Arizona Off-Road Trails

P3018 does not have trail markers. It is a designated motorized trail per the Tonto National Forest Travel Management Plan. Follow the GPX track provided.

P3018 is another trail that starts out as rocky dirt and transitions into a sandy wash as you go down in elevation. The trail's eastern end has sweeping views of the Four Peaks Mountains. The initial descent is steep and rocky.  Once at the bottom, the trail follows a sandy wash to the intersection with MT1851.

The best camping location on this trail is near the intersection with trail P3020.  It provides an open sandy area with plenty of room for vehicles.

Rim Rider is a short and steep shortcut from Sandman to the upper portion of Box Canyon. The trail climbs numerous loose dirt and rock hills requiring high clearance, off-road tires, and low-range gearing. The trail has scenic views above the canyons and offers a mild challenge for beginners wanting a 4x4 experience without difficult rock crawling. There are no camping opportunities along this route.

Harquahala Road runs from Salome in the north to Interstate 10 in the south. The well-maintained road winds through the cactus-studded Little Harquahala Mountains. The road was first created to serve the mines that sprung up in the low mountain range, the largest being the Harquahala/Bonanza Mine at Martin Peak. A small mining town sprung up, supporting the mine and the nearby Golden Eagle Mine. Today, the town's cemetery sits right by the road.

Large campsites are plentiful on the trail's southern end, and a couple are available nearer Salome on the north end.

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. This particular trail allows users access to great high country camping and the nearby White Mountain Apache land (permit required). The trail offers a few 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.

East Ajax Mine Cutoff, BLM 6121D, is a simple connecting road between North Box Canyon and East Ajax Mine Road. The road surface is hard-packed dirt with small embedded rocks. The road is short and does not have any obstacles. The hill grades along the road are very mellow. Any high clearance 2WD vehicle can complete East Ajax Mine Cutoff. The trail is generally one vehicle wide, but there are many areas to pull out of the way for oncoming traffic. There are no campsites along this trail.

Nothing seems to be more relaxing than kicking back in camp and listening to the relaxing sounds of nature and the wind singing in the tops of tall pines. Hospital Ridge is all about that camping experience. Each little spur trail offers a shady, secluded getaway. Squirrels chatter and gather pine nuts for the winter. Jays and ravens watch your camp with an envious eye, ready to swoop in and take away a trinket or the snack you temporarily abandoned. Elk bugle deep in the forest of pines, spruce, and fir. Shy deer slink past your camp, pausing only for a quick look before scampering away. Hospital Ridge is located in the remote eastern section of the vast Coconino National Forest. Sitting atop the Mogollon Rim, the higher elevation makes for pleasant summers away from the desert heat below. Not far away is the historic Buck Springs Cabin, sitting beside its lovely alpine meadow. Make the time to visit the site. It's definitely worth it. Maybe Hospital Ridge got its name because a little time there will definitely decrease your blood pressure and stress level. Go try it.

Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM) trail 8016 creates a nice loop when connected with 8011 and 8008.s here. Primarily a gravel surface with a few sandy wash crossings, it's less traveled than other trails in the area. You may add additional pinstripes to your vehicle due to the tight brush and overgrowth. There are limited camping locations on this trail, but a few flat spots are available.

This entire trail 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. SDNM 8016 runs through a very remote area of the Sonoran Desert. Please take all necessary precautions.

Lincoln Ranch Road runs northeast from the intersection known locally as Midway to the abandoned Lincoln Ranch on the banks of the Bill Williams River. The easy, well-graded road runs under the shadow of Clara Peak in the Buckskin Mountains. After crossing Barnard Pipeline Road, the track becomes a narrow shelf road and ends at the private property boundary with little room to turn around. The ranch is not marked as no trespassing and is crisscrossed with small trails and ruins.

The Midway intersection has a large camping and staging area and informational signage. There are additional campsites along the trail.

FR190 is a moderately difficult, rocky, and severely rutted dirt road that loops around a hill near Kendrick Peak. To reward your trouble, you will find several nice, 4x4-accessible, dispersed campsites back.

Browns Crossing was the area's most reliable way across the river before the Bill Williams River was dammed in 1968 to create Alamo Lake. The dam flooded the crossing. Today, Browns Crossing is a spur off the Wickenburg Alamo Road used primarily for camping. Numerous campsites are located along the trail or down spurs. Many have lake views. A small campsite is on the edge of the lake at the end of the trail. The Artillery Mountains and Artillery Peak dominate the skyline when driving northwest along the trail.

The only obstacle along the trail is sand found in a wash crossing near the trail's end. A 2WD vehicle can manage the trail. 

Situated in the eastern portion of the vast Coconino National Forest, FR 513B rides along the western ridgeline above the deep chasm cut by East Clear Creek. The 2018 Tinder Fire has opened the forest up to provide some impressive views across the wide canyon. Besides the views, FR 513B has some fantastic campsites outside the burned area. Since roadside camping is not allowed on East Clear Creek past its intersection with FR 513B, the numerous campsites just up the trail from the intersection are very popular. Deer, elk, and turkey are often nearby. They might be shy, but every so often the lucky get a glimpse of them sliding through the deep Ponderosa pine forest.

Running along the south side of Lower Lake May, FR 296 begins as a graded road and deteriorates into a dirt and mud trail. There is usually no water in Lower Lake Mary, but there are picnic areas and wildlife viewing opportunities. Parcels of private property mixed in with the Coconino National Forest land, so watch the signage. The trail connects with FR132D near Upper Lake Mary. There's no camping along this trail.

Running westward off Apache Pass Road into the Indian Bread Rock Recreation Area, Happy Camp Canyon is all about its namesake, camping. Well over thirty campsites of all sizes sit along this easy stretch of trail. The road begins wide and graded with moderate washboarding, narrowing as it passes the day-use picnic area with its tables, vault toilet, grill, and shade. The single-lane trail continues past numerous campsites and spur trails until it turns sharply south, becoming even narrower with embedded gravel ranging in size from apples to lemons. The road ends at the locked gate of a small ranch.

The road is bordered on the north by a broad plain doiminated by ranch lands and orchards of pecans and pistachios. To the south is the Indian Bread Rocks Recreational Area and the edge of the Dos Cabezas Mountains. The Bread Rocks moniker is from the massive buff and umber-colored tumble of granite boulder slabs ranging in size from a small automobile to an extremely large house. The jumble of rocks lifts into a prominent ridge. Government Peak, the highest point in the Dos Cabezas, projects skyward in the background. Ravens and raptors soar lazily on the updrafts. Doves sound their mournful notes from evening roosts on the slopes. Coveys of quail cackle as they search for seeds amongst mesquite, agave, and grasses along the plain. Finding small areas of soil and moisture between the massive boulders, Gamble Oaks dot the steep incline. Soap Root Agave and spindly Ocotilla find homes in the lesser crevices. This is BLM land, so bovines often roam through the campsites, seemingly unaware of the visitors seeking campsites on their range.

The free and popular campsites range from large enough for an RV to a small vehicle with a tent.   Unmaintained spur roads lead to sites with impressive views but often lack room for large rigs to turn around and very uneven ground. The last campsite, a large one capable of hosting multiple rigs or an RV, is at the sharp curve south. Camping at the picnic area is not allowed.

Porter Spring connects Udall Draw on the east and Vernon-McNary Road on the west. The gravel road changes considerably throughout the drive. Starting from Vernon-McNary Road, Porter Spring is well-maintained and generally smooth, with only a few short rocky areas. However, crossing through an open gate midway along (the only gate found mid-route), the road gets narrower, considerably more rocky, and involves a number of ascents and descents from that point until the eastern terminus at Udall Draw (and Udall Draw FS61 itself is also quite rocky until it meets FS117). The roads are still suitable for passenger cars but considerably less comfortable for drivers and passengers.

On the western side, Porter Spring is a good road for camping. There are two dispersed campsites, both of which are on level ground and have space for larger trailers and RVs. There are also spur roads that are likely to offer additional camping opportunities.

The western portions show few fire-damaged areas of significant size from the road. However, sections toward the Udall Draw side still have evident damage from the San Juan Fire of 2014, albeit with vigorous regrowth of aspen and understory ferns.

East Empire Ranch Road is the main artery into the northern portions of the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Beginning near the historic Empire Ranch Headquarters, the trail crosses the stream created by the Empire Spring via a concrete ramp. The band of massive cottonwood trees surrounding the spring is visible across the conservation area. A small pullout just before the water crossing serves as a trailhead for hiking to the spring.

A massive flat area with a few scattered trees serves as a popular campground at the intersection with Oak Tree Canyon. The Airstrip Group Campground is just a bit farther east. You can reserve this campground through the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area. Potable water is available at the ranch headquarters.

The northeastern end of the trail runs briefly along a dike through a wetland before ending at a network of smaller trails and a very out of the way seldom used campsite. Wildlife sightings in this area are common.

Beginning off Old Cherry Road, Bottle Ranch climbs slowly into the Black Hills range, paralleling and then crossing the Ash Creek. The trail is easy but dead ends at its namesake ranch, which is posted private property. Along the way are views into Ash Creek Canyon, with granite spires adorning the rims. The canyon floor is littered with cottonwoods. There is one roadside campsite near the creek.