Arizona Off-Road Trails

North Reyment Road is a connector road in the Middle Gila Canyon area. The road goes through Arizona State Trust and BLM land. There is one camping spot just as North Reyment intersects with Mineral Mountain Road. The trail has beautiful views of the Sonoran desert and distant mountains, with many saguaros along the way. You can see Weaver's Needle to the north on a clear day. There is a gate that is closed with a "Dead End" sign on it, but the gate is not locked. If you continue past the gate, the road actually dead-ends about a half mile further in a horse corral.

Ide Valley is a straight-through trail traveling along the edge of the Paiute Wilderness, connecting Mud Mountain Road to Black Rock Mountain. Unlike its two connecting roads, Ide Valley is a moderately challenging, consistently slow, rough, and rocky trail, traversing many loose sections peppered with fist and grapefruit-sized rocks. This road is also highly prone to washouts throughout its journey, but if you are looking to make a loop back to Mesquite and want more than just a graded washboard road, this is definitely the trail for you.

Coming from the south, the first 2 miles are a hardpacked dirt road with a few small roadside campsites. The road then shrinks to one lane wide and gains elevation along an exposed shelf portion above a shallow drainage. There are virtually no opportunities for full-size vehicles to pass one another while traversing this shelf section. The road is wide enough for side-by-sides to pass, but not other vehicles such as Jeeps. This nearly 1-mile section is the roughest terrain with the most rocks. The road levels out and widens slightly as you approach Ide Valley, with spectacular views through the thick pinyon and juniper trees. Several large and level campsites sit along the plateau that overlooks the valley. The trail turns east and skirts the wilderness boundary, crossing many washes prone to flooding that can quickly erode the trail. The track remains rough but becomes more hardpacked as you pass Ide Springs and Mustang Springs, which are unsafe to drink from without boiling, and eventually meet up with Black Rock Mountain.

This road is suitable for any high-clearance 4WD vehicle with rugged offroad tires, such as all-terrain or mud-terrain tires. Low-profile tires are not recommended, and all users should carry at least one full-size spare.

FR 513 and its connecting spurs are one of those gems that most folks race by without noticing. After all, in the vast Coconino National Forest, it can be difficult to see the forest for the trees. Thus the casual visitor may be excused for missing the pristine forest of tall Ponderosa pines that envelop FR 513. The forest here is anything but confining. Moqui Draw parallels the first section of the trail. Its open grassy meadow is often studded with wildflowers giving the area a park-like feel. The forest is largely devoid of brushy undergrowth, adding to the open feel of the landscape. The wind singing through the tops of the tall pines is guaranteed to lower your blood pressure and illicit an "ahhhh." The higher elevation makes the area a desirable escape from summer's heat in the deserts below. While FR 513 is a fairly easy drive, the connecting spur trails offer a bit more interesting wheeling and a look deeper into the forest. Seeing deer, elk, and turkey along them is common. Black bear sightings are rarer. Seeing cows on the trail in the summer is almost certain since grazing is allowed in this portion of the National Forest. Besides watching out for cow pies, keep a mindful eye out for the sneak thief ravens eyeing your campsite for food and trinkets.

St. Clair Corral begins at a small staging area along North Horseshoe Dam Road, with enough room for 5–6 vehicles to air down before starting. Informational boards at the trailhead provide permit requirements, an overview map, and general area information, making this a well-marked and easy-to-follow starting point.

The trail itself is primarily hard-packed dirt and sand, offering a generally mild driving experience. However, a series of hill climbs, mild off-camber sections, and water-cut ruts along the way elevate the overall difficulty to a moderate rating. These features require careful line selection but remain manageable for high-clearance 4x4s.

Throughout the run, you’ll be treated to impressive views of Saint Clair Peak, Indian Butte, and occasional glimpses of the Mazatzal Mountains rising east of the Verde River. The combination of open desert terrain and distant mountain scenery makes this a visually rewarding trail from start to finish.

The trail concludes at its intersection with the Indian Springs Trail, where you can choose to continue east toward the Verde River or south toward the Indian Spring Trailhead along Bartlett Dam Road.

There are no suitable campsites along this trail.

This trail is part of the Tonto National Forest St. Clair OHV permit area. A permit is required. Use the permit link above for more information.

O W Ranch begins off the Young Highway, running northeastward to the historic and still operating O W Ranch, where it deadends with a small turnaround. The trail's eastern end runs along Valentine Ridge along a shelf road with blind switchbacks.  

The trail descends in the east to parallel the picturesque gurgling Canyon Creek, a destination for anglers in search of the stream's stocked trout. All fishing is catch-and-release. The stream is lined with open meadows, willows, and cottonwoods. 

Dispersed campsites are located near the trail's intersection with Valentine Canyon. To minimize impact on Canyon Creek, camping is not permitted on the easternmost two miles of the trail. Valentine Ridge Campground is located midway along the trail. It is free and has shaded sites with picnic tables and fire pits/grills. However, there are no toilet facilities or water at the campground.

Running between Limestone, FR 215, in the east and Wallace, FR 34, in the west, Wiggins is a well-maintained artery in the westernmost reaches of the Sitgreaves National Forest. The trail's most redeeming feature is Wiggins Crossing, where steep shelf roads and a seemingly out-of-place bridge cross the deep and scenic Willow Creek Canyon. Decades ago, Macadam was added to the dirt trail to stabilize the eroding shelf roads in and out of the canyon. Today, the deteriorating attempt at pavement is the hardest and roughest part of the trail.

A handful of large, flat, shaded, dispersed campsites lie just west of Willow Creek Canyon.

Some days a winding easy trail with expansive views around each curve is just what the doctor ordered. Now let's set that little trail in the heart of the Tonto National Forest's nearly 2.9 million acres. We all know that any forest road that has a letter behind the numbers seldom gets much respect. And usually not much traffic either. So a winding trail with great views and not many people around. Now let's toss in a shady campsite that can accommodate you and any friends you might have brought along. Ding, ding! I think we have a winner! That little trail is called FR 1548A, and it's all yours. Go have a good time.

FR 76 begins off Historic Route 66 in the south and goes north to the historic Spring Valley Work Center, a once remote Forest Service cabin. Today you can visit the site and even reserve it for group camping. The trail has mountain grades in the middle and deep ruts on the northern end. The elevation rises in the middle of the trail at Schultz Pass enough that aspen, spruce, and fir find their way into the pine forest. Camping is plentiful on the ends of the trail, with sites large enough for groups or larger rigs.

FR500 is a side road off Fossil Creek Road about ten minutes southeast of Camp Verde, Arizona and the I-17. This is a low desert (hot) area of Arizona that will be nicest in the spring- or if you plan to hike down to the Verde River in summer for backcountry camping and swimming in the holes and riffles and "The Falls" on the east bank of the Verde River. Like all the good swimming holes in the Verde Valley and below the rim, these are harder to get to and involve hiking. There are no services, so bring your own kit- especially water. Don't attempt the hikes into the floodplain while it's raining or flooding; that is dangerous.

The road and its side trails lead to overlooks and hiking access to the "protected" Wild and Scenic Rivers portions of the Verde River. The main trail FR500 is in decent condition and is a poorly maintained gravel road that is suitable for beginners with stock equipment. The side trails 9242 and 9244, can be used to access hiking trails and the river, and are in much worse condition with some rock shelves, width problems, and pinstriping from the brush. Stock vehicles may struggle with the side trails; high clearance and 4x4 are recommended for those. This area is grazed by cattle and sheep, and many portions are closed due to historical overuse, so mind your Motor Vehicle Use Map and obey the posted closures.

You can camp along this entire trail and along the spurs.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r3/gis/mvum/Coconino/CoconinoCoconinoBack.pdf

This trail begins at Peralta Road and takes you north toward the rolling hills. Like other trails in this area, there is camping right at the beginning of the trail, alongside Peralta Road. Treat yourself to a better camping location a bit further up the trail. There are several established areas with fire rings to enjoy. Bring your friends, as several sites can accommodate multiple rigs and have sweeping views of the Superstition Mountains and surrounding valley.

This is a fairly easy trail where most higher clearance vehicles will have no issues navigating. The most difficult section is a small hill climb at the north end.

This is Arizona State Trust land. A recreational permit is required.

Superstition Viewpoint Trail is a moderate, out-and-back, rocky trail that ends with solid views of the rugged Superstition Mountains. There is a wide-open area on the north end to turn around and head back.  This turnaround is not conducive for camping due to the high-pitched angle of the ground.  There are no other camping opportunities on this trail.

This area is Arizona State Trust Land.  A recreational permit is required.

The signs on the ends of the road read Hope to Hovatter. They are almost right. The graded easy trail connects the tiny hamlet of Hope to Harquahala Road, which connects to Hovatter Road. The road passes through the southern end of the Little Harquahala Mountains and past its namesake Pyramid Peak. The desert is a collection of Ocotillo, Palo Verde, Ironwood, and Creosote brush. A dozen campsites sit mostly along the trail's southern portion, though several are on the Hope end. The best campsite sits well off the road against a rock wall on the southern side of the Little Harquahala Mountains.

P4031 does not have trail markers.  It is a designated motorized trail per the Tonto National Forest Travel Management Plan. Follow the GPX track provided.

P4031 is a sandy wash that winds through steep rockface hills on either side of the trail. There's nice scenery as the trail descends towards Sycamore Creek. The challenge on this trail is at the northern end, where boulders block the wash. This obstacle requires a skillful hill climb while navigating boulders and washouts. Once through this section, you will be right at Sycamore Creek.

Camping spots can be found along this route, with the largest area right before the hill climb. It can accommodate multiple vehicles.

Named for the now unused three strands of telephone wire atop the poles along the north section of the trail, AT&T Frontage Road runs from I-10's Exit 55 to the El Paso Gas Pipeline Road. The graded trail provides access to a vast BLM land holding and the nearby Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. There is a huge campsite near the southern end.

Arivaca Lake access is via a washboarded graded road with impressive views. The lake offers fishing, paddling, and bird watching. The road ends at a large parking area with a boat ramp, vault toilet, and trash receptacles. The parking area is also used for camping and has several rock fire rings. There are additional dispersed campsites along the road. Nearby, Arivaca has fuel, groceries, and a small cafe.

Naegelin Canyon is a story of two trails. Beginning in the south off Young Highway, the trail is a tame dirt track that eventually follows a seasonal drainage through a dense forest. The northern third of the trail narrows into a shelf road steeply climbing the southwestern slopes of Colcord Mountain. This portion of the trail sees little maintenance and has very few places for passing oncoming traffic. One washout across the trail is deceptively deep. The trail is primarily a loose rock and dirt surface, suitable for any high clearance vehicle.

The southern and middle sections of the trail have a handful of shady dispersed campsites. Most have fire rings and are suitable for tent camping. There are no campsites on the northern part of the trail past an old cattle corral.

Tiptoeing the boundaries of the 1860s Oatman Mining District, 7759 beckons adventurers into some of the most remote and rugged terrain of the Black Mountains. This seldom-traveled desert trail unveils a visually stunning landscape of jagged volcanic peaks, deep metamorphic canyons, and miles of sparse black brush shrubs dotted with the formidable jumping cholla. For those seeking a truly secluded adventure through the Mojave Desert ecosystem, 7759 promises an unforgettable experience.

Bunker Hill takes you deeper into the Coconino National Forest, away from the usual path. It winds through tall pines away from the nearby recent burn areas. Combined with the Bunker Hill Loop, it creates a small loop around the base of Bunker Hill. The trail is mainly hard-packed dirt with loose rocks. It becomes moderately challenging towards the end, where there is a small boulder field. There are no campsites available along this trail.

This is simply a connector trail between Dutch Flat Road and the Northern Foothills of the Mohave Mountains trail. While there is nothing glamorous about this connector, it expedites your access to the splendor and sites within the desert.