Arizona Off-Road Trails

Jeep Cove Road is a 6.2-mile dead-end trail that follows along the wide Lost Cabin Wash to a campsite at Jeep Cove on Lake Mohave. This simple road follows the dry wash the entire way, passing through towering scree cliffs. The road surface is loose gravel and scree with an occasional "gotcha rock," a large boulder randomly lying on the side of the trail that can easily take out a tire or bend a rim if not paying attention. Be cautious of loose terrain, as it can cause fishtailing if traveling at high speeds. The farther down the trail you travel, the higher the cliff walls get until you get down to the water's edge, where you are greeted with expansive views and a unique rock formation in the middle of the water. The campsite at the end is large and level and good for any size group. This trail is suitable for any high clearance vehicle and easily traveled in 2WD.

Running through the tall Ponderosa pines of the vast Coconino National Forest, FR 613 is one of the more seldom-used trails in the area. That's a good thing on summer weekends when desert dwellers flock to the cool high country to escape the heat. Fortyfour Canyon is a gorgeous little grassy meadow that makes for an excellent roadside camp or picnic spot. You may forget that you are in Arizona when coming across large fields of tall ferns. Scattered along the trail are excellent dispersed campsites, great places to kick back and relax as you listen to the wind sing through the upper branches of those massive pines.

While Edge of the World is the most well-known camping spot in this area, the campsites at the end of Little Round Mountain Trail offer stunning views of the red rocks overlooking the Sedona area. There are limited campsites at the southern end of this trail. Two can accommodate 4-5 vehicles, and a third campsite is smaller, suitable for 1-2 vehicles.

The northern end of the trail, closest to Woody Mountain Road, is a designated dispersed camping corridor on both sides of the trail, authorized by the Forest Service. This means limited cross-country motor vehicle use is allowed within 300 feet of the trail's edge, specifically for dispersed camping. There are several larger sites at this end, each capable of accommodating 3-4 vehicles and up to 7-8 vehicles.

The trail from beginning to end is rated easy, but it can get closer to the moderate level due to a few hill climbs, drainage crossings, and potential mud. While high clearance and 4WD are not required in dry weather, they would certainly be advantageous.

Several side trail connections are worth exploring. Check out Rattlesnake Mesa and South Pocket Lookout for more adventure.

If backpacking and hiking in the pines sounds like a great time, then this would be the spot to start. This easy off-road trail leads to Highline Trail #31 which is a great hiking trail that runs along the Mogollon Rim for over 50 miles. Beautiful vistas of rim canyons, brushy hills, and distant mountains. Unique rock formations and wonderful stands of Ponderosa pine. Fire is an important aspect of the wild environment. The Dude Fire of 1990 burned portions of the forest along the Highline Trail; thus, this trail is an ideal place to observe how our forests rejuvenate themselves after a fire. The Highline Trail, established in 1870, was used to travel between homesteads and to attend school in the town of Pine. Zane Grey and Babe Haught used the Highline Trail while hunting. The portion of the Highline Trail from Washington Park Trailhead and Pine Trailhead is part of the Arizona Trail.

Chamberlain Trail runs from just below the Mogollon Rim in the north to Pleasant Valley in the south, descending nearly a thousand feet. The Ponderosa pines give way to juniper and scrub oak. The well-maintained dirt road has washboarding throughout. Near Fisherman Point, the trail is a narrow shelf road with blind hairpin turns. The shelf road section provides excellent views into Haigler Canyon. Near the southern end, the trail enters the parklike Pleasant Valley with broad grassy meadows dotted with junipers. A couple of miles from the southern end, look for a sign marking the grave of a Navajo herder killed during the Pleasant Valley War, a deadly 10-year battle between the two rival groups of area ranchers.

There is very little dispersed camping along the trail. The best camping is the free Haigler Canyon Campground on the banks of Haigler Creek. The campground has approximately a dozen sites suitable for one to two vehicles. Tent camping is also possible. There are picnic tables, fire pits with grills, and vault toilets. A nearby picnic area serves those just wanting to stop and play in the gurgling creek.

Kehl Ridge is a wonderfully winding little road that connects Rim Road, possibly the most scenic trail in central Arizona, with FR 147. Near the intersection with Rim Road, campsites on the edge of the Mogollon Rim offer panoramic views of a large portion of central Arizona. Coursing through old-growth Ponderosa Pine forests, Kehl Ridge crosses some small fern-bottomed draws that drain into East Clear Creek.

When combined with FR 147, Kehl Ridge offers visitors from the north smooth and easy access to the dramatic heart of the Mogollon Rim. Accessing beauty and remoteness need not be difficult or uncomfortable. As George W. Sears, under the pen name Nessmuck, wrote in his 1884 book Woodcraft, "During the long winters, they (tourists) are prone to collect in little knots and talk much of camps, fishing, hunting, and roughing it. I dislike the phrase. We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it. We get it rough enough at home, in towns and cities." Smooth it on out to the Rim Country on Kehl Ridge.

Forest Road 112 branches off Doak Road (Forest Road 221) as it climbs out of a steep wash. The road continues to hug the mountainside and behave like a rocky rollercoaster, where 4WD and low range are recommended. After reaching a high point, the Signal Peak radio towers become visible to the north and the Pioneer Basin to the south. You'll also see the road in the distance as you cruise through the high desert landscape. Once you reach a saddle called Pioneer Pass, the road descends through tall pines. From here, the road is well-maintained and passes through the Pioneer Pass Recreation Area, which features campsites that include restrooms, picnic tables, and fire rings, but no water. The road ends at Ice House Canyon Road and continues into the town of Globe.

Sheep Gulch Spring, BC1108, once connected Crown King Road to Interstate 17. However, in a 2022 Travel Management Decision, the road was split in half, designating the eastern portion for Administrative Use Only. The trail now is an out-and-back starting at Crown King Road, just south of Bumble Bee Ranch. The trail is one vehicle wide and climbs steeply up to the top of the mesa dotted with many large prickly pear cacti and grazing cattle. The road is rocky and rough and requires low range. The trail has minimal pull-out opportunities. There is excellent visibility to see oncoming traffic, so you would have a lot of time to find a place if you see a vehicle in the distance. At the top of the mesa is a cattle gate marking the turnaround point. Return the way you came.

This trail does not offer any campsites.

Sheep Gulch Spring is suitable for any high clearance 4-wheel drive with low-range gearing.

Some of my favorite confections are crunchy on the outside and pretty smooth on the inside. FR 1548 is a lot like that. The southern end is very tight with overgrown brush, and almost immediately, there's a rocky wash crossing. It's an inauspicious start. But then this little trail climbs up onto a narrow ridge with sweet views all around. The rugged and impenetrable Mazatzal Mountains loom on the western horizon. Mount Ord dominates the southern skyline. Below is the relatively lush chaparral country common to the Tonto National Forest. Succulent agaves grow next to pinion pines and the ever-present cedars. Century plants shoot skyward. Gold Hill sits roadside, while Table Mountain is easy to recognize to the north. Of course, the crunchy ending comes via a narrow shelf road and off-camber erosion that keeps things interesting. Just the way we like it!

The road to the Sears Point petroglyph site is signed Avenue 76 East. It crosses Arizona State Trust Land and private property and finishes on BLM land. The trail is a mix of packed dirt, gravel, and sand. High clearance is needed to get through the rocky areas and drop-offs. 4WD is recommended for the deep sandy sections. There was one primary camp spot with a rock fire ring, and other space is available closer to the Sears Point trailhead.