Jump Canyon

You can drive this route in either direction and will be treated to a variety of geological wonders. Jump Canyon lies within a zone where the Muddy Creek Formation is prominently exposed. This formation is made of soft, poorly cemented volcanic sediments that erode into alcoves, caves, and distinctive honeycomb patterns known as tafoni. Along the way, several springs appear, historically used by ranchers for watering cattle. These springs also support noticeably greener vegetation compared to the surrounding landscape.

The road crosses several washes, and while these crossings require high clearance and Four Wheel Drive, the route is generally non-technical. Clearance is the primary concern, and it's the wash crossings that make the trail a mild to moderate. Camping is available in a few locations, typically near corrals or water tanks.

Historic Sidebar: The Abandoned Water Truck

Along this route sits an old yellow water truck, slowly returning to the landscape after decades of exposure. The vehicle is a mid-1950s GMC medium-duty tanker, likely used by ranchers or road crews who worked the Arizona Strip during the height of its cattle-grazing era. These trucks hauled water to remote corrals, filled stock tanks, and occasionally served as ad-hoc fire suppression rigs in an area where natural springs were scarce.

The tires and body tell the story of how long it has been here. The bias-ply tires predate modern DOT markings, placing their manufacture in the 1950s or 1960s, and the heavy weathering suggests the truck was abandoned sometime between the late 1960s and early 1980s. Since then, sun, frost, and sand have slowly stripped away the paint, leaving bullet-pocked steel and rusted fittings behind.

Although no written record survives of who last operated it, this water tender stands as a reminder of the practical challenges of ranching in the Strip’s remote canyon country. In a region where every drop mattered, trucks like this kept cattle and cowboys supplied long before modern wells and pipelines reached the area.