Arizona Trails

New River Canyon

New River, Arizona (Maricopa County)

Last Updated: 01/24/2022

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Trail Information

Highlights

When you think of rugged off-road trails, you typically conjure up images of a trail in a land far away and not right near a major metro area such as just Phoenix, Arizona. New River is rugged and will have you feeling like you are in a remote part of the world rather than a quick drive from the Valley of the Sun. Stretching over 19 miles long across the New River Mountains and Mesa, you will feel enveloped inside the mountains and surrounded by saguaro and other cacti of the area. On a good day, you can cross the New River several times when it is flowing.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

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Todd

Official Crew

Trail Navigation

FR 41 is a 19-mile trail that very loosely follows the New River from I-17 to FR 24 through the Tonto National Forest. The road begins as West Table Mesa Road on the west side before turning into FR41, New River. It can be driven from either east to west or west to east as mapped here. Technical obstacles at Waypoint 21 and 23 will require your attention. The obstacle at Waypoint 23 does have a bypass forming around it, but there is no guarantee that it will remain the "easier" option after any given rain. Overall, the trail is very rough and requires driving over loose rocks, boulders, and deep ruts throughout the entirety of the trail. Hill climbs, and descents are also a regular occurrence along the trail. On top of all that, anticipate washouts that can happen after any rain. This trail will push the limits of a stock SUV. Better suited for pure off-road vehicles such as the Wrangler, Tacoma, 4 Runner, Bronco, with a mild lift. River Flow The New River can be trickling or raging depending on the season and the weather. Always double-check the weather before adventuring in the desert. Using Gaia GPS, you can check flow rates through the USGS Streamflow layer. Alternatively, you can find streamflow directly from the government here.

Heavy side-by-side traffic on the weekends and flash flooding during weather events, in addition to mud forming when wet.

1. Trailhead (0 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 1: Trailhead

Right off I-17 heading east is a staging area. The sign read's "State Trust Land. No Trespassing. Permit Required"

2. Cattle Guard - Bend Left (0.94 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 2: Cattle Guard - Bend Left

Stay left through the cattle guard. To the right is a private ranch. Through the cattle guard there is another staging area and good place to leave a trailer if needed.

3. New River Crossing - Continue (1.71 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 3: New River Crossing - Continue

Depending on rainfall or snowmelt, this river can be dry or flowing. Camping spurs can be found in the area.

4. Camping (2 mi)

An uneven area for camping, but not overly rocky. Large enough site for a few vehicles to camp with a view looking down into the New River.

5. Spur Road (2.84 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 5: Spur Road

There are a couple of spur roads in this area that are State Trust Land. The roads do not appear on any maps.

6. Rough Area Begins (3.55 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 6: Rough Area Begins

The rocky nature of this trail kicks off at this point. Anticipate a slow go with plenty of rocks to drive over and hills to climb from here on out.

7. Forest Service Boundary - Continue Straight (4.18 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 7: Forest Service Boundary - Continue Straight

Officially, New River FR41 starts at this point. There is flat ground in the area if required for camping, but not the most incredible spot for camping.

8. FR1484 - Bend Right (4.3 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 8: FR1484 - Bend Right

Bend right/straightish on the more defined road. FR 1484 is a short spur less than 1/2 mile long. There is flat and rocky ground here for camping.

9. Rocky Road Example (4.85 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 9: Rocky Road Example

Another pitch up that is rocky and may require 4 wheel drive, low gears.

10. Saddle and Camping - Veer Left Uphill (5.1 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 10: Saddle and Camping - Veer Left Uphill

You will reach a saddle of sorts before one of the more intimidating hill climbs on the entire trail. Three posts stand that must have held a sign at one point in time. A large camping site overlooks New River off in the distance and is large enough for several vehicles, but expect wind.

11. Hill Climb (5.23 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 11: Hill Climb

Skirting the north side of the point named "West Point," the hill climb is more intimidating than it looks. The rocks are loose but not overly large; 4 low will be helpful for a slow but methodical climb up. When reaching the top, there is plenty of room to pull over and wait for other members of your party.

12. Rocky Area (5.99 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 12: Rocky Area

Exposed undulating sandstone along the trail.

13. Rocky Area (6.01 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 13: Rocky Area

Coming uphill, the rocks are loose and ever-shifting. Slow and four low will make this area much more manageable.

14. Cattle Guard (6.12 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 14: Cattle Guard

Impressive views of where you came from or where you are going can be found right here.

15. Cholla Basin and Switchbacks (6.57 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 15: Cholla Basin and Switchbacks

Large wrapping switchbacks are rutted and rocky descending into Cholla Basin.

16. New River Crossing (7.3 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 16: New River Crossing

Water may or may not be flowing depending on seasonal conditions.

17. New River Crossing (7.78 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 17: New River Crossing

One of the actual obstacles on this trail is just on the west side of the river as you come down into the river bed. Once in the river bed, you must contend with small boulders which shift in position all the time. Sometimes you may have a clear path across, while other days, it may require more thinking. Once through, you must drive a loose rock hill on the other side of the River. This area is also a nice spot for a break or lunch depending on how much water is flowing in the river.

18. Monsoon Washout (8.52 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 18: Monsoon Washout

Depending on your vehicle size, your experience, and your crew, you may not want to proceed past this point until the washout has been repaired. The loose ground on the downslope does not indicate that it will stay contained and not giveaway with you and your vehicle dropping 7' below.

19. Scenic - Continue Straight (9.69 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 19: Scenic - Continue Straight

This is an excellent location to get out and stretch the legs. There is room for roughly six vehicles to pull off to the side of the road and not obstruct other traffic.

20. Obstacle with No Bypass (10.35 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 20: Obstacle with No Bypass

Formed from the monsoons of 2021, this obstacle has no bypass but does have a clear line through it. Inexperienced drivers may want a spotter. Note: The photos are taken driving the trail from west to east, which is the opposite of how the trail guide is written. There is no difference in difficulty going in either direction.

21. Obstacle with No Bypass (11.02 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 21: Obstacle with No Bypass

This obstacle, formed in the monsoons of 2021, has no bypass. However, there is a clear line through requiring only careful tire placement. Note: The photos are taken driving the trail from west to east, which is the opposite of how the trail guide is written. There is no difference in difficulty going in either direction.

22. Corral - Continue Straight (12.05 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 22: Corral - Continue Straight

Old corral and river access here.

23. Major Rock Slide with Bypass (12.27 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 23: Major Rock Slide with Bypass

This is the most challenging portion of the trail with a six technical rating. A spotter may be required for inexperienced drivers and or for vehicles without lift modifications. These boulders are loose will shift when driving over them, making the tiptoe across these boulders more interesting. Careful tire placement will rule the day here. Note: The photos are taken driving the trail from west to east, which is the opposite of how the trail guide is written. There is no difference in difficulty going in either direction. A bypass has formed dipping down into the wash to the north of this boulder field.

24. Minor Slide Obstacle (12.9 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 24: Minor Slide Obstacle

This is the easiest of the new obstacles formed as a result of the monsoons of 2021. Note: The photos are taken driving the trail from west to east, which is the opposite of how the trail guide is written. There is no difference in difficulty going in either direction.

25. FR 37 Trailhead - Go Right To Follow Main Road or Left for Lunch Spot (13.86 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 25: FR 37 Trailhead - Go Right To Follow Main Road or Left for Lunch Spot

Stay right to continue on FR 41. To the left is a fun side road to explore.

26. Scenic Area (13.67 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 26: Scenic Area

Great spot for lunch! Take note of all the fascinating rock formations in this area. There is a good spot for camping one vehicle on the high side of the wash, which is to the north.

27. FR 374 Trailhead - Go Straight (16.26 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 27: FR 374 Trailhead - Go Straight

Continue straight.

28. FR 17 Trailhead - Stay Straight (12.05 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 28: FR 17 Trailhead - Stay Straight

Stay straight for FR 41. To the right is FR 17, New River Mesa. This road takes you high up on the mesa and is extremely rough and rocky.

29. FR 3193 Trailhead - Stay Straight (18.13 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 29: FR 3193 Trailhead - Stay Straight

Follow the main road.

30. FR 1090 Trailhead - Stay Straight (19.43 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 30: FR 1090 Trailhead - Stay Straight

31. End at Cave Creek Road (19.43 mi)

New River Canyon - Waypoint 31: End at Cave Creek Road

This is the end of the trail at Cave Creek. Go left to head north towards Bloody Basin and into Yavapai County. Go right around the hairpin to head south back into town.

Trail Reviews

4.7/5 (29 reviews)

Ken Broermann

1300

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 11/19/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

At the start of the trail, there was a large dirt parking lot of trucks and trailers for side-by-sides, but the trail was quiet. There was no water flowing. I would rate this trail a 4. The final obstacle would be a 6-8, but it has a bypass. Enjoyable ride so close to the city! Stopped for lunch in Cave Creek at one of our old favorites El Encanto.

Trail Review: New River Canyon - Ken Broermann

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Andrew Bennett

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 11/19/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

We rode this "backwards" (East to West) yesterday so if the rockslide at Waypoint 23 was too gnarly we could turn around and go back. I have a built Gladiator and my buddy has a built 4Runner and even though we're confident both would have made it we opted to take the bypass that's formed down in the wash. The other washouts require attention, but they're packed down enough right now that the boulders aren't moving so that's easier. Overall, this trail is much more fun and technical than it was the last time I ran it back in February of 2021. We'll see what happens with the winter rains and summer monsoons in the future Waypoint 23 definitely makes it a 6, but the rest of the trail is more of a solid 4 than a 5 right now

James

2300

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 11/12/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Fun trail. It does take a while to get through it and can be quite dusty at the beginning and end when you can pick up the speed a bit. Definitely some harder spots but which could be more challenging had there been water flowing. We did run across a recent rollover of a 4-door Wrangler. There were a couple of sheriff vehicles there and 2 helicopters. Be safe out there.

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300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/24/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

Good trail, some fun spots, good views. In one spot I can see anyone on 35s or smaller wanting to take the bypass. The washed out area listed would be very tight for a full size truck in its current condition. Otherwise, anyone on 32s+ who drives safely and uses the bypasses available should be able to complete our

Graham Taylor

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/03/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Drove this trail today with a group of 5 Broncos. The rock obstacles are daunting but we all made it through with zero issues. No water running at this time. Great run took about 4 hours from the trail head to Cave Creek. Highly recommend, but make sure you have decent clearance.