Arizona Motorcycle Tours – The Back Road to Prescott

Photo by Linda

Arizona is motorcycle country.  By the time summer rolls around, lots of folks think our riding season must be over but that’s not really true – you can ride year-around here and even when it is blisteringly hot; you just have to prepare yourself and take precautions to survive brief exposure to the heat!  Of course, October/November and March/April are the prime times for glorious riding, no one is arguing that fact.

There are any one of a hundred different possibilities for great motorcycle touring choices – some of my favorites are the Sonoita/Sierra Vista area of southeastern Arizona, Route 66 from Seligman to Oatman, Route 87 from Phoenix to Payson (and beyond, and the Coronado Trail in far eastern Arizona (US Highway 191 from Clifton to Springerville).  You can’t beat the Rim highway either, from Camp Verde along the Crook Trail over to Payson and out to Show Low on SR260.  Think “Blue Ridge Parkway” with high speed two-lane blacktop and Arizona’s old growth Ponderosa Pines.  It’s a “sky highway” for much of its length with expansive vistas over the mesas, canyons and valleys below.  Even the superslab from Phoenix to Flagstaff (I-17) is a gorgeous ride, even if we Arizonans take it somewhat for granted because it is so familiar to us.

Linda at Wickenburg - 06/03/12

Today, my friend Linda and I rode the “back-road” to Prescott – Phoenix to Wickenburg via US60/93, then SR89 up Yarnell Hill and through the woods to Prescott, with a return via Cordes Junction on SR69 and I-17.  It is roughly 210 miles and it took us 7½ hours, with a generous amount of time for stops and stretches; my “south end of the northbound” is not as, shall we say, resilient as it was in years past?  The ride could be done quicker by aggressive riders who do not need to stop quite so much – and some of the blacktop begs to be burned a little bit – if you like twisties.  Our pace today was more sedate.

The ride out to Wickenburg is on a divided highway – called Grand Avenue (in Phoenix) and is stop and go for about the first 30 or 45 minutes, depending on where you start from.  It’s flat, quite developed, and is skinned off Sonoran Desert for much of the distance.  It is the least interesting part of the ride. 

The "Some Like it Hot" Cafe in Wickenburg

Wickenburg, on the other hand, is a fun place to stop and eat… Hey, eating is important.   We discovered that my favorite little Wickenburg café has changed hands since last I was there – it was the “Cowboy Café” but is now the “Some Like it Hot Café.”  They told us a lots of folks think this means Mexican cuisine – but not so – it is just a neat little breakfast and lunch kind of place with a Marilyn Monroe theme.  It was clean, the food and service were good, and the prices were fair.  I guess the Cowboy Café is re-open on the near side of town these days so perhaps I will stop there again on another trip.  I have my loyalties.  But, this new little place was friendly and I am sure I will keep stopping there also.  They have fresh pies on the menu, and I will need to try some of those. Didn’t have room today after the eggs, sausage, biscuit and gravy, browns and toast for 6.95, plus a side of mac salad (just to see).

Linda riding up Yarnell Hill

Linda’s little bike can only get down the road about 100 miles on a tank, so we gassed her up there on the way out of town, and skeedaddled over (and up) to Yarnell.  Yarnell Hill was a legend back in the day of the two-lane blacktop – as famous as the Grapevine and other truck-stop horror-story hills.  

Today on the road leading up to the base of the hill, we paced a Burlington Northern - Santa Fe freight headed up the Peavine to the main line at Ash Fork -- he must have been dragging a load of empties because he only had two locomotives pulling up that long grade.  The tracks run off to the north and away from the highway - and these days the whole system bypasses Prescott altogether and rejoins SR89 north of Prescott in the area of Chino Valley.

These days SR89 is a divided road over Yarnell Hill, and the curves have been ironed out a bit – but it is still a little bit fun.  You’ve got your uphill grade, some broad to not-so-broad curves (and hairpins) and as you reach the top, the air temperature has begun to cool. Take it easy and relax on this stretch; the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Dept. knows you like to drive it fast.  They are out there.  Don’t speed through Yarnell either…

Yarnell Hill

Now you’re on top and in ranch country – the Maughan Ranch(es) were some of the ones I saw up there today.  The air was cool, the road was good and you’ll want to let it breathe a little bit.  It’s cool…  just watch out for da cops.  It's really beautiful landscape, with wide-open views, a green "ranchey" look to it and long stretches of straight punctuated by curves leading you into the next stretch. I don't know about you, but I like that kind of road.  You will be pleased to note that I took no photos of cows today.

Across the valley as you approach the next range, you see the community of Wilhoit up ahead.  You pass Peeples Valley and Kirkland Junction.  At Kirkland, you could take an alternate back-back road around to the north and into Prescott (County Roads 15 and 10 through Skull Valley), and while that is also a pretty area and a nice drive, the main route on SR89 is better for motorcycle fun (my opinion).  Had I been train-watching, the 15/10 route follows the Peavine the closest.

You climb out of Wilhoit and the rest of the way into Prescott is Arizona mountain highway - by the time you reach the divide you'll be above 6100 ft msl.  Some of the turns are deceptively tight (so don’t get carried away).  You will be twisting your ride from one side to the other as you work your way through these curves and grades.  

I saw one guy today on a Suzuki rat-bike and he was running from apex to apex about 10 or 15 mph faster than my pace (and everyone else's) – and while I am sure he was having all sorts of fun all I wanted to do was stay away from him – he was a persistent tailgater and a little reckless otherwise as well – for as long as he was in view.  I don’t care to ride in close proximity to those guys, but most of the other riders I saw today were a bit less crazy than that.

You enter Prescott on White Spar Road and then Montezuma Street -- but you are always still on Highway 89... In Prescott, I looked for evidence of the recent fire on Whiskey Row but didn’t see any of it.  There was (as usual) some kind of carnival or something going on at the Courthouse Square with the resulting crowds of vehicles and pedestrians.   I also watched for smoke or crews from last week's forest fire on top the Bradshaws, but apparently that has subsided.  The sky was clear and blue.

We rode on out of town on Gurley Street and stopped in Prescott Valley for Linda’s fuel-up.  Then it was down SR69 to I-17, with a stop at Sunset Point to stretch and relax.  I soaked my water vest and put it on – from that point it would be over 100 degrees the remaining 60 miles or so.  The water vest is a quilted vest that breathes – you wet it and the evaporation cools you as you ride – it gets your shirt a little bit damp, but makes riding in hotter temperatures a bit more bearable.  Today I wore a long-sleeved shirt for sunburn protection but I did not wear my summer jacket.  I did OK, with just a little discomfort from the wind whipping the shirt sleeves and collar.  It wasn’t too bad.  I usually do wear the jacket (it’s a mesh affair with Kevlar) and this is the first time I have ever gone (on a road trip) without it.   I had misgivings about that decision even before I got out of town, but the reality is I did alright.

Sunset Point Rest Area

From Sunset Point it was a quick run back into North Phoenix.  Sunday afternoon traffic is not the best on that road – but it wasn’t too crazy today.  There were your usual cages whose drivers think everything is related to NASCAR – but whose skills as drivers are far from NASCAR level – or even go-kart level.  There were also a lot of motorcycles today – it seems like there were a lot of others who had the same idea we did!  So my “waving to motorcycles arm” got its exercise!

I stopped at the neighborhood corner to refuel – and from Prescott Valley to Phoenix, I got 53½ mpg – the best I have ever gotten with Big Blue.  I knew it would be (good) – since the route between the two points is significantly downhill.  So I figure that will be about the best I ever get – which means normal mpg will be between 40 or 43 (town and freeway) and 53 on the road with the wind behind me and from high ground to low ground.

This is a very pretty and spectacular route – desert, woods, Arizona high country as well as low – and a good mix of the kinds of roads we love to ride.  If you want to go, take US60 (Grand Ave) northwest out of Phoenix to Wickenburg (about 60 miles); turn north on US93 in Wickenburg and follow that a few miles to a right turn-off onto SR89 to Congress.  In Congress, you make a right turn to keep following SR89, and take that up Yarnell Hill and on into Prescott (total of about 60 miles).  In Prescott, turn right up Gurley Street and follow that as it becomes SR69 out through Prescott Valley, Mayer and at Cordes Junction, bear right onto southbound I-17 and back to Phoenix (90 more miles, Prescott to Phoenix).

If you happen to be doing this ride at a time of day that gets you through Dewey, AZ (south of Prescott Valley) close to lunch or suppertime, then you're a fool if you don't stop and eat at Leff-T's Steakhouse and Grill.  It's one of Arizona's best (IMHO).

One note of caution… many Arizona communities are using photo enforcement for speed and for red light violations.  Prescott Valley is [was, the PV cameras have been removed as of 2015] one community that has several set-ups – also El Mirage along US60 as you depart Phoenix.  Even the locals forget these cameras are there and get nailed – don’t let it happen to you.  The speed camera set-ups give you a tiny bit of “grace,” but not much.  Keep it within 5 mph and you should be OK.  Should.  (No guarantees, mate.)  For a red light, you cannot enter an intersection against a red signal.  Don't say I didn't warn you...

Keep the shiny side up!