scottsdale and take in the breathtaking landscapes surrounding the city. While you’re there, you may as well, right? Hop in the driver’s seat and enjoy these 4 scenic Scottsdale drives.

Cave Creek to Bartlett Lake Marina

Two of the area’s most scenic roads begin just 25 miles north of Scottsdale in Carefree, a quaint western-style town that makes for a great shopping or restaurant stop before or after your drive into the mountains. The first option is the most vehicle-friendly: Take North Cave Creek Road to Bartlett Dam Road and navigate around the twisty roads heading toward the Bartlett Lake Marina. Pause for the lakeside view nestled in the mountains before looping back around. The drive was exceptionally fun in this turbocharged 1986 Porsche 944.

Carefree to Seven Springs Campground

The second available route heads north from North Cave Creek Road instead of turning on Bartlett Dam Road. You’ll pass the Desert Mountain Golf Course and Tonto Hills before making a left-hand hairpin turn toward the Sears Kay Ruins, where the road soon merges into North Seven Springs Road. Be forewarned—this road turns into gravel, but the views are absolutely breathtaking. You can always rent a rugged vehicle to get you there in style. The last time we took the route, the road was decently smooth, and even stock daily-driver sedans drove up with ease. If you don’t mind a little dust, keep heading north to the Seven Springs Campground to admire the untouched, rolling desert landscapes, wildlife, and intriguing cacti growth.

Fountain Hills Loop

This loop will take you through the northern outskirts of Scottsdale and bring you back by way of Fountain Hills, a town in Maricopa County known for its impressive fountain.

Let’s say we begin this drive at the cross-section of North Scottsdale Road and Dynamite Boulevard. Heading east on Dynamite Boulevard will take you through hilly neighborhoods with scenic acreage and dump you at a stop sign; there, the road will continue on Rio Verde Drive. Continue until you reach Forest Road and then turn right. In a couple of miles, you’ll turn right again onto McDowell Mountain Road, which turns into Fountain Hills Boulevard. Stop and admire the huge fountain, perhaps grab a bite to eat, and then take Shea Boulevard west back to central Scottsdale.

Apache Junction 88 to Tortilla Flat

This route gives visitors a great opportunity to visit the ghost town of Goldfield and perhaps even take a mine tour. Beyond Goldfield, the very scenic Apache Trail (AZ 88) is paved to Tortilla Flat. Beyond Tortilla Flat, the Apache Trail is unpaved for approximately 20 miles. Depending on Mother Nature, the road could be washboarded, but the trek is worth the view if you don’t mind some dust and jostling. You’ll end this drive at Lake Roosevelt, which has a nice visitor center. You can head back to Scottsdale via 188 and 87.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to make the full loop or prefer to stay on pavement, you can drive back from Tortilla Flat to Apache Junction. Even the paved part is gorgeous.

Now that you have an idea of which drives you want to experience and which vehicles to drive, you can make the most of your Arizona Auction Week adventure.