The unpaved road to Greens Peak in Arizona
Greens Peak is an extinct cinder-cone volcano at an elevation of 3.091m (10,141ft) above the sea level, located in Apache County, in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It's one of the highest roads of Arizona.
Located within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, White Mountains, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called Greens Peak Road. The drive requires a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle, such as an SUV or truck. The road to the summit is pretty steep. Starting at the paved Arizona State Route 260 (State Route 260), the ascent is 9.17km (5.7 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 308 meters. The average gradient is 3.3%.
The summit is crowned with radio towers and a lookout constructed in 1962 replacing an Aermotor MC24 look-out built in 1933. In winter, access is severely restricted due to snow. Visitors should be prepared for high altitude conditions. Summertime temperatures are very mild averaging 70 degrees but can drop as low as 30 degrees at night or during the frequent summer afternoon thunderstorms. High winds frequently occur. In winter, this region gets considerable snow.
Pic: Joe Highley