Theodore Roosevelt Dam is a stone fortress in a desert gorge, and when it was finished in 1911 it was the tallest masonry dam in the world. It holds back the Salt River to form Roosevelt Lake, a vast sheet of blue water in the dry hills of the Tonto Basin, and it was the first major project of the new US Reclamation Service, built to supply water to the farms and cities of the Phoenix valley. The dam was named for the president who had pushed through the Reclamation Act, and who came to dedicate it himself.
The original structure was built from huge blocks of local sandstone, cut and laid by hand, and the work took nearly eight years. In the 1990s it was enlarged and encased in concrete, raising its height, and some people regret that the old stone face is hidden. A modern bridge crosses the river just below the dam, with a view over the spillway and the lake, and a visitor centre tells the story.
The ride to this point is a hard-won one if you came by the dirt road, and the arrival has a certain satisfaction. The road leads past the lake, with views across the water to bare hills and cactus, and then along the old dam crest. The paved road continues east toward Globe and north to Payson, with good surface and gentle curves. Traffic is light, apart from fishing trucks and boats.
Services are modest. A few kilometres away, the small community of Roosevelt has a marina, a store and a basic cafe, and Tonto Basin, about twenty-two kilometres to the north-west, has fuel, a general store and a few restaurants. Plan fuel carefully, and fill up whenever you can. Camping is available at several sites along the lake, and a small lodge has rooms with views.
Not far away, the cliff dwellings of Tonto National Monument, built by the Salado people in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, sit in caves high above the lake. A short climb leads to the ruins, which have survived remarkably well because of the dry climate. The hike is steep, and the heat can be intense, so go early.
The lake is home to bald eagles in winter, and the hills turn green after rain. Spring is the best time for a ride, with flowers in bloom and mild weather.