I absolutely love this tour. Bruce and John were amazing.





Arizona's first historic highway is just a few minutes outside of the city. The Apache Trail is the perfect way to experience the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Get a chance to try panning for gold in the restored ghost town of Goldfield, marvel at the views of the Superstition Mountains, and take a cruise on scenic Canyon Lake. A pickup directly from your hotel or private residence gets the adventure started, leading you out to the Superstition Mountains along the path that guided Apache travelers, stagecoaches, and mountain men alike. When you get to Canyon Lake, board the famous Dolly Steamboat for a 6-mile narrated nature cruise. Watch for bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and a host of other desert animals, as well as unforgettable views of the towering volcanic cliffs. Next, your guide will take you to the town of Tortilla Flat, a stagecoach stop that holds onto its rich tradition through its architecture and unique decorating sense. ***The cruise is not private***
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 3.
Only minutes from the city, the Apache Trail is the perfect way to experience the beauty of the Sonoran desert. Arizona’s first designated “Historic Highway” and a scenic byway, the original Apache Trail was a footpath by which the local Apache Tribe traveled through the Superstition Mountains.
View these stunning desert mountains as you drive along the Apache Trail
During your tour along the Apache Trail, you will also be treated to a steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake by the famous Dolly Steamboat.
As part of the six mile narrated nature cruise, there may be opportunities to see bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and a host of other desert animals as well as unforgettable views of 1,300 ft. volcanic cliff walls of Canyon Lake.
Two of the more colorful stops along the Apache Trail are Goldfield Ghost Town and Tortilla Flat.
Goldfield, aptly named after the precious metal found in the area, was incorporated in 1892. For five long years this town was a gold miner’s paradise, however, soon after the vein stopped producing Goldfield quickly turned into a gold mining ghost town. During the tour you will have a chance to spend time in this restored ghost town practicing your gold panning techniques, marveling at the original mining gear, or even spending some time at Lu Lu’s Bordello if you dare.
We pick up at most hotels and residences in the Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe area, excluding North Phoenix or west of the 17 Highway. We can also pick up at certain locations in Mesa.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Private Apache Trail Day with Dolly Steamboat Tour lasts about 8 hours. The itinerary has 6 stops.
Prices start at $1,290 per person for this Phoenix experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. We pick up at most hotels and residences in the Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe area, excluding North Phoenix or west of the 17 Highway. We can also pick up at certain locations in Mesa. Pickup points include SureStay InnSuites Phoenix Hotel & Suites by Best Western, Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 13 travellers can book together.
Foldable wheelchairs/strollers are accessible
Foldable wheelchairs/strollers are accessible
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 10 verified reviews; it is run by Detours of Arizona.
I absolutely love this tour. Bruce and John were amazing.
Hyun was absolutely spectacular. He got to know each of us and was genuinely our travel buddy. He shared and listened. His driving was impeccable and his kindness matched. Sometimes people come into our lives for a short time and leave a lasting impression. That would be Hyun. Thank you for making our private tour the best and becoming our friend. 4 Idaho girls / 1 Utah girl. Shauna
My name is Pearl. I work at the Doubletree Hilton Phoenix North. The guests Mr & Mrs. Szonn who i helped booked this tour for. They had a wonderful experience. They said that the guide they had was wonderful. How who explain everything to them knew the area very well. This was a private tour. Unfortunately i don't know his/her name. These guests are visiting from Germany. Who i had the pleasure of taking care of while they were here. They loved the Dolly Steamboat Tour where the saw eagles and a Bighorn Sheep.
Was a fun day Jordan did a very good job
Excellent execution of tourism services by Viator and Detours travels. Flawless, customer friendly, punctual and very knowledgeable tour guude in Han.
We arranged a tour for college classmates and wives, a dozen total. We are all in our 80's, so we were mindful of the need to avoid difficult walking terrain and strenuous conditions. Detours took great care of us. They picked us up in a very comfortable van at our hotel and returned us there seven hours later. The driver/guide, Mark H., was knowledgeable, entertaining, and a very careful driver. We visited the Superstition Mountain Museum, the old mining town Goldfield, and took a ride on the Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake. We concluded with a lunch in Tortilla Flat at the local saloon. Not normally not a part of the tour, and an add-on expense, we easily arranged the lunch with Rachel, our superb contact at Detours. Rachel and Victoria, the tour coordinators, were really easy and pleasant to work with. WWe would not hesitate to use Detours again.
We took the Apache Trail Tour and couldn't have been more pleased. Our knowledgeable tour guide took us first to the Superstitions Museum, (very interesting, ) followed by a scenic ride to Canyon Lake. A boat ride through the canyon was incredibly relaxing and so beautiful. The coach accommodations were comfortable and staff members so helpful. I accidentally left a sweater on the bus. It was found and delivered to my hotel. What wonder service!
It was a very nice tour. The driver and co-pilot gave us a beautiful tour of the area. Lunch at Tortilla flats and the rest of the tour was very enjoyable. The driving crew provided a lot of history information about the area and keep passengers entertained. Will certainly do it again.
We had two groups on this tour -- and they loved it! Detours was wonderful to deal with; great communication. Even took care of our lunch reservations. Attendees reported it was a fun and fantastic day.
Hi Cynthia, We're so glad to hear your attendees enjoyed the Apache Trail experience. It was a pleasure working with you and we hope everyone got some amazing photos. Please let us know how we can accommodate you in the future! Thanks, Rachel Bass
We especially enjoyed the steamboat ride on Canyon Lake. We would have liked it more if the tour guide would have given more historical context or if there had been self-guided audio tours at the stops.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Private Apache Trail Day with Dolly Steamboat Tour | 8 hours | 4.9 (10) | $1,290 | |
Contact us to book your time. Best Trail Rides in Arizona. | 1h 15min | 5.0 (3) | $125 | View |
Kayaking the Salt River Foxtail Trip | 2 hours | 4.9 (2,861) | $57 | View |
Small-Group or Private Grand Canyon with Sedona Tour from Phoenix | 13 hours | 4.8 (2,586) | $229 | View |
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Guided Arizona Desert Tour by ATV - Centipede Tour | 2 hours | 4.8 (1,487) | $108 | View |
Grand Canyon with Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon Van Tour | 11 hours | 4.8 (1,446) | $226 | View |