Black Canyon Road

Loved all the history along this trail. The USFS signs were informative.

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.

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.

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!