Are you tired of the hustle and bustle of life in the busy city? Do you need an escape from the crowds and a chance to live a more simplistic life? If picking up and moving isn't an option but you can sneak out for a long weekend away, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is the place to go. It offers miles of beautiful, desolate dirt roads, historical abandoned mines and homesteads, and a stillness only the desert can offer.
Kofa is said to have the most geographically isolated camping and offroading in the entire state of Arizona. Many of the trails can lead you to remote areas over 50 miles from the nearest glimpse of modern civilization. What's even better, Kofa is home to some of the most unique landscapes found this side of Mars.
The rugged mountain ranges were once deeply coveted for their hidden mineral treasures, including gold, silver, and manganese. The remains of desolate mining operations can still be found in the area, as can a few original homesteads–some even available for short overnight stays. If you stumble upon any of these historical remains, please be respectful so they can continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.
For those planning to make the journey out into the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, keep in mind that the remoteness brings increased risk. It's not recommended to travel alone and be sure to bring plenty of water as temperatures routinely exceed 100 degrees in the summer months. Most trails in the area are traversable in a stock or lightly modified 4WD vehicle, but be ready for unforeseen challenges and rapidly
Connector is aptly named. It offers connections to a variety of area trails and not much else. While graded, the sand is extremely deep, making 4WD highly advisable. The trail does pass the extreme southern end of the long-abandoned Salome Emergency Airfield. The end of the runway provides a unique campsite and one of the very few along the trail.
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