Arizona Trails

“The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time,” said Thoreau in his 1854 book Walden. Sadly, he never saw Sedona. Sand dunes and seabed sediments were laid and then covered by more of the same over 300 million years ago. Under unimaginable compression, they became the sandstone we see today. A massive 3000-foot uplift 13 million years ago created the Mogollon Rim, running from central New Mexico to western Arizona, exposing the ancient sandstone layers. Walden’s gentle erosion took over. The ethereal beauty of Sedona’s many sandstone formations emerged. Today, tourists from all over the world flock to charming and captivatingly scenic Sedona. Offroaders come, too, running the many famous rocky trails in the area. Schnebly Hill Road is both a road and a rite of passage. The road is crowded and annoyingly bumpy on the descent from the Rim into Sedona. But the views always delight, all that red and buff sandstone formed into monuments ranging from massive to whimsical. Despite being a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, Schnebly Hill Road is a once-and-done for many. But it is one that you need to do and will always remember, a touchstone of the community, if you will. Thoreau never did Schnebly Hill Road. You should.

Located northwest of Lake Pleasant and traversing through three different life zones and multiple biomes, Backway to Crown King is a thrilling off-road adventure that offers a unique perspective on Arizona's rugged and beautiful landscape. This extremely popular 4-wheel drive trail is known for its challenging terrain, steep inclines, and narrow shelf roads. Obstacles, mines, and great views await as you climb from the Sonora Desert into the Prescott National Forest.

Located northeast of Florence, Box Canyon is a scenic trail that passes through a spectacular, narrow canyon with geological features and bright, colorful vegetation you wouldn't commonly associate with the desert, such as acarosporaceae fungi. Beyond the sheer, towering canyon walls, drivers can find petroglyphs, and historical stagecoach stops making this trail a truly unique Arizona offroad experience. A favorite amongst many offroad enthusiasts, this trail is a popular access point to many other trails within the Florence Junction area.

In 1863 the Bradshaw brothers, William and Isaac, came to Arizona from the declining goldfields of California. By 1864 they found gold in the forbidding mountains that would eventually bear their family name. Miners and prospectors flocked to the area despite the ruggedness of the mountains and the fierceness of the Yavapai natives, that still claimed the lands as their home. William, more an entrepreneur than a miner, laid out the Bradshaw Trail and started a ferry across the Colorado River at Ehrenburg, charging unsuccessful California miners a nice fee for access to the new goldfields of Arizona. Mines like Senator, Tip Top, Blue Bell, Tiger, and Ora Belle began highly profitable operations. Rod McKinnon located gold in July 1875 deeper into the Bradshaws than any find to date. The resulting Crowned King Mine became the largest operation in the Bradshaws and spawned the bustling town of Crown King. Crown King got its post office in 1888. Electricity and the telephone arrived in 1897, both still a rarity in Arizona. The Saloon was moved from Oro Belle board by board in 1906 and reassembled on the present site, which was at the time beside two Chinese Restaurants and the feed store. The upstairs featured seven cribs where the town's soiled doves practiced the world's oldest profession. It is now Arizona's longest-operating saloon. The historic photos lining the walls of the bar serve as a museum of sorts. The Bradshaw Mountain Railroad, a true feat of engineering, reached Crown King in 1904 via switchbacks and tall trestles. The railroad ceased operation in 1926 after the mines played out and most of the population left. The rail bed was converted into the scenic Crown King Road with its dual ghost towns of Bumble Bee and Cleator. Today there's only sporadic mining in the Bradshaws. But Crown King has become its jewel. With roughly a hundred full-time residents and perhaps a thousand that have cabins and summer homes atop the mountains, Crown King's population swells every weekend as offroaders and adventurers come to the mountaintop town for a taste of Arizona history. The Magic Bridge transports visitors from the desert below to the towering pines and cool breezes of Crown King. The saloon has live music most weekends. The general store sells a lot more t-shirts than mining pans these days. Campsites near town are filled with happy campers. Even with most of the gold gone, the mountains of the Bradshaw brothers remain full of treasures. Drive on up the iconic Crown King Road and see what you can discover.

Table Mesa Road West runs through a verdant portion of central Arizona's Sonoran Desert with cacti, including saguaro, prickly pear, and various cholla species. Numerous hills and mesas create a jagged scenic horizon. The trail's namesake mesa, with a lone tower astride its flat top, sits on the east side of I-17 near the trailhead.

Mild-mannered Table Mesa Road provides access to a broad area packed with trails ranging from mild to wild. Little Pan Mine Road crosses the seasonably variable Agua Fria River. The wickedly difficult Terminator trails result in a lot of bent metal. Scattered campsites make for great nights under the stars.

The OHV region near Florence, Arizona, is loaded with legendary offroad trails for all types of vehicles. Hidden in one of the many washes, Elvis is widely known for its numerous rock waterfalls that challenge even the best-built rigs. There are many abandoned as well as active mines in the area. Legend has it the trail's name comes from a local miner’s dog that traveled along the route with him many years ago. Along the way, there are towering saguaros clinging to the rocky banks as you twist through a lush Sonoran desert. The terrain along this route is harsh, the rocks are sharp, and everything out there wants to poke or sting you. Continuing that theme, the rocky waterfalls are massive and intimidating, but with careful tire placement and a trusted spotter, navigating through the rocky maze is achievable. Stopping after conquering an obstacle and feeling a sense of accomplishment is the memorable part about Elvis.