Log Corral Trail is a very challenging off road trail that leads you to the very remote eastern shore of Lake Bartlett. This beautiful trail has something for everyone, hard technical rocky obstacles, water crossings, hill climbs and opportunities to test your flex. The trail follows a very picturesque small creek, climbing up to a high ridge that overlooks Lake Bartlett the ultimate destination. The end of the trail offers a very remote access to camping, fishing and enjoying a great sunset along the lake.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Lightly Modified 4X4 (Small Lift and Larger Tires)
Concerns:
Summary:
The trail has a few rocky sections that may require a locker. There are large slippery boulders that cause high centering. There are a couple rock ledges that may require a spotter. The brush is very tight and tough on this trail. The sand can be very loose and very soft. Do not go alone or travel the route if there is the potential for rain.
Community Consensus
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Mandatory
5 -
DIFFICULT
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
6 -
DIFFICULT
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Rocky or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 24" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 24" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 54" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.Read More about our Rating System
After reaching the trailhead off of Highway 87, there is ample room to air down and prepare for the trail ahead. The trail follows Log Corral creek and Sycamore creek with several water crossings along the way. A short distance down the creek you will turn sharply northwest and follow the narrowing creek and canyon. Look for the Log Corral trail marker sign at the entrance to the canyon. As you head up the canyon the terrain will get progressively rougher as you reach the most difficult section of the Rock Garden and the Waterfall obstacles. Caution is required here - as body damage and breakage commonly occurs. A good lift, at least 33" tires and lockers are recommended. After completing this section of the trail the road will climb up an uneven trail with lots of opportunities to test your flex. The top of the ridge offers great scenery and a good spot for a lunch break. Once over the ridge you will descend down into a large wash that crosses FR 393 and eventually ends at the shore of Lake Bartlett.
1. Log Corral Trailhead (0
mi)
After exiting Highway 87 and heading west there is a large dirt area to air down and secure any loose items and prepare for the trail ahead. From here you will be heading southwest following Log Corral Creek.
2. Right to Log Corral Canyon (0.9
mi)
After traveling .9 miles south down Log Corral Wash you will cross Sycamore Creek and take a hard right heading back northwest following the narrowing canyon on FR 3456. There are also signs marking Log Corral Trail.
3. Left Turn to Rock Garden (1.53
mi)
Follow the narrowing wash road along FR 3456 for another 1/2 mile further with several water crossings. This section follows a narrow section with tight clearance and could be impassable due to flooding after rain. This will mark the beginning of the hardest section of the trail and will require spotting and tight maneuvers up and around a progressively more difficult large boulder field. This section of the trail can change frequently depending upon the recent conditions so be prepared for large rock obstacles with potential for body and undercarriage damage. The hardest obstacle of this section does have a less difficult but still very technical bypass. 3" lift, >33" tires, and lockers are recommended.
4. Waterfall Obstacle (1.68
mi)
Just after the rock garden section you will come to the hardest obstacle on the trail, the waterfall obstacle. This obstacle climbs a steep series of rock shelves up the creek that usually has water in it and can be wet and slippery. Again this section of the trail can frequently change and for this obstacle large tires, a lift, and lockers are recommended, however this obstacle has a fairly easy bypass that you can take to the left of the waterfall.
5. Log Corral (4.98
mi)
Continue about 3.25 miles west along FR 3456 along a narrow wash that slowly widens and begins to climb up to the highest point on the trail, Log Corral. As the road starts to climb the hill the trail has many off camber spots that will test your flex. The right line is easier and the left line will likely max out the flex of most rigs so lockers would be recommended to take the harder route. This spot climbs to an old log corral and runs high on a ridge and offers your first views of Lake Bartlett to the west. It is a great spot to stop for lunch or a cold drink before continuing down to Lake Bartlett.
6. FR 393 Intersection (8.27
mi)
From the high ridge at Log Corral continue west descending to mile marker 8.27 and the intersection with FR 393. The road gradually gets easier and follows an obvious wash all the way down to the shore of Lake Bartlett. Continuing south on FR 393 will take you around to the front side of the damn and the Verde River, however it is closed from January to June due to eagle nesting. Continuing north on FR 393 is a long, twisting and often tilting trail that eventually runs into Highway 87.
7. Bartlett Lake (9
mi)
Continue following the obvious wash west as it descends down to the shore line of Lake Bartlett. There are many small coves that you can camp in but access will depend upon the time of year and lake water level. Great dispersed camping and fishing are available but no services at all so come prepared. From here you can continue back the way you came along FR 3456 or return to Highway 87 via FR 393 which should not be considered a short cut. Although it doesn't have as much technical difficulty, it is a very long, challenging and remote trail that takes just as much if not more time to get back out to Highway 87.
Dispersed
Once you reach the shore of Lake Bartlett there are plenty of opportunities for great camping, super views and some good fishing. If the lake is full it may be difficult to access some of the shore camping spots, however if the lake it down then it becomes much easier to simply drive along the shore until a you find a good camping spot. There are no services available in this area so if you are camping come prepared.
From the intersection of Shea Blvd. and Highway 87 head northeast towards Payson on Highway 87 for 24 miles. Just after crossing a bridge over Log Corral Wash turn left heading west across the highway.
Fairly grown in. Expect pinstriping.
Only 2 or 3 real obstacles, and tight in some areas for larger vehicles. Overall, a fun trail that 95% of can be done in 2wd.
Fun trail. It feels different than a year ago, changes due to water runoff I'm sure. There is one part that is very tight for a Gladiator but we made it through. The path coming off of the saddle where the log corral is located is very washed out and required straddling a good portion of the trail for about a mile. The lake is very full.
The rock Garden with small waterfall is slightly more difficult than usual after the storms this winter. It was completed by a 3rd Gen Tacoma on 35s and an XJ on 33s without difficulty.
Very green with running water everywhere! Very little shore at Bartlett because of the high lake level.
Great little day trail with a diverse range of landscapes. From high desert to lush deciduous forest to high-speed sandy washes to the shores of Lake Bartlett - Log Corral offers it all. By and large, this is a very high-speed trail with only a very small technical section of about 200 yards at waypoint 4. The waterfall obstacle is optional, but there is a mandatory boulder crawl section that can trip up some longer-wheelbase vehicles (see my uploaded photo of the WJ). Recommend something with good articulation. A stock Wrangler Rubicon would be fine on this trail. Once you get past the small rock garden, it's easy cruising with a few sections where you can show off your flex - but by and large, we were pushing 30mph for the majority of the length of the trail.
River crossing, forest to desert. Recommended to definitely go with someone not alone. But overall. This trail is killer. Love it. It is still open. Even after heavy rain. Rivers wasn’t too high but there are some spots that do require attentions.
Arizona National Forests and State Lands are back open for travel. There are still some very important fire restrictions in place. These restrictions can often change by specific areas.
Tonto National Forest officials will close the state’s largest national forest due to ongoing extreme fire danger beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 25. The forest is implementing this forest closure as a precaution to protect the health and safety of the public, employees and firefighters by reducing the risk of human-caused fires.
No one is allowed in the closure area, including Forest Service personnel, unless they are responding to a wildfire or other emergency or patrolling to ensure enforcement of the closure. The order shall remain in effect until July 31, 2021 or until rescinded, whichever occurs first. Residents or businesses using roads in the restricted area to the extent necessary to access their private property are exempt.
This trail is more challenging than I initially thought it would be. The entrance to the rock garden section was the most challenging part of the trail. The rock garden is no joke either but good spotters can get you through it fairly easily.
I will say expect some kind of damage or hard contact on the body/underside. The trail is also pretty tight and overgrown in some spots.
Obviously my opinion is based on my truck and the fact that it's my daily but this is a rewarding trail if you complete it and I will be back again. Just giving some caution to the readers, who are capable of most trails before they head out.
I have a sequoia with 35s and a 3" lift and a rear locker for reference
It's being reported by another member of East Valley Rockers that the gate to this trail is currently closed and locked as of 12/24/2020.
Reported as open 2/15/2021
This is a great trail with many challenging spots. We take this trail about once every year. Note that the increased water levels have caused this trail to increase in difficulty with more flowing water, slippery rocks, washouts and large ruts. The lake is the highest we've ever seen it which is awesome; however, it does mean the space at the end of the trail is much tighter than in the past. In the past we've connected to the power line trail crossing the lake below the dam to continue out toward Pincacle Peak. However, due to the high water levels this isn't possible. The trail is fairly heavily used. On the weekends you can see several different groups... might be quieter on the weekdays if you're looking for some quiet time.
Log Corral is a fun, technical trail. Our time with 2 mildly modified jeeps was around 5 hours, including lunch at the lake, and some messing about on the powerline trail, that intersects it. There is a great air down spot, and the drive in, across Sycamore Creek is fun and enjoyable.
Things progress nicely as the trail tightens up into an overgrown shallow creek bed with some nice rock formations to play on. You will rip a running board off here, and sliders are recommended. The creek often has at least a trickle of water, so make sure to check out weather conditions before heading in. There is no turn arounds, and you are committed to the creek bed once inside.
Once out of the creek bed, you'll climb to the Log Coral summit. Great place for pictures, and see what kind of Arizona Pinstripping was added to your rig in the creek bed. The road is rather smooth, but undulates back and forth across some worn out sections. During the spring, wild flowers paint a beautiful picture of Bartlett lake below.
After the crest, there is a super fast downhill and sand highway. Be very careful in this section, as I saw more than a few high speed buggies and utvs running full out through here. This will take you down to the lake side.
After running this trail it has instantly become one of my favorites. It has everything. Rock crawling, ruts and sandy washes, not to mention you are rewarded at the end with your own beach front property.
When I did the trail the first 2.5 miles were the toughest. It was wet, and this caused some of the rocks and obstacles to become more difficult. The rock garden (Mile 1.53) is an awesome obstacle, and may require some good spotting and high clearance. The rock garden has become rutted with lose boulders and is pretty tough when wet, if you can clear the rock garden you should be able to complete the rest of the trail.
Not long after the rock garden, you come to the waterfall obstacle with an optional bypass. In my opinion the waterfall was easier than the rock garden- even tho it was running water.
The rest of the trail is gorgeous. I cannot do it justice with words. Once past the waterfall you work toward the log corral- which offers an incredible oversight of the valley. At this point some people will turn around but I highly recommend running this trail all the way through. Once at the log corral (half-way) you head down the hill and get to enjoy the beautiful Arizona desert as you fly through the sandy washes. Take your time and take in the natural relatively untouched scenery. Before long you will see the lake and your final destination.
I like to provide my vehicle specs as I believe it helps others compare and prepare for a possible trip.
15 Wrangler Unlimited Sport
4in lift with 35in tires
Rock sliders- these are extremely necessary (I landed hard on mine twice)
Open differentials D30 front and D44 rear (Jeep JK stock axles)
If you are ever interested in running a trail in Arizona- Please reach out!
Insta @zonajeepin
Like everyone else that has run this trail, it really is beautiful and has a mix of everything. We had two vehicles both JK Unlimited Rubicons with 35s and neither had an issue at any spot. There are some tight areas that get interesting but it's a great trail. We turned around at the Log Corral due to time constraints, but I will return and make it to the lake! I do wish there were a few more obstacles along the trail but it's still worth doing.
I took my 1st gen xterra (3"lift 31" tires,and open diff) through there. Like they say not recommended but i made it with little body damage. Nice trail. Will do again after a few upgrades.
1st time running this trail. No major problem with any of the obstacles. 3 of the Jeeps in our group had 35" tires & the other 40". Some minor rubbing going over a few of the boulders etc.
We lead two different groups over two days from Sunflower, AZ to Bartlett Lake and out through Log Corral. It was a beginner type run to help the newcomer gain experience from professional trail guides. The participants were shown different techniques and tips for traversing a wide range of terrain. Day one we got a KIA through, day two was a Isuzu Amigo and a Jeep Liberty. All successfully completed the route without issue. To join us at future events like this, check us out at https://www.meetup.com/trailsoffroad-com-Crew-and-Fan-Meetup-Arizona/
The day one video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az-6NYL-MkI
An adventurous group of 5 braved the summer heat to tackle Log Corral this morning. This is one of my favorite local trails which gives you a bit of everything; rock crawling, sandy wash, running water under the cool shade of some very old trees, and a spectacular view of Lake Pleasant at the end. A word of caution however, many people have had experiences with bees on the trail. There are 2 hives along the trail that I know of. The first being immediately after the first rock garden after waypoint 3 and the other inside an old downed tree near waypoint 4. Today however, there were very view bees and all of us escaped without incident. The last time I was on the trail was in 2015 and the biggest change to the trail since then was the fallen boulder in the middle of the trail at waypoint 3. I included a photo from 2015 to show the comparison of the trail from today. With the introduction of that boulder, the waterfall obstacle to the left is more or less for short wheeled based vehicles. Long wheel based vehicles will have a difficult time. Our group did not continue on past waypoint 5 to the lake but we still had a blast.
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Bobby Nelson
Mapping Crew - Arizona
While living in the Midwest, I developed a passion for searching out new trails and hidden spots. That passion continues to this day in the beautiful southwestern United States. My wife and I are full-time RVers who travel from region to region, exploring every nook and cranny we can find. While getting to know the locals, we gain insight into these areas and then pass on that knowledge to our subscribers. We truly enjoy traversing long, beautiful back-country routes with epic campsites, but we equally enjoy pushing the limits on challenging rock crawling trails. Our rig was built to do everything, and that's what we hope to share with our subscribers.
Please visit our website https://www.xploremor.net to follow us and for opportunities to join us on our adventures. You can also view our vast video library on YouTube. Xploremor YouTube
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