State Route 88 is a long state highway in the U.S. state of Arizona. It runs from
U.S. Route 60 (US 60) in
Apache Junction
Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. Th ...
through desert terrain to
SR 188 near
Roosevelt Dam
Theodore Roosevelt Dam is a dam on the Salt River located northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. The dam is high and forms Theodore Roosevelt Lake as it impounds the Salt River. Originally built between 1905 and 1911, the dam was renovated and expande ...
. Following the
Salt River for much of its length, the section east of
Tortilla Flat
''Tortilla Flat'' (1935) is an early John Steinbeck novel set in Monterey, California. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success.
The book portrays a group of 'paisanos'—literally, countrymen—a small band of err ...
is known as the
Apache Trail
The Apache Trail in Arizona was a stagecoach trail that ran through the Superstition Mountains. It was named the Apache Trail after the Apache Indians who originally used this trail to move through the Superstition Mountains.
The historic A ...
and is part of the
National Forest Scenic Byway
The National Forest Scenic Byways are roads that have been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as scenic byways. Many are also National Scenic Byways (NSB). The program was initiated in 1987.
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List
The following roadways were listed b ...
system. The Apache Trail was built in the mid-1920s and the number 88 was assigned in 1927. An eastern extension of State Route 88 to Globe, Arizona was redesignated as State Route 188 on August 20, 1999.
Route description
SR 88 begins at a
diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a controlled-access highway crosses a minor road.
Design
The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge. Approaching the ...
with US 60, the Superstition Freeway, in southern
Apache Junction
Apache Junction is a city in Pinal and Maricopa counties in the state of Arizona. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,499, most of whom lived in Pinal County. It is named for the junction of the Apache Trail and Old West Highway. Th ...
. The route follows Idaho Road northward through a residential area with four lanes. Following a junction with Old West Highway, SR 88 turns northeast onto
Apache Trail
The Apache Trail in Arizona was a stagecoach trail that ran through the Superstition Mountains. It was named the Apache Trail after the Apache Indians who originally used this trail to move through the Superstition Mountains.
The historic A ...
and narrows to two lanes. The route exits the city limits of Apache Junction, entering desert terrain. Passing a ghost town known as Goldfield, Apache Trail enters
Tonto National Forest
The Tonto National Forest, encompassing , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in ...
just northwest of
Lost Dutchman State Park
Lost Dutchman State Park is a state park located in northwestern Pinal County, Arizona on the Apache Trail (State Route 88} north of Apache Junction, near the Superstition Mountains in central Arizona. It is named after the Lost Dutchman's Gol ...
. SR 88 nears Canyon Lake south of the
Mormon Flat Dam
The Mormon Flat Dam is a dam on the Salt River located Northeast of Phoenix, Arizona.
The dam is 380 feet long, 224 feet high and was built between 1923–25. It is named after nearby Mormon Flat, a place where Latter-day Saints (Mormon) settl ...
and follows a part of the southern shore of
Canyon Lake. Apache Trail heads away from the Salt River. It passes through the town of
Tortilla Flat
''Tortilla Flat'' (1935) is an early John Steinbeck novel set in Monterey, California. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success.
The book portrays a group of 'paisanos'—literally, countrymen—a small band of err ...
, becoming an unpaved dirt trail winding eastward through the
Superstition Mountains
The Superstition Mountains ( yuf-x-yav, Wi:kchsawa) is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for ...
. SR 88 again turns northeast and nears
Apache Lake. The route follows the Salt River northeast to the
Theodore Roosevelt Dam
Theodore Roosevelt Dam is a dam on the Salt River located northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. The dam is high and forms Theodore Roosevelt Lake as it impounds the Salt River. Originally built between 1905 and 1911, the dam was renovated and expanded ...
, near which the route is again paved. SR 88 intersects with
SR 188 along the coast of
Theodore Roosevelt Lake
Theodore Roosevelt Lake (usually called Roosevelt Lake, sometimes Lake Roosevelt) is a large reservoir formed by Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River (Arizona), Salt River in Arizona as part of the Salt River Project (SRP). Located roughly 8 ...
.
The highway is maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), which is responsible for maintaining highways in the state, including SR 88. As part of this role, ADOT periodically surveys traffic along its routes. These surveys are presented in the form of
average annual daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning, transportation engineering and retail location selection. Traditionally, it is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a y ...
, which is the number of vehicles who use the route on any average day during the year. In 2009, ADOT calculated that around as few as 400 vehicles used the route daily near the Roosevelt Dam and as many as 16,000 daily at the US 60 interchange in Apache Junction. The section east of Canyon Lake is part of the Apache Trail
National Forest Scenic Byway
The National Forest Scenic Byways are roads that have been designated by the U.S. Forest Service as scenic byways. Many are also National Scenic Byways (NSB). The program was initiated in 1987.
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List
The following roadways were listed b ...
system. No part of the highway has been listed in the
National Highway System, a system of roads in the United States important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Part of SR 88, known as the Apache Trail Historic Road, is one of only four state designated Historic Roads under the
Arizona Parkways, Historic and Scenic Roads program.
Following the 2019 Woodbury Fire and subsequent damage to the unpaved portion of the route, the road is closed indefinitely from milepost 222 to 229 (Roughly midway from Tortilla Flat to Roosevelt Dam) until a plan to revamp the seven-mile closure is implemented. SR 88 is not a major route between Apache Junction and Roosevelt Lake and has a very low traffic count, so it is likely it is not a priority project for the Arizona Department of Transportation. There is access to all the Salt River lakes impacted by the closure. Canyon Lake can be accessed from Apache Junction while Roosevelt and Apache Lakes are accessed through Globe or via State Highway 87, south of Rye, Arizona.
History
![Apache Trail 06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Apache_Trail_06.jpg)
The Apache Trail connected the
Old Spanish Trail where Apache Junction is today and Roosevelt Lake with an unpaved road as early as 1925, following much of the modern route.
By the next year,
SR 66 followed the Apache Trail and the Old Spanish Trail was numbered as
US 80
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
The number 88 was given to the route by 1927, but continued past its current terminus east to
US 180
U.S. Route 180 is an east–west United States highway. Like many three-digit routes, US 180 no longer meets its "parent", US 80. US 80 was decommissioned west of Mesquite, Texas, and was replaced in Texas by Interstate 20 and Interstate 10 ...
west of Globe.
US 60 and
US 89
U.S. Route 89 (US 89) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The northern section ...
became
concurrent
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with US 80 at the western terminus by 1935,
and the
US 70
U.S. Route 70 or U.S. Highway 70 (US 70) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. It is a major east–west highway of the Southeastern, Southern and Southwestern United States. ...
designation was added to the road by 1939.
The section of the route from Apache Junction to Canyon Lake was paved in the late 1940s.
By 1958, the section east of Roosevelt Dam was paved.
The extra designations at SR 88's western terminus were removed by 1971, leaving only the US 60 designation.
August 20, 1999, the section east of Roosevelt Dam was renumbered as SR 188, cutting SR 88 back to its current terminus.
Junction list
See also
*
Apache Trail
The Apache Trail in Arizona was a stagecoach trail that ran through the Superstition Mountains. It was named the Apache Trail after the Apache Indians who originally used this trail to move through the Superstition Mountains.
The historic A ...
References
External links
SR 88 at Arizona Roads
{{Good article
088
Transportation in Pinal County, Arizona
Transportation in Maricopa County, Arizona
Scenic highways in Arizona