Apache Trail Vintage Ads | Attraction Guide AZ Tours

Vintage Apache Trail Advertisements

In the early 1900's the railroad was the fastest and most comfortable way to travel across the lower 48 states. Air travel was still in its infancy and would not offer commercial flights until after World War II. The Motorcar was also a new invention and curiosity at the time.

The S&P implemented this new way of traveling with their coast to coast "Sunset Route". The S&P charged an extra $15 - $25 for the "Motorcar" tours on the Apache Trail as an added adventure to or from California linking the Globe and Phoenix train stations.

The Southern Pacific Railroad had the exclusive rights with the National Reserve for operating the auto tours as a tourist attraction on the Apache Trail from 1914 until 1928. The S&P advertised in publications such as Travel Magazine, National Geographic and Sunset just to name a few.

The rare images on the left are scans of original advertisements that the S&P Railroad published in magazines around the globe. The Apache Trail was one of the most sought after locations to visit in the United States at the turn of the 20th century.

Today, the Apache Trail is still considered one of the most scenic road trips in the United States and is the second most photographed area in the state of Arizona. Tourists visiting the Apache Trail can still experience the excitement of traveling down this historic highway in a 1915 Model-T motorcar by Sunset Route & Apache Trail Auto Tours.

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