Adopt a Highway legacy eight years strong

We first caught up with Chris Perry in this story, shortly after he and brother, Peter, adopted mile 4-5 along State Route 473 in 2018. 

Our paths crossed again recently on National CleanUp Day in September 2026 when Chris graciously passed along a few photos after the family’s outing to spruce up the wooded section near Hawley Lake.

“We adopted the mile in honor of my grandfather, Arthur ‘Busty’ Lewis Perry and my father, Wayne Hill Perry. My dad and grandfather were homeowners at Hawley Lake from the late 1950s to the 1980s until their lease expired.” Chris said. “They built the cabin in stages between 1959 and 1961.”  

One of the photos is the two of them in 1960 working on the cabin.

In June 2019, Chris and Peter brought their dad up to see the sign for the first time that honors him and their grandfather. 

“My dad passed away in 2022,” Perry said, “but we still love that highway and the memories. Over the years we've taught my two young sons, Elmer and Arthur, about caring for the forest.” 

Eight years later, the boys are carrying on the family tradition and filling their own bags.

Since 2018, Perry family cleanups have removed more than 700 pounds of trash from a single mile. And it all started with a love of family and the great outdoors.

If you’d like to care for your own adopted mile in celebration of life or a favorite stomping ground in Arizona, or both, we may have miles in need of adoption. Visit our webpage to get started, Adopt a Highway.