Apache Trail tour from Scottsdale: Canyon Lake steamboat cruise

A 90-minute steamboat ride cuts through the middle of the day, turning a desert drive into a full landscape.

This full-day Apache Trail tour from Scottsdale combines desert sightseeing with a 90-minute boat cruise on Canyon Lake. You travel the historic Apache Trail, explore the Goldfield ghost town, ride the steamboat past canyon walls and desert vistas, stop at Tortilla Flat, and finish at the Lost Dutchman Museum. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, and the whole day runs about 7 hours from start to finish. The museum closes Monday through Wednesday from May to October.

Step-by-step itinerary

Apache Trail Adventure and Sightseeing

• Travel to Apache Trail
• Explore Goldfield ghost town shops
• Take 90-minute Canyon Lake boat cruise
• Stop at Tortilla Flat for lunch
• Visit Lost Dutchman Museum
• View Superstition Mountains and Sonoran Desert

The Experience

The Apache Trail itself is the old route the Apache tribe used in the late 1800s, later widened for prospectors and wagons. The tour leaves Scottsdale and heads into the Superstition Mountains, where you'll see the Sonoran Desert and the mountain range that frames the whole region. The drive alone carries views most visitors to the area never reach on their own.

At Goldfield, the gold mining ghost town built into the Superstitions, you get time to walk the shops and take photographs. Then comes the 90-minute steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake—the boat moves slowly enough to let you see the canyon walls and desert landscape from the water, a perspective that changes how the terrain reads. Tortilla Flat, an old wagon stop, is a break point where you can grab lunch if you want it or browse the gift shop. The boat and the stops are the spine of the day; the guide handles the route and the timing.

The Lost Dutchman Museum wraps up the tour with the history of gold mining in the area and stories of films shot here. Then it's back to your hotel. The whole day is 7 hours from pickup to drop-off. Note that the museum is closed Monday through Wednesday from May through October, so plan accordingly if you're traveling in those months.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Scottsdale.
• admission to the Lost Dutchman Museum.
• 90-minute sightseeing boat cruise on Canyon Lake.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Wandering Heart Adventures

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a guided drive through desert and mountains with stops at a ghost town and a scenic steamboat ride—the guide handles navigation and timing across multiple locations in one day.

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Top questions

What is the Goldfield ghost town like?

Goldfield is an old gold mining town built into the Superstition Mountains where you have free time to walk around the shops and take photos of the mountain views.

How long is the boat ride on Canyon Lake?

The sightseeing steamboat cruise lasts 90 minutes and moves through the canyon so you can see the desert landscape and rock formations from the water.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is not included, but the tour stops at Tortilla Flat, an old wagon stop, where you can buy food or eat at the gift shop if you want to.

What does the Lost Dutchman Museum cover?

The Lost Dutchman Museum teaches the history of gold mining in the area and includes stories about films that were shot in the region.

When does the museum close?

The Lost Dutchman Museum is closed Monday through Wednesday from May through October, so check the dates if you're visiting during those months.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off in Scottsdale are included in the tour price.