Arizona Off-Road Trails

“The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time,” said Thoreau in his 1854 book Walden. Sadly, he never saw Sedona. Sand dunes and seabed sediments were laid and then covered by more of the same over 300 million years ago. Under unimaginable compression, they became the sandstone we see today. A massive 3000-foot uplift 13 million years ago created the Mogollon Rim, running from central New Mexico to western Arizona, exposing the ancient sandstone layers. Walden’s gentle erosion took over. The ethereal beauty of Sedona’s many sandstone formations emerged. Today, tourists from all over the world flock to charming and captivatingly scenic Sedona. Offroaders come, too, running the many famous rocky trails in the area. Schnebly Hill Road is both a road and a rite of passage. The road is crowded and annoyingly bumpy on the descent from the Rim into Sedona. But the views always delight, all that red and buff sandstone formed into monuments ranging from massive to whimsical. Despite being a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, Schnebly Hill Road is a once-and-done for many. But it is one that you need to do and will always remember, a touchstone of the community, if you will. Thoreau never did Schnebly Hill Road. You should.

Located northwest of Lake Pleasant and traversing through three different life zones and multiple biomes, Backway to Crown King is a thrilling off-road adventure that offers a unique perspective on Arizona's rugged and beautiful landscape. This extremely popular 4-wheel drive trail is known for its challenging terrain, steep inclines, and narrow shelf roads. Obstacles, mines, and great views await as you climb from the Sonora Desert into the Prescott National Forest.

Located northeast of Florence, Box Canyon is a scenic trail that passes through a spectacular, narrow canyon with geological features and bright, colorful vegetation you wouldn't commonly associate with the desert, such as acarosporaceae fungi. Beyond the sheer, towering canyon walls, drivers can find petroglyphs, and historical stagecoach stops making this trail a truly unique Arizona offroad experience. A favorite amongst many offroad enthusiasts, this trail is a popular access point to many other trails within the Florence Junction area.

Situated in picturesque Sedona, Arizona, Broken Arrow is one of the most popular and iconic off-road trails around- for good reasons! With amazing red rock formations towering into the sky, this off-road trail is full of awe-inspiring beauty and moderate challenges for your vehicle and driving skill. If you arrive early in the morning, you can watch the sun's spectacular rise over the high Mogollon Rim cliffs to the north and east. Later in the evening, you can see more dramatic highlights of the natural features as shadows become more pronounced.

Located within the Bulldog Canyon OHV Recreation Area, FR 10 travels through the Tonto National Forest, offering incredible views of the towering cliffs and rugged canyons that make up the Goldfield Mountains. This area is home to one of Arizona's most infamous legends, the Lost Dutchman's Gold. Countless treasure hunters have explored the countless Sonoran Desert canyons in hopes that one might be hiding that mythical treasure.

Scattered along the trail are the weathered stumps of what was once a telegraph line, a silent reminder of Arizona's early history. Whether the line carried military communications, supported Horseshoe and Bartlett dams, or connected the Childs Power Plant, its exact history remains uncertain. What is certain is that these remnants gave Telegraph Line Trail its name and continue to add a unique historical element to one of Arizona's premier four-wheel-drive adventures.

Local history suggests the original telegraph line was constructed during the 1880s when Prescott served as the capital of the Arizona Territory, providing communications between Fort Whipple and Fort McDowell. After Fort McDowell became a reservation in 1890 and military operations changed, the telegraph line was no longer needed and was eventually cut down, leaving only the stumps that can still be seen along portions of the trail today.

Beginning in 2005, a series of major wildfires—including the Bart Fire, the Cave Creek Complex Fire, and later the Mountain and Clair fires—forced the closure of the St. Clair area for many years. Restoration efforts were repeatedly delayed, leaving Telegraph Line Trail overgrown and largely forgotten.

In 2014, volunteers from the Tonto Recreation Alliance (TRAL) began the enormous task of reclaiming the historic route. Over the following years, countless volunteer hours were dedicated to clearing vegetation, rebuilding damaged sections, repairing major obstacles, and restoring the trail while carefully preserving its historic alignment. Despite additional setbacks from subsequent wildfires, TRAL volunteers persevered alongside the Tonto National Forest, culminating in the reopening of Telegraph Line Trail in 2024.

Today, Telegraph Line Trail stands as a testament to both Arizona's rich history and the dedication of volunteers who refused to let this iconic route disappear. As you navigate its technical obstacles and pass the remaining telegraph stumps, you're not only driving one of central Arizona's most rewarding off-road trails—you're experiencing a piece of Arizona history that was nearly lost forever.

When you think of rugged off-road trails, you typically conjure up images of a trail in a land far away and not right near a major metro area such as just Phoenix, Arizona. New River is rugged and will have you feeling like you are in a remote part of the world rather than a quick drive from the Valley of the Sun. Stretching over 19 miles long across the New River Mountains and Mesa, you will feel enveloped inside the mountains and surrounded by saguaro and other cacti of the area. On a good day, you can cross the New River several times when it is flowing.

The Four Peaks trail in the Tonto National Forest is an iconic offroad adventure near Phoenix. The trail delivers breathtaking views of the Mazatzal Mountains and Roosevelt Lake, taking you through a diverse desert landscape. The Four Peaks area is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts with an extensive range of adventure activities and historical sites.

The trail is an easy offroad drive with several scenic vistas and campsites. The area is popular for shooting activities, with numerous designated sites where you can legally shoot approved targets. Please be responsible and clean up all the target debris and discharged shells.

Four Peaks comes from the four prominent peaks forming the massif's summit. Brown's Peak is the tallest of the four at 7,659 feet. It's the northernmost peak and the only named one. It is also the highest point in Maricopa County.

Table Mesa Road West runs through a verdant portion of central Arizona's Sonoran Desert with cacti, including saguaro, prickly pear, and various cholla species. Numerous hills and mesas create a jagged scenic horizon. The trail's namesake mesa, with a lone tower astride its flat top, sits on the east side of I-17 near the trailhead.

Mild-mannered Table Mesa Road provides access to a broad area packed with trails ranging from mild to wild. Little Pan Mine Road crosses the seasonably variable Agua Fria River. The wickedly difficult Terminator trails result in a lot of bent metal. Scattered campsites make for great nights under the stars.

Serving as the southern route to California for hundreds of years, the El Camino Del Diablo (or sometimes called Camino Muerte - Road of Death and also as the Devil's Highway) has carried travelers from the days of the Spanish conquistadors across the sweltering desert from water source to water source until they reached Yuma. The road saw heavy use by the gold rush pioneers in 1849 as it was the only route that even the Apache's wouldn't travel in the summer, which drastically reduced the number of ambushes the pioneers suffered. Today, the original route (which started in Caborca Mexico) has been modified to pass through the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge, and the Barry Goldwater Gunnery Range to exit on the Yuma side of the Tijinas Altas Mountains. This road is iconic and should provide some of the finest views of the Sonoran Desert you can find. The sense of self-reliance only surpasses the scenery you will experience as you must carry everything you will need with you. There's no gas, phones, electricity to rely on here. However, there is a sprinkling of watering holes, wells, and rock water tanks that you could depend on just like the pioneers did. Many of these unfortunate travelers did not make it across the El Camino Del Diablo alive; You may encounter some of the hundreds of graves that are rumored to line the road during your trip. (About 50 are marked). For more interesting detail about El Camino Del Diablo -

CLICK HERE

You can read about

Raphael Pumpelly's trek across Arizona Here.

(pp. 31-98 in particular)

7387 is a natural gas pipeline road and, at times, a powerline road. It also provides access to many trails and a crossing of Bill Williams River connecting an otherwise mostly isolated and seldom traveled section of the Mohave Desert with Johnson Ranch Road, and with a couple of connectors, Swansea Townsite. Drivers of this trail will traverse many different terrains from the low-lying sandy washes to the rock-hard caliche paths over and around the mountains, with scenic views and skirting the western boundary of Aubrey Peak Wilderness. This trail checks the box for those looking for the road less traveled.

Located just outside of downtown Sedona, in the Coconino National Forest, Soldiers Pass Trail is one of only a few offroad trails that gets your vehicle on top of the famous red rocks. Photo opportunities abound on this iconic trail named after General George Crook's army scouts, who used this trail to travel through the territory.

In addition to the red rock scenery, there are other amazing sites along the trail. The first is Devil's Kitchen Sinkhole. It is the largest sinkhole in Arizona. Initially formed in the late 1880s, it collapsed again in 1989. Based on current surface cracks, geologists believe more sections could collapse. The second awesome site is the Seven Sacred Pools. These are naturally formed pools in the sandstone and are considered sacred by the Apache and Yavapai Native Americans. If you catch the trail at the right time, you may see water running into the pools.

While short for an offroad trail, this one isn't about the number of miles but the quality of the trail, and its otherworldly surrounding. Plan ahead, a permit is required, and you don't want to miss this one!

Just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, lies the historic Apache Trail, which winds through the Superstition Mountains region of the Tonto National Forest. The mountains are rugged and unforgiving but have a strong and mysterious draw for the adventurous type. The Apache Trail was originally a wagon haul road used to transport supplies from Mesa to the construction site of the Roosevelt Dam, which created Roosevelt Lake. Construction of the trail began in 1903 and was finished in 1905. It is believed that the route follows an ancient footpath that was used by Native Americans as a trade route. Traveling along the Apache Trail allows access to different regions that offer various desert experiences.

President Theodore Roosevelt once said, "The Apache Trail combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies, the magnificence of the Grand Canyon, and then adds an indefinable something none of the others have".

Before heavy equipment made road-building easy, wide desert washes served as semi-reliable substitutes in the Sonoran Desert. Ranchers, miners, and travelers of all sorts used the smooth sandy bottoms to traverse the rugged landscape. Morgan City Wash is named for a small mining community near Pikes Peak, one of the many mines and towns that sprung up in the mid and late 1800s in the Hieroglyphic Mountains only to quickly disappeared back into the landscape. The wash was the only thoroughfare to the tiny community. Today the offroad community still uses the wash to travel deep into this rough and beautiful area. The southern part of the trail follows the meandering sandy bottom of the broad wash. Summer monsoon floods continually reshape the trail. Springs create lush riparian areas populated with coveys of Gambel quail that flush noisily when you approach. Classic cactus-laden desert landscapes rule above the rim of the canyon. The jagged peaks of the Hieroglyphic Mountains dominate the horizon. A narrow rocky section of the wash between high walls of granite makes for fun wheeling. Several springs and seeps normally keep this section wet. Thus the sand is well-packed. The trail exits the wash after about nine miles. From there, it rides along the crest of a winding ridge offering fantastic 360-degree views. Pikes Peak looms to the east, Garfias Mountain rising to the north, both in the seldom visited Hells Canyon Wilderness. The Horse Creek Trailhead and Garfias Wash offer intrepid hikers an opportunity to delve deep into this remote wilderness. Pack a lunch. Bring the kids. Air down. Enjoy the Morgan City Wash.

Established in 1866 as Arizona’s first toll road, Senator Highway was built to service the highly productive gold and mineral mines of the Bradshaw Mountains. The historic route between Prescott, AZ, and the mountain community of Crown King winds through dense ponderosa pine, across sprawling ridgelines, and includes a stop at the oldest pioneer house in Arizona. Palace Station was built in 1875 by Alfred Spence, his wife, and father-in-law, and served as a popular stagecoach station a couple of years later. 

In 1863 the Bradshaw brothers, William and Isaac, came to Arizona from the declining goldfields of California. By 1864 they found gold in the forbidding mountains that would eventually bear their family name. Miners and prospectors flocked to the area despite the ruggedness of the mountains and the fierceness of the Yavapai natives, that still claimed the lands as their home. William, more an entrepreneur than a miner, laid out the Bradshaw Trail and started a ferry across the Colorado River at Ehrenburg, charging unsuccessful California miners a nice fee for access to the new goldfields of Arizona. Mines like Senator, Tip Top, Blue Bell, Tiger, and Ora Belle began highly profitable operations. Rod McKinnon located gold in July 1875 deeper into the Bradshaws than any find to date. The resulting Crowned King Mine became the largest operation in the Bradshaws and spawned the bustling town of Crown King. Crown King got its post office in 1888. Electricity and the telephone arrived in 1897, both still a rarity in Arizona. The Saloon was moved from Oro Belle board by board in 1906 and reassembled on the present site, which was at the time beside two Chinese Restaurants and the feed store. The upstairs featured seven cribs where the town's soiled doves practiced the world's oldest profession. It is now Arizona's longest-operating saloon. The historic photos lining the walls of the bar serve as a museum of sorts. The Bradshaw Mountain Railroad, a true feat of engineering, reached Crown King in 1904 via switchbacks and tall trestles. The railroad ceased operation in 1926 after the mines played out and most of the population left. The rail bed was converted into the scenic Crown King Road with its dual ghost towns of Bumble Bee and Cleator. Today there's only sporadic mining in the Bradshaws. But Crown King has become its jewel. With roughly a hundred full-time residents and perhaps a thousand that have cabins and summer homes atop the mountains, Crown King's population swells every weekend as offroaders and adventurers come to the mountaintop town for a taste of Arizona history. The Magic Bridge transports visitors from the desert below to the towering pines and cool breezes of Crown King. The saloon has live music most weekends. The general store sells a lot more t-shirts than mining pans these days. Campsites near town are filled with happy campers. Even with most of the gold gone, the mountains of the Bradshaw brothers remain full of treasures. Drive on up the iconic Crown King Road and see what you can discover.

This route is a wonderful get away from the Phoenix congestion and is a VERY popular place for the locals. The area is comprised of many different trails connecting for an incredibly beautiful, yet challenging tour of the desert. The large Sycamore Wash has the challenging Widowmaker hill climb as well as sweeping panoramas of the Four Peaks Region in Tonto National Forest. The Sycamore Creek and Four Peaks region combined, create an incredible place to play at any time of the year. The region has many double and single track trails to explore for days. The trails in the area wind through sandy wash canyons, up steep hill climbs and over rock strewn mountain tops, all while being within an hours drive of the Phoenix valley. The entire area has limitless free camping, but please try to reduce your impact by using an existing campsite area. The area is popular for target shooting and can become crowded on holiday weekends. Please be very cautious when traveling the trails, all trails are TWO WAY and collisions do occur, resulting in deaths, please slow down!

The Vultee Arch trail in Sedona is the perfect place for your next offroad adventure. The trail runs through the beautiful red rocks, leading to a vast network of hiking trails in the Coconino National Forest and the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness. The area is home to many natural wonders, including stone arches, natural bridges, pinnacles, cliffs, and slot canyons, all waiting to be explored.

If you have a high-clearance vehicle, you can easily drive to the hiking trailheads of Devil's Bridge, Brin's Mesa, Secret Canyon, and Vultee Arch. Even if hiking is your main attraction, off-roaders can take unique photos of their vehicle against the beautiful red rock backdrop along the Vultee Arch Trail. For the best photos, you should take the trail in the afternoon when the sun casts its warm light on Capital Butte and the surrounding ridgelines.

If you want to explore the area's history, head down the trail and take a short side trip on Forest Road 9917 to the nearly century-old Van Deran Cabins. These cabins were used in two movies back in the 1940s: "Riders of the Purple Sage" and "Blood on the Moon." A plaque at the site provides additional history of the previous owners and building materials used.

Mineral Mountain Road is the northern entrance to the famous Florence, AZ, OHV area. From Mineral Mountain Road, offroad enthusiasts can plan a full day's adventure with any number of the local trails. This expansive area is littered with mining claims, petroglyphs, wagon stops, and beautiful scenic views. Occasionally, there are deer, big horn sheep, Gila monsters, and endangered desert tortoise sightings. Mineral Mountain Road can access several of Arizona's most famous rock crawling trails. Ajax Mine, Axle Alley, and Highway to Hell are just a few of the area's legendary trails. If you're looking for a great scenic 4x4 tour, Box Canyon and Price Road make for a fantastic and moderate day.

The route was once a maintained gravel road connecting several mines and the old town of Reymert. After the mining years ended, the land was used for military artillery training. The local Arizona National Guard would notify the public when the firing was live by raising a red flag at the trailhead. Over the years, the military stopped firing into the mountains, and this rugged Sonoran desert landscape found a new purpose.

Confusion between indigenous petroglyphs and Egyptian hieroglyphs led to the name of a sprawl of rugged Hieroglyphic Mountains west of present-day Phoenix. In 1865, Army Colonel Charles Craig led a troop of soldiers pursuing Yavapai Indians through the misnomered mountains and remarked that the peaks looked like castles. The troop stumbled upon hot springs that flowed into a desert wash and named them Castle Hot Springs and Castle Creek. The wash became a road, and the hot springs became a resort.

An underground reservoir pushes out 200,000 gallons of 122-degree water daily. Indigenous peoples had long frequented the hot spring for its supposed healing powers. In 1896, the enterprising Arizonan Frank Murphy began luring people to the Castle Hot Springs, and they've been coming ever since. Eastern dandies wintered at the remote hot springs resort, including Theodore Roosevelt, the Wrigleys, Rockefellers, Cabots, and Carnegies. During World War II, the Defense Department commandeered the spa to serve as a recuperation facility for wounded servicemen. Its most famous patient was future President John F Kennedy, who spent the winter of 1945 recovering from injuries suffered when his boat, PT109, was destroyed. A 1976 fire destroyed much of the resort, but it has reopened. The palm trees around the resort are not native to Arizona.

The resort is not the only feature of this highly scenic drive. Castle Hot Spring Road passes the scenic Lake Pleasant Reservoir before dropping into Castle Creek. Feral burros roam the rugged landscape and are often seen from the trail. The center of the trail follows a colorful canyon formed by Bitter Creek. Remnants of present and past mining operations and cattle ranches dot the surrounding hills and mountains. Each switchback reveals another vast vista of a rugged mountainous landscape, and connecting trails beg for further exploration.