5 Epic Phoenix-Area Drives Every Pro-Touring & Classic Car Owner Must Experience

5 Epic Phoenix Area Drives Every Pro Touring and Classic Car Owner Must Experience

The Sonoran Desert delivers year round sunshine, quick elevation changes, and canyon curves that feel custom made for rigid frame hot rods, resto mod muscle, and modern pro touring builds wearing Fesler flush mount glass. Each route below checks three boxes:

Mesa to Roosevelt Dam, about forty eight miles one way

State Route 88 reopened this year after repairs to flood damage near Fish Creek Vista. The five mile unpaved segment adds a hint of rally flavor without risking fresh paint. Expect steep cliff drops, tight hairpins, and electric blue views of Canyon Lake. Start at Idaho Road in Apache Junction and finish at Roosevelt Dam for postcard photos.   

Tip: Drive at sunrise when traffic is light and the Superstition Mountains glow copper orange.

Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road, full loop about sixty two miles

Roll past giant saguaros on Bartlett Dam Road, pause at the marina for lakeside shots, then climb Forest Road 24 into pine scented canyon walls near Seven Springs. The dirt section is graded and friendly to lowered cars if you keep speeds sensible.   

Usery Pass Road then Bush Highway, roughly forty miles out and back

Moments from Mesa, Bush Highway traces red rock canyons beside the Salt River. Look for wild horses grazing at Coon Bluff and mirror calm water at Saguaro Lake for that money shot. Pair with Usery Pass for extra curves.   

Central Avenue Downtown Phoenix to the lookout, about fourteen miles round trip

Short yet perfect for shake downs. Gain twelve hundred feet, negotiate blind corners, and park at twenty three thirty feet for a full valley panorama. Mid week runs avoid crowds. Remember that the fourth Sunday each month is car free.   

Phoenix to Wickenburg, Prescott, Jerome, about one hundred forty five miles one way

Climb Yarnell Hill, cruise Prescott pines, then carve Mingus Mountain curves into historic Jerome. Summer temperatures stay cooler up high which makes this a favorite for carbureted engines. Grab lunch at Prescott Courthouse Plaza before descending the famous switchbacks toward Cottonwood.   

Long drives expose rattles, wind noise, and heat soak, which is why builders choose Fesler flush mount glass, precision interior parts, and custom seating. Tighter panel gaps keep the cabin quiet while you chase the redline.