To truly appreciate the essence of Arizona, make the rugged drive to Cleator and Crown King in the Bradshaw Mountains north of Phoenix. This road trip gives travelers a taste of everything that makes this state special.

A rough, twisting dirt road starts in spiny desert and climbs into cool mountains, trading saguaros for ponderosa pines. The scenery is magnificent and the journey hurtles you back in time because there’s so much history wrapped up in this region.

At the end, you’re greeted by an iconic saloon that also serves delicious burgers. Along the way are wide-open spaces, changing habitats, spectacular views of rugged country and one of the quirkiest watering holes in existence.

What’s not to love about the drive to Crown King, the perfect Arizona day trip?

What is Crown King AZ known for?

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2025 was to treat every dirt road like a personal invitation. That’s when Crown King popped into my head. I called my buddy, Mike Koopsen, a retired Sedona photographer, and told him I had our next adventure in mind. He grabbed his calendar before I even told him where we were going.

On a sunny morning in late February, we exited Interstate 17 and went bouncing through the desert scrub chasing history and hamburgers.

Nestled in the southern end of the Bradshaw Mountains, Crown King sprang up as an old mining community. In a land teeming with copper, this town was founded on gold. Prospectors first hit paydirt in the 1870s and multiple mines operated for decades. An estimated $2 million in gold was pulled from the Crowned King mine alone.

Booms are always followed by the inevitable bust, but unlike most of the surrounding towns, Crown King never went belly up. It hung on, maintaining a few businesses and historic buildings. Today, the pine-shaded mountain hamlet at nearly 6,000 feet is a beloved destination for off-roaders, heat-weary desert dwellers, and hungry day-trippers.

Do you need 4X4 to get to Crown King, AZ? How many people live in Crown King, AZ?

Multiple back roads that require four-wheel-drive lead to Crown King, but the easiest and most direct route is by climbing the switchbacks on Crown King Road just off I-17.

From Phoenix, travel north on I-17 to Bumble Bee Road (Exit 248) and follow the graded-dirt road for 28 miles into Crown King.

Is the road to Crown King paved?

The road to Crown King is not paved.

Steep and winding, the bumpy road navigates multiple switchbacks, hairpin curves and one-lane bridges as it climbs the mountain. When dry it can generally be managed in a carefully driven sedan, but a high-clearance will be more comfortable. After rain or snow storms, four-wheel drive may be necessary.

Crossing the desert, you’ll pass through Bumble Bee, a former stagecoach station. A few miles farther is the community of Cleator. This collection of ramshackle buildings includes the Cleator Bar and Yacht Club, a must-stop on the return trip.

From here, the road follows a former railroad bed. This segment was known as “Murphy’s Impossible Railroad” for its twisted, tortuous ascent. Mike and I stopped more than once to admire the big panoramas. As the slope steepens, huge boulders cluster around the road until we finally squeezed through a virtual tunnel of stone and entered Crown King.

What is Crown King like? Is Crown King worth visiting?

Don’t expect a formal town square. Crown King specializes in casual haphazardness. Year-round homes and summer cabins are scattered through the forest. A huddle of businesses forms the small commercial district.

The centerpiece is the historic Crown King Saloon, which once made an impressive journey of its own. The two-story wooden structure was built in the 1880s in a different mining camp. It was taken apart, hauled by mule and rebuilt in Crown King in 1906.

It’s everything you can want in a saloon — scuffed wooden floors, high ceilings punctuated with slow spinning fans, old signs and historic photos adorning the walls, and a small stage for bands to set up and rock the rafters.

Best of all, the kitchen knows how to sling the grub. Crown King Saloon is renowned for its chili and burgers. We opted for the latter because there’s something supremely satisfying about a middle-of-nowhere burger, seasoned with the fine spice of remoteness. All road warriors know the best adventures involve a good meal. Don't miss the 18th annual Spring Chili Cookoff on April 15.

Adjacent to the saloon, another piece of the past welcomes visitors. The Crown King General Store was established in 1904. It is home to the post office, shelves full of food and sundries and the only gas pump in town.

They also serve excellent homemade fudge in a wide range of flavors. This was the reason I skipped the dessert menu at the saloon. Some people have a palate for wine. I am a connoisseur of fudge. Rich, creamy and sophisticated, this is not your standard tourist town fudge. It’s like a bulked-up gelato that came in out of the cold.

MJ’s Café and Tavern is housed in a log cabin-style building. They serve a simple pub menu and Taco Tuesdays are always popular. MJ’s also has outdoor seating.

The Mill eatery is situated high on a hill overlooking the town. It's open on Saturdays and Sundays.

It was a quiet weekday on our visit but during busy weekends a steady stream of jeeps and ATVs make the journey to Crown King. Use caution on the narrow road, and drive slowly through town to keep dust to a minimum. Also, you no doubt have a great set list of tunes playing in your ride but there’s no need to blast them at high volume for the whole town.

How many people live in Crown King?

According to the 2000 Census, the most recent official statistics available for the community, the population of Crown King was 133. CrownKingAZ.com says the current population is 80-100 full-time residents.

Don’t miss the Cleator Bar and Yacht Club

On the return drive, pull into the one and only Cleator Bar and Yacht Club. You have to admire the sly humor, or maybe harebrained optimism, of a yacht club established in the desert outback.

It may feel like you’re on the set of the movie "Tremors," but it’s a friendly little joint. A small bar is crowded into one room of the wood-planked building. When we showed up there were almost as many dogs as customers enjoying happy hour.

A few more rooms are cluttered with collectibles and beach paraphernalia and it all spills outside to a backyard full of boats and Jet Skis. Surfboards serve as table tops while the Black Scorpion pirate ship pulls up alongside the building. If Jimmy Buffet had been born in Phoenix, this is where he would have hung out.

We enjoyed cold drinks in the warm February sun, a nice way to end a gentle adventure. Then we pulled back out onto the dirt road bound for home. But we left happy in the knowledge that surf’s up.

Crown King and Cleator, AZ

Crown King Saloon: 928-632-7053, crownkingsaloon.com .

Crown King General Store: 928-632-7911.

MJ's Cafe and Tavern: 928-632-0012.

The Mill restaurant: 928-632-7133.

Crown King Cabins, Suites and Bunkhouse: 928-632-4477, crownking.com .

Bear Creek Cabins: 928-899-2031, crownkingrentalcabins.com .

Cedar Roost Inn: 928-632-5564, crownkinglodging.com .

Cleator Bar and Yacht Club: 928-632-8534, cleatorbarandyachtclub.com .

Horsethief Basin Recreation Area: Hiking, camping and a small lake flanked by pines are 6 miles from Crown King. Horsethief Basin Lake is a small body of water open to nonmotorized boats while anglers try for bass, catfish and sunfish. A high-clearance vehicle is strongly recommended. 928-443-8000, fs.usda.gov/prescott .

Meet Roger Naylor

March 22: 11:30 a.m. at North Mountain Visitor Center, 12950 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-343-5125, northmountainvisitorcenter.org .

March 29: 2 p.m. at Peregrine Book Company, 219 N. Cortez St., Prescott. 928-445-9000, peregrinebookcompany.com .

April 11: 6:30 p.m. at Bullion Plaza Cultural Center, 150 Plaza Circle, Miami. 928-473-3700.

April 16: 1 p.m. at The Center, 1280 E. Rosser St., Prescott. 928-778-3000.

April 23: 4:30 p.m. at Cottonwood Library, 100 S. Sixth St. 928-634-7559.

April 26: 1 p.m. at Sedona Library, 3250 White Bear Road. 928-282-7714.

Find the reporter at www.rogernaylor.com . Or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RogerNaylorinAZ .