Highway 93 southof Wikieup AZ

[Bobi and Dick McKee]

We are going to head to the Escapade on Hwy 93 from I 40 to Tucson. My Mountain West Guide has quite a warning about the windy road south of Wikieup. It even mentions all the fatal accident markers placed by the state. Any of you folks traveled this section of 93? We will be towing a 37' 5th wheel. Thanks in Advance, Dick

 

[mocroc]

Have driven it many times with our 5er and MH. Not a problem, the grade change is greater than the curves. There are fatal accident markers on every road in AZ but mostly because of seat belts not being used coupled with the high speed limits.

 

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

[LindaH]

We've driven US-93 in Arizona many, many times and it is not a problem. Most of the portion of the road south of Wikiup that goes through the mountainous area, is a 4-lane divided highway (2 lanes in each direction).

 

I'm not sure when the road was redone as a 4-lane divided highway versus a 2-lane highway, but it may be that your copy of the Mountain Directory predates this change?

 

The road does change back to two-lanes once you get out of the mountainous area.

[2gypsies]

We have also traveled that highway many times with our 40' motorhome with no problems. I wouldn't call it mountainous but rather, hilly. It's a very pretty drive. Yes, it does get a lot of traffic but I don't think it's a dangerous road. If you can drive it during the week or early Sunday morning it has minimal traffic. It's a major road from Phoenix to Las Vegas on the weekends.

 

Another option from I-40 is 95 into Lake Havasu City to Parker and then picking up 72 to Salome to I-10 east. Then to avoid Phoenix, pick up Hwy 85 at Buckeye to Gila Bend and I-8 to I-10 at Casa Grande and on to Tucson.

 

Have a good trip!

[Rif]

Here is another recent discussion about that highway. You may find some good advice in it as well.

[Barbaraok]

If you are coming from the west, do go on Arizona 95 to Lake Havasu and then down to I-10 over to Arizona 85 south to I-8, then over to I-10 to Tucson.

Barb

[JRP]

Dick, I believe 93's bad reputation and many of the fatalities were back when it was all 2 lane road. When a slow moving truck or RV backed up traffic, impatient folks were always passing where they shouldn't and caused many serious collisions. its greatly improved these days, but still some 2 lane sections where speeders are an issue

[LindaH]

Even if you travel US-93, once you get near the Phoenix area, I'd take Loop 303 (you'll actually be on US-60 at this point since US-93 ends at Wickenburg) down to I-10 and then head a short distance west to SR-85 and go south to Gila Bend where you'll pick up I-8 east back to I-10 south of Casa Grande.

 

As others have said, from Las Vegas, either US-95 (on the California side of the Colorado River) or SR-95 (on the Arizona side) down to I-10 and then east to SR-85 is also a good route. We actually prefer US-95 because it can really be slow going through Lake Havasu City because of all the stop lights...US-95 has nothing to slow you down from Needles to Blythe.

[Bobi and Dick McKee]

Thanks for all the comments. We will be traveling early on a Friday morning so hopefully the traffic will be light. Sounds like the Mountain Guide needs to be updated because it refers to a 2 lane road through the mountain. We didn't take 95 down to the 10 an on into the Phoenix area because we would hit Phoenix on a Friday afternoon and wanted to miss the traffic. From where we live on the Colorado it would be about 45 minutes shorter, but I hate city traffic weather we are towing or not. We will be staying north of Phoenix Friday night then on to the Escapade on Saturday morning. To get to the Escapade before 2 pm we would need to leave too early. I'm a slow drive and only do about 60 when going down the highway. We hope to meet many of you at the event. Thanks again, Dick