Nestled in the heart of the popular Table Mesa Recreation Area, this short and straightforward trail provides some nice scenic views of the vast Sonoran Desert that covers most of southwestern Arizona along with the Bradshaw and New River mountain ranges looming west and east, respectively. You can easily combine this trail with other nearby tracks to create a longer loop drive.
This short road won't take long to drive the length of it, but you'll want to plan some extra time to take in the scenery.
TMRA (which stands for table Mesa Recreation Area) 9991 begins off AZCO Mine Road. The trailhead offers two lines, the right side being the more difficult. It's actually the most difficult obstacle on this otherwise very easy trail.
From Phoenix proceed north on I-17 to Exit 236. On the west side of the exit proceed north 1.7 miles on Table Mesa Road - West to Waypoint 3, a Y intersection. Take the right fork at the intersection, which is AZCO Mine Road, and proceed north .75 miles to the trailhead on the left.
Hi! I'm Wade.
After 43 years as a pilot, split evenly between flying fighters for the Air Force and Boeing 737s for the airlines, my feet are firmly planted on the ground. Seems I spent a lot of my flying time looking out the cockpit window thinking, "Yep, I could drive that trail."
My trips range from a few days to a month. Most are solo in my silver 4Runner named Bullit. We range over all the southwest exploring remote places and trying to get as much dirt under the wheels as possible. Occasionally I get in some hiking, backpacking, and bushcraft as well. My most ambitious overlanding plans include a trip to Tuktoyaktuk and Dead Horse.
Sharing my experiences as a member of the Trails Offroad crew is a true pleasure.
Hope to see you on the trail soon.