>>2850918You can cover hot low elevation desert (below 3k ft/930m), followed by mid elevation shortgrass prairie and juniper savanna (5k ft/1500m), then cool ponderosa forest (always below 37C in temp, 6-9k ft/1800-2700m), then followed again by shortgrass prairie and juniper savanna, followed by high desert/sage brush desert (5k ft/1500m) driving in Arizona on the I40 west to east, totally and completely flat as the European steppes the entire way. Other cool drives in Arizona are as follows.
AZ high country using either the 260 or FR300 and Lake Mary rd from Alpine Arizona to Show Low AZ, then to Payson AZ then to Happy Jack AZ then to Flagstaff and finally Williams AZ. 300 miles entirely through forest, never dropping below 4,600 ft (1400m), going as high as 9,300 ft (2800m).
AZ 191 from Safford AZ to Eagar AZ.
SR89a through the Verde Valley mounting the Mogollon rim through Sedona to Flagstaff via Oak Creek canyon.
SR288 from Tonto basin through the Sierra Ancha and finally mounting the Mogollon rim near Forest Lakes AZ, saguaro cacti to cool ponderosa forest.
Safford AZ to the top of Mount Graham, 2,800 ft (850m) to 10,000 ft (3000m).
Tucson AZ to the to Summerhaven AZ and the top of the Santa Catalina Mountains, saguaro to ponderosa pines and aspens. Catalina highway.
Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah also have incredible drives like this to. And at least in AZ there are thousands of area you can just pull off and camp for free anywhere for 2 weeks. Pic related, random AZ forest afternoon light snow from Dec 3, 2025.
