If there is one thing Arizona is not lacking, it's scenic roads.

Just off the top of our heads there is State Route 89A from Sedona to Flagstaff; State Route 82 between Nogales and Whetstone, US 60 from Superior to Globe, US 180 from Flagstaff to State Route 64 ... we could go on and on.

Among some of the truly spectacular drives out there, there are few roads that are as uniformally scenic as State Route 260. 

Starting in Cottonwood, this 193-mile highway runs from the aptly named Verde Valley before heading up in elevation again to hit the picturesque communities of Strawberry and Pine before reaching that gateway to northeast Arizona's high country, Payson. Along the way, and then as it continues on to Heber-Overgaard, the road offers gorgeous views of the Mogollon Rim. Finally it runs through Show Low and on to Eager, displaying the natural beauty that is the White Mountains. 

Though many portions of this frequently traveled highway are definitively modern, the origins of some of its oldest parts reach deep into Arizona history.

You can read more on our website's section of historic roads, but the genesis of SR 260 goes back to the beginning of the 1870s when General George Crook wished to connect isolated army posts located at modern Camp Verde and south of present-day Show Low and McNary. This "General Crook Trail" would serve to both keep supplies moving and seal off the rim country to the Apaches he was campaigning against. 

Fun fact, the mule crew hired to construct the road toward Heber was headed by Corydon Cooley, the winner of the eponymous card draw contest that named the city of Show Low. 

During this same decade, other roads would be constructed to connect the fort with suppliers in communities such as McNary and Springerville. The section running between those two communities would be added to the state highway system in 1928 as State Route 73. The section built by Cooley and his teams, running between Heber and Show Low would become State Route 260 in 1955. 

Modern State Route 260 began to really form following World War II, when Arizona's population was taking off. The route along the Mogollon Rim - originally called State Route 160 - was assembled mainly from existing forest roads, with paving completed between Payson and Show Low by 1974 after 14 years of construction. This newly completed highway, along with the completion of the Beeline Highway between Phoenix and Payson, opened up the Rim country to tourists from southern Arizona.

The final freeway numbering is something of a jumbled mess of forgotten highway numbers and dates (which the truly interested reader can find here), but suffice it to say that in the 1970s the State Route 260 numbering was commissioned between Payson and Show Low and by the middle of the decade the whole stretch to Eager had been renumbered. However, it wouldn't be until the 1990s that the road to Camp Verde and then to Cottonwood would be added into this highway, erasing the former State Route 279 designation.  

All of this is just a long-winded way of saying today that you can take a nearly 200-mile trip up between one beautiful spot in the state to another beautiful spot, with a lot of beautiful spots in between. 

By Peter Corbett / ADOT Communications

Arizona travelers are captivated by Oak Creek Canyon, with its greenery, flowing water and red rock views.

In a series of informal polls posted recently by ADOT's Twitter account, @ArizonaDOT, participants selected the 16 miles of State Route 89A running north from Sedona as the state’s best scenic drive. US 163 through Monument Valley was the runner-up, followed by SR 89A's twisting run over Mingus Mountain from Jerome to Prescott Valley. Then came SR 89 from Prescott to Congress.

The four preliminary polls (see below) and the final poll (shown above), posted Sunday through Tuesday, drew nearly 2,000 votes. Winners of the initial polls advanced to the final.

There's certainly nothing scientific about this polling, but it was a decisive win for SR 89A through Oak Creek Canyon, a magnet for hikers, swimmers and sightseers, especially on weekends and holidays.

Second-place US 163 through Monument Valley near Kayenta is a far more remote scenic drive that’s lightly traveled. The towering buttes of Monument Valley have a cinematic history that includes John Ford’s “Stagecoach” in 1939, “Forrest Gump” in 1994 and “Transformers: The Age of Extinction” in 2014.

Other scenic routes that scored well but didn't advance to the final included:

• US 60 through Salt River Canyon north of Globe.
• US 89A from Lees Ferry to Fredonia.
• SR 64 from Grand Canyon to Cameron.
• SR 88 the Apache Trail from Apache Junction to Roosevelt Lake.

We use ADOT's Twitter account, which has nearly 180,000 followers, to keep motorists current on road conditions, closures and highway news. Like ADOT's Facebook page, it's also a good way for you to get questions answered on traffic conditions and more.

We hope participants enjoyed us turning the tables and putting questions to them via social media. We enjoyed it too and plan to offer more polls in the near future.

Preliminary round results

Whether you’re in the driver’s seat or just along for the ride, Arizona has many scenic roads to make your trip worth taking.

But, what exactly is an official “scenic road” and who makes that determination?

Well, the term “scenic road” often is used to describe several types of roadways offering visual, historic and cultural significance.

Anyone may nominate a road for local and/or national designation. Find out more on the process (/about/historic-and-scenic-roads/designating-state-scenic-road).

ADOT oversees the designating and planning of five types of scenic roads, including:

• Scenic roads offer a memorable visual impression, are free of visual encroachment and form a harmonious composite of visual patterns. Scenic roads are the most commonly designated type. In Arizona there are 18 roads designated as scenic roads.
• Historic roads offer historical importance to the cultural heritage of the state, nation or region, contribute to a historical area or exploration/settlement of Arizona , are easily accessible and unique. There are two historic roads in Arizona.

• Parkways meet scenic or historic road criteria, have a one-mile minimum distance between access roads, allow visitor facilities and offers controlled access and adjacent development.
• National scenic byways have multi-state significance and have one or more of the following qualities: scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological or natural. They must also be a currently designated state scenic road and contain no gaps in continuity, accommodate bicycles and pedestrians.
• All-American roads have national significance and posses a multiple of the following qualities: scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archaeological or natural. They must be a currently designated state scenic road and contain no gaps in continuity, accommodate bicycles, pedestrians and scenic pullouts. The road must also be considered a destination.

For a list of all scenic roads, historic roads, parkways, national scenic byways and All-American roads in Arizona , visit ADOT's scenic roads web page.