Arizona Off-Road Trails

Al Fulton. Shot. 1901.

The gravemarker still sits against an ancient tree just south of Lake One, near the General Crook hiking trail. Little is recorded about Al or his death. The grave is a short hike from the Mogollon Rim Visitor Center, which sits at the start of Old Rim Road, FR 171, which runs along Fulton Point, a scenic vista perched atop the Mogollon Rim.

Old Rim Road is all about camping. The first quarter mile from the Visitor Center on the west end of the road is a designated day-use area with multiple sites sitting right on the edge of the Rim with picnic tables and expansive views. The remainder of the 2.5-mile well-maintained forest road has 49 designated campsites supporting everything from tent camping to RVs. The ones on the west end of the track have Rim views. The others sit in a shady Ponderosa Pine forest. The sites range in size from single-vehicle to large sites subdivided into as many as five smaller campsites. Most are fairly level with stone fire rings. There are no other services.

Camping is free but limited to 14 consecutive days. Camping is only allowed at designated sites and within 50 feet of the “camp here” signs. This is a congested area, so shooting is not allowed.

Hart Canyon, FR 75, loops off Wallace, FR 34. The easy road is packed dirt with small loose rocks. It crosses one well-marked section of private property. Please respect the no-trespassing signs. 

A large cattle corral is just over a half mile from the northern end of the trail.  Adjacent to the corral, a spur runs northward along beautiful Hart Canyon.  This scenic area can be reserved as a group campsite by calling the Black Mesa Ranger District at 928-535-7300.  The grassy site can accommodate at least two dozen rigs.  It has shady pines and sits beside a small spring-fed stream perfect for splashing in on warm summer days.

There are also a few scattered, dispersed campsites along the trail.

This trail is rated as moderate due to the need to navigate over a few fallen trees and logs, requiring high clearance. Without these obstacles, it would be considered an easy trail. At the end of the route depicted here, you will encounter a large area filled with fallen trees, obstructing further passage. However, you can still hike to the edge of the ridge to enjoy breathtaking views of Maroon Mountain, South Pocket, and Sedona to the southeast.

Shortly after the beginning of the trail, there is a well-defined campsite with enough space for 1-2 vehicles. The site is located on a flat, level, grassy area right next to the trail.

Nestled in a group of interesting side trails on the eastern portion of the vast Coconino National Forest, FR 513A cuts through a deep Ponderosa pine forest. Free-range cattle graze the area in summer. But elk, deer, turkeys, and the occasional black bear also call this forest home. While not far off the pavement, this area is often overlooked by campers and adventurists. FR 513A makes for an interesting little drive with fine scenery and just enough challenge to hold your interest and make your passenger reach for the grab handle now and then. Combined with the other similar trails nearby, this little gem can be part of a very enjoyable afternoon on the trails without the usual weekend crowds.

FR 3312 begins off Highway 188 and takes you up the hillside to nice views of the Four Peaks. It is rocky and narrow but easily manageable. There is one established campsite about halfway up the trail. There are cattle and wildlife watering holes on and around this trail, so ensure your camp is at least 1/4 mile from any water.

Forest Road 141H connects to both the FR 141 and Battleground Ridge trails. It is a beautiful and well-maintained trail that's accessible by most vehicles. This trail intersects with Miller Canyon which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding ponderosa pines. Wildlife sightings are common with bird watching being a popular activity on this trail.

Florida Canyon is a well-maintained dirt road to a hiking trailhead. Along the way, there are three campsites. Two are small, but the third is large and shaded. The hiking trailhead has a parking area beside a small stream. A gated service road and the hiking trail continue uphill into the southwestern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains.

Superstition Wash Drop is a short trail connecting the Superstition Loop and Superstition End of the Line.  It also provides access to the Superstition Fence Line Heights trail.  The west end starts with a rocky descent into a wash, then immediately climbs back out.  Low-gear 4WD may be needed to exit the wash since the loose rocks and larger boulders tend to move as you climb.  This is a narrow trail with overhanging branches and encroaching brush.  The potential for pinstripes is very high.  

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

FR 3310 is a very short and easy sandy trail. This is a great location to set up a base camp while off-roading in the area. It is adjacent to the east entrance to Trail 143, which travels over Four Peaks.

The original Alamo Road spurs off its paved replacement to run over 9 miles through a broad cactus and creosote brush studded plain to intersect with Wickenbug Alamo and Palmertita Roads. There’s a large staging area at the southern end of the trail. The wide dirt trail crosses sandy washes, but 2WD is adequate.

There are limited campsites along Old Alamo Road, the largest able to host multiple RVs about 3.5 miles from the southern end. The best camping in the area is at the western end of Wickenburg Alamo Road near Alamo Lake.

Of the ten named off-road trails within the Red Rock Ranger District, this one sits among the furthest from Sedona, offering a more remote and less-traveled experience. While it primarily follows a power line corridor, the route surprises visitors with its own scenic vistas and a solid canyon section midway through that’s well worth stopping to admire.

Over the years, the trail has been graded, making it more accessible, yet it still features a few rocky ledges, steep climbs reaching 17–18 degrees, and enough uneven terrain to keep things interesting. For those seeking the best views, it’s recommended to run the trail south to north during the evening, when the setting sun bathes the red rocks in brilliant hues, revealing the landscape’s true beauty. There are no viable campsites along this trail however designated dispersed camping is available along Loy Butte Road.

Running from paved Shea Road to Swansea Road, this easy connector provides the best route from Parker across the Cactus Plain to the Swansea ghost town. There are also very nice campsites on the west and central parts of the trail with views of Swansea and Planet Peaks to the north. The well-maintained trail crosses several sandy washes and briefly follows a powerline. The trail also crosses the Central Arizona Project aqueduct, transporting Colorado River water to central Arizona communities.

Greaterville was once a small mining community in the eastern foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. The town, founded in the 1879s and supposedly named after an area pioneer, supported placer mining for gold. Today, the area is gated private property with prominent no-trespassing signs.

Greaterville Road is a short trip through mostly private enclaves in the Coronado National Forest. The well-maintained dirt track traverses an oak and juniper forest, passing a picturesque bucolic ranch with lovely views of the Santa Rita Mountains. Small cous deer often lurk in the roadside shadows. Along the way, the trail intersects Los Posos Gulch, FR 4068, and Melendrez Pass, FR 165.

Greaterville Road is not a good camping trail. Substantial camping is available nearby, especially in the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area.

Arizona Bay Road is a straight-through road connecting two different points of Cottonwood Cove East. It has sections of soft sand but is generally a mix of loose and packed gravel with occasional washboard and shallow ruts. This road is much sandier than other roads in the area, and although the trail can be done in 2WD, a high clearance 4WD vehicle is recommended. The road is a shortcut to Arizona Bay and the Colorado River. The drive provides fantastic views of the Black Mountains and Lake Mohave. There are no pre-established campsites along this road.

Although this road is within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area fee area, there are no entrance stations along the way to obtain a pass.

Ruin Mountain, starting near the White Horse Lake Campground and ending on Sycamore Point, is a gravel road with minor washboarding.  Passing through Ponderosa pines and alpine meadows, the relaxing trail offers several campsites midway through its track.  With fire rings and shade, each site is suitable for multiple rigs.

Fresnal Road begins at Garcia Ranch in the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge and crosses into the Coronado National Forest. The road's western end is very close to the US/Mexico border. The borer wall makes an interesting transition as it climbs the western slopes of Cerro del Fresnal. The winding road passes through a prototypical Lower Sonoran Desert landscape of cacti and mesquites as it climbs in and out of sandy desert washes. The east end becomes a steep shelf road as it climbs to intersect with Tre Bolotis Road.

There are numerous dispersed campsites along the trail. The best site sits at the lower end of the shelf road section.

Running south from the tiny hamlet of Arivaca, Tre Bolotis crosses desert washes, climbs a high ridge via narrow winding shelf roads, and descends into an oak-strewn valley. The trail begins in the Fraguita Wash and crosses a short stretch of well-marked private property. The ridgeline sits high above the surrounding landscape, providing vast views of southern Arizona. Narrow blind curves make you slow down and concentrate on the road. The descent on the southern end is via steep switchbacks. The trail drops into a long, narrow valley dotted with large oak trees. There are plenty of excellent shaded campsites in the valley. The trail ends at a private ranch gate.

Lonesome Lake, named after its marshy watering hole midway along the trail, has abundant camping.  Camping is free but limited to 14 consecutive days and must be within 300 feet of the road. The road has minor ruts and potholes and ends at a powerline.  The trail beyond has been abandoned but seems to be used by ATVs. 

The cool summer temperatures make the Mogollon Rim a popular camping destination.  The campsites range from single tent to large group size.  Most have flat ground and a fire ring. Ravens, squirrels, and elk share the vast Ponderosa pine forest and often make appearances near camp.

FR 139C is a short jewel of a trail in the Coconino National Forest. The trail runs through a mixed-conifer forest. Besides the ever-present Ponderosa pines, spruce and fir trees stand tall beside the trail. Spruce and fir are rare in Arizona and thrive in very limited locations. Their presence lends a certain Rocky Mountain flavor to the area. The trail briefly runs alongside an unnamed grassy draw with a seasonal stream and a small spring. Look for elk grazing in the draw during the early mornings and late afternoons. The last half of the trail rides atop a wide ridgeline between Merritt Draw on the north and Barbershop Canyon on the south. From the end of the trail, it is easy to see the outline of both canyons merging. The openness of the forest beckons you to stop and take a stroll. Wild raspberries and blackberries flourish in late Summer and early Fall. Picturesque campsites beckon visitors to pitch a tent and stay a while.