Cooper Cienega Truck Trail

Cooper Cienega Truck Trail connects Chihuahua Valley to Anza through the Beauty Mountain Wilderness. The northern section of the trail sits in the middle of a 200-foot-wide right of way through the wilderness area itself, offering a scenic drive through pristine backcountry. The southern section is popular for wild turkey hunting, where hunters can be found camping along the side of the trail. The entirety of the trail resides on BLM land but is in a protected environment, so travel is limited to designated routes. When combined with 9S05 Indian Flats, it is possible to travel from Warner Springs to Anza.

Difficulty

The trail is primarily graded dirt. However, two notable obstacles require high clearance and good traction.

• 1.5 miles from the south end is a 300-foot steep climb up a loose dirt shelf road. In normal conditions, a 2WD vehicle can traverse this with good traction, but if the ground is wet and slippery, this could be a challenge for even 4WD vehicles.
• 4.3 miles from the south end, just north of the midpoint of the trail, is a large buried crop of rock with ruts less than 6" deep. This rock creates a mild yet mandatory step-up/down requiring high clearance. Stock high-clearance 2WD vehicles should be able to pass this without issue.

Camping

At least 6 sites for dispersed camping exist along the trail. 3-4 obvious sites are right on the trail with little privacy, often used by hunters, while others can be found tucked away around a corner of a side trail. Two of these tucked-away sites can each accommodate upwards of 6 vehicles in a large flat area with plenty of shade and a hand-made fire ring.

Access

The trail can be traveled in either direction. Old Mitchel Camp Road provides access from the south off of Chihuahua Valley Road. From the north, Ramsey Road in Anza ends at the northern tip of Cooper Cienega Truck Trail.