This day ride to visit Tortilla Flat was a historical day. The historic stagecoach stop offers a scenic escape from the city and an authentic taste of the Old West. Tucked back in the mountains on the end of Canyon Lake, with a population of 6, this town thrives on tourism.
What is the population of Tortilla Flat?
The population of Tortilla Flat is six. It is an unincorporated eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona. The residents are employees who work in the town attractions. It is considered Arizona’s smallest official community. Tortilla Flat is the last surviving stagecoach stop along the Apache Trail.
The old buildings that line Tortilla Flat’s two blocks on State Route 88, also known as the Apache Trail, east of Apache Junction is a beautiful scenic ride.
If you expect shiny or modern, your not going to get it. The goal of this place is to maintain the famous historical ambiance.
With live music, food, vintage buildings including a post office and museum, souvenirs, lots of Southwest history and you can’t forget the famous prickly pear gelato, Tortilla Flat is a fun place to spend an afternoon.
What is Tortilla Flat, Arizona?
Tortilla Flat is about 53 miles east of central Phoenix on the southern edge of Tonto National Forest, the area that became known as Tortilla Flat has over 1,000 years served as a way station in the rugged Superstition Mountains. With its setting nestled between mountain passes and alongside the Salt River, the shady oasis has long welcomed weary travelers looking to relax, refresh and refuel.
Local artists feature The Mercantile and Gift Store. Visitors can browse crafts from over 20 local vendors.
There also is a new town jail, this is more like an escape room. When you enter the jail you have to solve three puzzles to get out.
When is Tortilla Flat open?
We went in the month of January, it was pretty chilly when you got to the higher elevations, but this beautiful place is open year round. The summer season is June – September. The winter season is October-May.
In the winter, that’s when we visited, it’s open at 10am-5pm. Monday thuu Fridays. In the summer, Tortilla Flat is open 10 am – 6 pm. Monday thru Fridays. Weekend hours are 9am – 6 pm Saturday and Sundays all year.
Things To Do in Tortilla Flat?
The town is only 2 blocks long, but it has some pretty cool things to see. There’s plenty to occupy for the entire afternoon.
Of course being a Wisconsinite, we walked down the boardwalk and visited the Superstition Saloon and Restaurant. The place is pretty unique! The bar stools are real saddles where you can enjoy a sarsaparilla or a cold beer. The scenery is very unique! The wallpaper on the walls is all $1.00 bills from people all around the world.
They have the coldest drinks but don’t skip out on the restaurant. They have the best chili and the freshest burgers.
Walk off that food and stop at the cute homey Country store for their World famous Prickly Pear Gelato, homemade fudge or pick some of the other neat items they have in the store.
Don’t stop there, be sure to check out the Mercantile Gift Shop that is full of amazing treasures. They have some really unique Apparel and everyone needs a souvenir from Tortilla Flat! The Mercantile Gift shop has Native American jewelry, coffee mugs, postcards, stickers, pottery, T-shirts and Sweatshirts. They also have several books on cooking and the history of Tortilla Flat.
The post office is next to the Mercantile Gift shop and is a real post office. You can drop postcards, packages and letters at this tiny post office. Buy a post card and mail it and have the town’s name as the postmark!
The Apache Trail has the most beautiful scenery and recreation opportunities that are a big part of the attraction. You can even camp in the Superstition Mountains and nearby Lost Dutchman State Park.
If you’re interested in camping you can camp at the Canyon Lake Marina Campground. You must make reservations online ahead of time and the nightly fees are a bit steep.
All in all, this is not your typical off-road trails, but it something you need to just hop in your machine and go spend a day checking out! You won’t be disappointed on the scenery and the unique things to see!
How To Get To Tortilla Flat
Tortilla Flat is located over an hour East of Phoenix and about 30 minutes from Apache Junction, which is where the Apache Trail begins. The portion of the trail between Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat is paved, two lane road that twists and winds through Superstition Mountains to Canyon Lake.
