Black Canyon Road

4/5 (4 reviews)
Heber-Overgaard, Arizona (Navajo County)
Last Updated: 05/31/2023

Trail Information

Highlights

Black Canyon Road is a very easy trail and a delightful way to spend an afternoon exploring the Mogollon Rim and learning about the area's long and diverse history. The trail begins at Black Canyon Lake, a picturesque mountain lake much less crowded than the nearby popular Woods Canyon Lake. A 1-mile hike takes you to the gravesite of three cowboys lynched and hung from a ponderosa tree nearby, unfortunate victims of the Pleasant Valley War between feuding ranchers. Further down the road are pullouts for old homesteads, native american ruins, and ancient petroglyphs. The trail offers numerous historical markers with informational signage. Black Canyon Road is a great day trip for a family with young children or anyone interested in the region's colorful history.


Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4/5 (4)
Official Crew
60950
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/23/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Loved all the history along this trail. The USFS signs were informative.
Official Crew
74350
Open
Visited: 07/07/2021

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.
15100
Open
Rated 3/5
Visited: 04/22/2021

We combined five trails in this region into a daylong off road adventure. We started by running Sharp Hollow (FR 160) from Hwy 260 to Black Canyon Road. We then ran north up to the beginning of the Black Canyon Road. We ran the Black Canyon Road in its entire length. From there we backtracked along the Mogollon Rim Road until it intersected with FR 9569J … an out-and-back run along FR 9569J brought us back to the beginning of FR 487. We ran FR 487 in its entire length … back tracking along it to reach the start of Rocky Draw (FR 50). We then ran north up Rocky Draw (FR 50) to complete the day. Total travel time was 3:20 hrs with an additional 3:02 hrs spent enjoying the country side, taking pictures, and eating lunch. Black Canyon Road was recently graded ... a low-rider Prius would have worked today. The lake was way down. The Black Mesa Ranger Station, located on Hwy 260 in Overgaard, has a handout that gives some good detail about the stops along this route.
Open
Visited: 05/25/2019

Fun trail and is a great way to spend the day enjoying the cool weather of the Mogollon Rim. Lots of great campsites to be found and many offshoot trails to make the rest of the day one full of exploration. This trail can get a bit interesting, especially after a big snow, but still is fun. Lots to see and do. Make sure when you're done, to stop in at Al & Diane's Red Onion Lounge in Heber for a burger and a cold one!

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