Apache Trail Day Tour from Phoenix: Dolly Steamboat & Ghost Towns

A restored gold-mining ghost town, a steamboat on desert water, and the Superstition Mountains in a single day.

This small-group day tour from Phoenix follows Arizona's historic Apache Trail through the Sonoran Desert with stops at Goldfield Ghost Town and Tortilla Flat, plus a 1.5-hour narrated cruise on Canyon Lake aboard the Dolly Steamboat. The tour is limited to 13 people in a custom van with leather captain's chairs, includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide, and bottled water. Children from age 3 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Apache Trail Scenic Drive2h
2. Superstition Mountainspass by
3. Canyon Lake2h · entry included
4. Lost Dutchman State Parkpass by
5. Apache Trail1h · entry included

Explore Apache Trail and Surroundings

• Drive along Apache Trail scenic route
• View Superstition Mountains
• Visit Goldfield Ghost Town
• Practice gold panning at Goldfield
• Stop at Tortilla Flat
• Enjoy narrated Dolly Steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake
• Spot wildlife and volcanic cliffs on cruise

The experience

The Apache Trail itself is the draw: Arizona's first designated Historic Highway, a scenic byway that traces the footpath the Apache Tribe once traveled through the Superstition Mountains. You leave Phoenix and drive straight into the desert landscape that shaped the region's gold rush and frontier history. The van holds just 13 people, so the day doesn't feel crowded, and the leather seats make the drive itself comfortable enough that the scenery does the talking.

Goldfield Ghost Town is the first real stop. Incorporated in 1892 as a gold-mining boomtown, it lasted five years before the vein ran dry and the town emptied. Now restored, it's where you can try gold panning, look over the original mining equipment, or step into the saloon: the kind of place where the history is still standing in front of you instead of behind glass. Tortilla Flat comes next, a stage stop that's been holding on since 1904. It sits in the shadow of the Lost Dutchman legend, the rumored gold deposit that German immigrant Jacob Waltz supposedly found and took to his grave. The bar there lets you order a cold drink and sit with the story.

The Dolly Steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake is the centerpiece. It's a six-mile narrated run where the guide points out the 1,300-foot volcanic cliff walls rising from the water and watches for bighorn sheep and bald eagles that move through the canyon. A snack bar on board sells water, sodas, and drinks (cash only). The whole day runs eight hours from pickup to drop-off, and the guide is with you the entire time, so the stops and the route hold together without you having to navigate or decide what comes next.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• professional guide for the full day.
• bottled water.
• the 1.5-hour narrated Dolly Steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake.
• access to Goldfield Ghost Town and Tortilla Flat.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 20 Jan 2027

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 13

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Detours of Arizona

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a small group, 13 people max, and a full day that moves through three distinct stops without you having to plan the route or timing. The van's leather seats and the guide's narration mean the drive itself is part of the experience, not just the getting there.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Goldfield Ghost Town like when you get there?

Goldfield is a restored gold-mining town from the 1890s where you can try gold panning, see original mining gear, and walk through the saloon. It's a working snapshot of the boom-and-bust era that built the region.

Can you actually see wildlife on the Canyon Lake cruise?

The six-mile narrated cruise on the Dolly Steamboat offers chances to spot bighorn sheep and bald eagles in the canyon, though sightings depend on the time of day and season: the cliff walls and water views are guaranteed.

How does hotel pickup work if my hotel isn't on the list?

Hotel pickup is included, but if your hotel isn't on the standard list, you may be asked to meet the van at another nearby hotel. The supplier will confirm the exact meeting point when you book.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide, bottled water, the 1.5-hour Dolly Steamboat cruise, and all taxes and fees: food and gratuities are not included, though a snack bar operates on the boat.

How many people travel together on this tour?

The group is limited to 13 people in a custom van with leather captain's chairs, so it stays small enough to move through the stops without the feel of a large tour bus.