Arizona Off-Road Trails

"So what's the story of this trail?" he asked. "Seems like it is just a powerline and pipeline road to me." "This trail moves things. It has always moved things. It moves gas and electricity now. And us. But back in the day, it connected the fertile ranching and farming area in the Harquahala Plain to the rail station in Hyder." The answer seemed to partially satisfy his curiosity. I looked northwest to the silhouette of the jagged and multi-hued Eagletail Mountains, now tucked into their own wilderness area. Southeast lay the low, grumbling Gila Bend Mountains, sparse and dry. Around us was a sandy flat desert with a lot of green. Saguaros stood proud in abundance. Ocotillo sent spindly arms skyward, some tipped with their bright crimson flowers. Creosote bushes and brittle brush found purchase in the sandy desert. Small purple wildflowers added a touch of color. Broad washes cut the desert, white ribbons with lush green borders. We'd run other trails to the northeast earlier in the day. Now we were heading south and west to seek out other trails in the lower Sonoran Desert. The Harquahala Hyder was doing what it had always done, humbly and reliably moving us, and anyone else or anything else, to where we needed to be.

When imagining Arizona, no one thinks of sparkling clear mountain lakes. Above the massive Mogollon Rim escarpment, Arizona's high country is dotted with alpine lakes. Knoll Lake, set in a vast Ponderosa pine forest, is one of the less visited. Formed by damming East Leonard Canyon, Knoll Lake is a haven for fishermen, kayakers, and campers.

The road into the lake is well maintained but accessible only via Rim Road. Dispersed camping is more than abundant, with sites of all sizes clustered primarily in the second and third miles of the trail. Everything from tents to camping trailers can find a home along the trail. Dispersed camping is not allowed after the 90-degree turn eastward towards the lake. Knoll Lake Campground is located after the east turn and near the lake. The campground has over 30 sites, water, picnic tables, fire pits, vault toilets, and grills.

Knoll Lake has a boat ramp, parking, and a vault toilet. Summer weekends are busy.

Many people who once used the Butcher Jones entrance to the Rolls OHV are now using the Pobrecito staging since area since the Butcher Jones gate has been permanently closed. Trail 1804 is one of two trails leading out of Pobrecito. The trail initially runs through a sandy wash, and 4WD is recommended. Be cautious on the blind and high-banked corners since many types of off-road vehicles use this trail. The last section of this short trail leads out of the wash and up a steep rocky hill. This is the most difficult section of the trail. At the top of the hill, trail 1804 ends, and trail 1805 begins. A few areas between the staging area and the top of the hill could be used for camping. The campsite with the best view would be at the top of the hill at the end of the trail, where several vehicles could park with plenty of room.

Please note that an OHV permit is now required on this trail.

Chief Butte Road is a hard-packed dirt trail that is accessible from AZ State Route 79. On a map, it appears the trail continues to Park Link Drive on the north end. However, the trail stops short due to posted private property making this an out-and-back.  There is the option of connecting to Park Link Camping Row, which takes you further west. 

There are a few secluded camping spots on this trail with a nice area for a campfire.  The area in the camping photo can accommodate multiple vehicles and has soft level ground perfect for tent camping. 

This trail is on Arizona State Trust Land and requires a permit.  There's a good chance of seeing cattle along this run since it is an active ranch.

County Road 71 in the Prescott National Forest is an easy dirt road connecting Highway 89 in the west to County Road 73 and Perkinsville Old 354 Road in the east. The road is called Drake Road for the large cement plant on its western end. For offroaders, the trail's primary purpose is accessing the southern end of the Kaibab National Forest and its wealth of camping and wheeling opportunities. The trail crosses open prairies before climbing into a pinion and juniper forest. Two small campsites are on opposite sides of a seasonal wash about midway through the trail. While easy in dry conditions, this trail could quickly become impassable with flooded washes and slick roadbeds after heavy rain.

The Mogollon Rim Country of central Arizona is a welcome reprieve from the high temperatures of the desert that surrounds it. The region is rich in ancient Native American history and loaded with a lifetime of trails to explore. This particular trail allows users access to beautiful high country camping and connections to other popular trails in the area. The trails main draw is the really nice campsites that are relatively close to a highway but far enough away to not hear it. You're also away from all the large RV camping areas along 300 Road.

Ruby Road runs through the Coronado National Forest from the Pena Blanca Lake Recreation Area to near the tiny hamlet of Arivaca. The wide, well-maintained road winds through the Atascosa Mountain Range and its foothills. The hilly landscape on the eastern slopes is dominated by grasslands dotted with oak trees. The western slopes are forested with mesquite trees and cacti. The Ruby ghost town sits midway along the route.

There are several campsites along the trail. The best is at Bear Valley, just east of the one-lane bridge that crosses Arroyo Los Alisos. The shaded site has a fire ring and enough level ground for four to five vehicles. It is suitable for tent camping along the way. Other campsites sit along the many spurs off the trail.

The Ehrenberg Cibola Road runs between Interstate 10 and the tiny hamlet of Cibola. Mostly on BLM land, the trail does dip into the boundaries of the Yuma Proving Grounds twice. Permission is not required to drive through these two areas. However, you must remain on the roadway since the area has not been fully cleared of unexploded ordinance. The affected areas are well-signed.

The trail alternates between smooth graded sections and rock-strewn sandy washes. Due to the deep sand, 4WD is recommended. The rocks are sharp, so good tires are required.

Outside the Proving Ground areas are plenty of large campsites with good views of the Trigo Mountains. The trail's north end has hundreds of campsites with easy access to Interstate 10.

Anderson Mesa, also labeled as Winona Ranch Road along a short section of the northern starting point, is a connector from I-40 in the north to Lake Mary Road in the south, paralleling the South Side of Walnut Canyon trail. There are many side trails featuring nice private overlanding-style boondocking campsites where you will not be bothered by anyone due to the difficulty of access. Some of these sites have San Francisco Peaks views. Do not attempt FR82 in a wide or tall vehicle or without a 4x4 and high clearance. This trail is not suitable for trailers, campers, or passenger sedans.

FR82's northern half is a mostly smooth graded dirt road beginning at the Winona exit from I-40 and proceeding south until it passes through private property. In this middle portion, FR82 effectively disappears from your maps and the trail signage posted by the forest service, and a variety of confusing and outdated FR9XXX and FR128X trails can be found mixed in with FR82. Outdated maps and signage are abundant in the area, due to lack of visitation by Forest Service staff. This scout route connects the northern portion of FR82 with the southern portion of FR82 using several other roads and without violating posted private property. This middle section of the trail is rough dirt with some serious rutting. The southern portion of FR82 is extremely rocky and follows a stream through a canyon with many crossings and portions covered with 9-12" rocks; your passengers will feel the whiplash here unless you go very slow and air down. The last southern mile of the trail near Ashurst Lake Road is graded dirt with several group campsites.

The Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM) trail 8015 provides a great escape deep into the Sonoran Desert. You will enjoy a relatively easy ride on gravel for most of the trail. The last half mile is a bit more challenging as you climb the foothills of the Sand Tank Mountains. Once at the trail's end, the view over the vast desert you just crossed is dotted with thousands of Saguaros. There are several camping opportunities along the way, with a large area for multiple vehicles by trail marker 8015C.

Proceeding on SDNM 8015 past the Unit 40A gate requires a Barry M. Goldwater Range permit. Please refer to the permit required link above. The permit is only available online and requires viewing a mandatory safety video. A printed copy of your permit must be carried with you while on this trail past the gate. SDNM 8015 runs through a very remote area of the Sonoran Desert. Please take all necessary precautions.

Located in the Coconino National Forest, FR 222A travels through a dense Ponderosa Pine forest, the largest in North America. It also traverses a land formed by ancient volcanos. The ragged gray edges of lava flows can be seen through the thick trees. But it isn't until the forest opens up that you see the myriad of peaks and cinder cones that dominate this unique part of Arizona. Views like this come at a price. Here a small but severe forest fire in 2000 denuded the landscape but opened impressive views. Imagining this as a land of violent volcanic activity is difficult when nestled in a peaceful campsite listening to the soothing wind in the tops of the pines interrupted only by the plaintive bugling of a bull elk. But the last volcanic activity in the area happened a thousand years ago, just a blink of an eye in geologic time. FR222A provides the perfect setting for enjoying peacefulness while pondering the violent past.

Located in the heart of the vast and beautiful Coconino National Forest, Willow Springs is a great camping destination as well as a fun drive through some amazing countryside. Most of the track is nestled in old-growth Ponderosa pines interspersed with small alpine meadows. The large flat campsites are popular summer getaways. After skirting around the northern base of Cow Hill, the trail breaks out into the juniper-studded grasslands of Anderson Mesa. The trail ends near the shallow grassy Cow Lake. Yes, cows are a theme of this area. This is open range and used for summer grazing by one of Arizona's largest and most historic ranches, the Apache Maid. During the summer, expect to see cattle grazing or lazing in the shade alongside the trail. In early Fall, they will be rounded up and moved to winter pastures at lower elevations. Sawmill Springs intersects with Anderson Mesa South and FR 124H, both interesting trails for those seeking some adventurous wheeling.

John Hicks and John Duncan were two of the first settlers in what would become the town of Pine in 1879. Hicks and Duncan partnered in a ranching venture. They summered their cattle in the high country above the Mogollon Rim, just as ranchers still do today. The canyon they used for summer grazing became known as the Hicks and Duncan Canyon. FR 149 crosses that canyon today and is locally known as the Hicks/Duncan. Hicks/Duncan is a picturesque trail that cuts through the massive Ponderosa pine timberland that dominates the vast Coconino National Forest. With an average elevation of 7000 feet, the mild summer temperatures make the area a favored getaway for desert dwellers. Camping among the soaring pines with the wind song of the breeze through the upper branches is a wonderfully relaxing experience. Though no formal trail exists, hiking along the broad Hicks and Duncan Canyon is an easy stroll. A hiker is sure to see Abert's squirrels scampering about. With any fortune, elk, deer, black bear, or wild turkey might also be spotted by those with a sharp eye.