Arizona Oddities

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Your Guides
  • Departments
    • Art
    • Dose of History
    • Culture
    • Natural Surroundings
    • Odd Observations
    • Weather Talk
    • Food & Dining
    • Small Town Scene
    • Recreation
    • Only in Arizona
  • Get the Books
  • Contact Us

logo

Arizona Oddities

  • Home
  • Your Guides
  • Departments
    • Art
    • Dose of History
    • Culture
    • Natural Surroundings
    • Odd Observations
    • Weather Talk
    • Food & Dining
    • Small Town Scene
    • Recreation
    • Only in Arizona
  • Get the Books
  • Contact Us
Odd Observations
Home›Odd Observations›Mysterious Arrow Tree Sticks out on Coronado Scenic Byway Trail

Mysterious Arrow Tree Sticks out on Coronado Scenic Byway Trail

By Andrea Aker
September 28, 2012
6220
4
Arrow Tree

Mysterious arrow tree on Highway 191. Photo Credit: Kevin Korycanek (click to enlarge)

The Coronado Scenic Byway Trail – Highway 191 – is among Arizona’s great scenic drives, snaking through the dense wilderness of the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest in the eastern part of the state. Also called the Devil’s Highway and once referred to as Highway 666, this roadway is as famous for its steep grades and hairpin turns as it is for the surrounding beauty.

Among the many points of interest along this route is the mysterious arrow tree. Located near mile marker 223 about 30 miles south of Alpine, a single giant trunk is littered with hundreds of arrows, just feet from the highway. Bow hunters and recreational archers have been making their marks for many years, adding to the dizzying and random array of arrows. Some of the arrows are perched at very precarious points, making you wonder how some shooters achieved such difficult angles.

The 2011 Wallow Fire charred much of this region, but the arrow tree and much of the surrounding forest has been spared. No one seems to know who started this trend and why, but it definitely stuck and archers continue to contribute to this odd piece of highway art.

Arrow Tree

Arrow tree is located a few feet from the highway on a steep mountain curve. Photo Credit: Kevin Korycanek (click to enlarge)

If you have any leads about the origins of this mysterious arrow tree, leave us a comment.

(Visited 2,371 times, 1 visits today)

Related Posts:

  1. Creation Painted at El Coronado Ranch
  2. Face in the Rocks Along Tom’s Thumb Trail, McDowell Mountains
  3. Giant Arrow Points to Phoenix
  4. The Mysterious Snoopy Rocket in Wikieup
  5. Butter Sticks Are Different in Arizona and the East Coast?
Tagsforestlandmarksmountainsscenic drive

4 comments

  1. Ken Claridge 25 November, 2013 at 06:58 Reply

    This is actually the second arrow tree. Someone cut the first one down, I’m guessing for the free arrows. As near as I can remember the arrow tree started as a tradition for those who archery hunted in that area. If you hunted, you simply were required to put an arrow in the tree, even if you had to use every arrow you had. I started in the early 1980’s. I believe the original tree was cut down in about 1982. Everyone was really upset that someone would cut down a tree as the arrow tree with all of its traditions. There were two people that I hunted with, Rick and Jim, that talked about the old one being cut down and that they were going to select a new one. They did that year and I have a couple of arrows in it myself.

    • Bill Finch 1 August, 2016 at 15:01 Reply

      I know the true story of the arrow tree

      • Andrea Aker 2 August, 2016 at 06:22 Reply

        What’s the story!?

      • Gale Lee 5 February, 2019 at 18:06 Reply

        The arrow tree fell down and was found broken and laying across the highway this morning. Everyone is searching for the history of the tree. Please share what you know.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Arizona Oddities Archive

Most Popular Posts

  • How to Keep Scorpions Away from Your Home
  • How to Keep Javelinas Away from Your Yard
  • What’s With All the Backyard Concrete-Block Fences…
  • Did You Know it’s Against the Law to Grow…
  • Four Deserts, One State

This Week Past Years

2019

  • 5 Facts About the Southwest’s Strangest, Smelliest Inhabitant – The Javelina

2015

  • A Beer Between the Forked Tree in Flagstaff

2014

  • Mow the Lake?

2013

  • Peach-Faced Love Birds Live in the Valley?

2012

  • Walk in the Path of Ancient Hohokam at Sears-Kay Ruin
  • Rest Stop Marks Border of Gadsden Purchase

2010

  • Why Do People Paint Citrus Tree Trunks White?
  • Elephant Feet in Northern Arizona?
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Find a Famous Writer and Explorer's Mountain Retreat in Greer

    Find a Famous Writer and Explorer’s Historic Mountain Retreat in Greer

    By Taylor Haynes
    July 31, 2020
  • thousands of Mexican free tail bats make Phoenix tunnel their summer home

    Thousands of Mexican Free-Tail Bats Make Phoenix Tunnel Their Summer Home

    By Taylor Haynes
    July 17, 2020
  • How to Keep Scorpions Away from Your Home

    By Andrea Aker
    January 3, 2011
  • Javelina

    How to Keep Javelinas Away from Your Yard

    By Andrea Aker
    November 23, 2011
  • Phil Motta
    on
    August 27, 2021

    Why Does Downtown Phoenix Seem to Have Two Downtowns?

    I know this post ...
  • Carol
    on
    October 17, 2020

    The Tucson Artifacts are the Southwest’s Greatest Hoax

    lol ... these "clues" ...

Follow us

© Copyright 2009 – 2023 Aker Ink, LLC :: Arizona Oddities is published by Aker Ink.