Located near the small community of Queen Valley, there are numerous OHV trails that lead to all kinds of old foundations, stretches of road and other remnants of times past. This particular route travels past a once-popular group camping area and an abandoned quarry. The camping is really easy to access from the highway, yet far enough away to not disturb you during the night. Wonderful, wide-open campsites for groups or just a solo night under the stars, just minutes off the highway.
Along the route, you'll be treated to spectacular vistas of the surrounding Superstition Mountains, endless varieties of cactus and if you time it right, the desert flower bloom. As you work your way north, the dramatic southern peaks of the Superstitions fill your windshield. You can take the short but challenging side trip up to the top of the old quarry for a very unique view of the east valley of Phoenix, Arizona.
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Head east on US-60 E/Superstition Fwy for 17.6 miles. Turn left/north onto W El Camino Viejo. Continue onto Ent del Oro Blvd for 1.0 mile. Turn right/east onto E El Camino Viejo. Continue On El Camino for 2.2 miles. Turn left/North N Apache Land Dr (Across from cellular tower at cattle gate).
Nice easy trail, pretty flat for most of the trail with lots of smaller rocks. The quarry at the end is cool, next time we will be going up the more difficult hill climb but did not attempt it today.
I ran the trail outlined here but added the San Mateo Castro section to make this a 12 mile run. I have to say some of the trails on State Trust Land are very enjoyable and this was no exception. The section that runs to the top at waypoint 6 is the most challenging section. I continued down the backside after waypoint 7 (not on trail guide) and looped back to waypoint 5. It was a fun decent but had some rutted areas.
At waypoint 12 I made a right and continued North on San Mateo Castro road until it intersected with Peralta Rd. There are a few sections with off camber climbs that required high clearance but this added some additional miles and scenery. Only saw a couple of other people by the Quarry. The rest I had to myself. Enjoyed for sure.
I rated the trail as the guide shows as spot on but adding the additional sections would rate slightly harder.
This trail is pretty sweet. I’m newer to the 4x4 world and went in my ‘03 RCSB Silverado. Getting to the Quarry portion was fairly easy, trail is pretty simple too. I only needed to put it in 4x4 because I was breaking traction going up the little rocky hill just before the quarry. Exiting was probably the hardest for me personally as a newbie. Pretty much really rocky and way bumpier than the trail leading up to it. (My truck also doesn’t have the greatest shocks right now)
Great trail though, and having these pointers beforehand was great.
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.
Due to extremely high fire danger, exceptional drought conditions, resource availability, and increased fire activity, the Department of Forestry and Fire Management and the Arizona State Land Department will implement closures to State Trust Land throughout Arizona. These closures are also in conjunction with our USFS partners.
As of 8am on June 25, 2021, closures will be implemented on state-owned and managed lands in all 15 counties. All state-owned and managed lands are closed to entry for recreational purposes, including hunting, camping, and off-road vehicle use. Target shooting and fireworks are prohibited year-round.
AZ State Land Closures Notice
This was a really fun trail that doesn't take too long. It's not all that challenging until you get to the rock climb to the top of the hill where one of the best campsites we have seen in the area is. It is definitely worth making your way up the hill.
Great for a quick ride fairly close to the East valley. The climb to the top was steep and had a little of a pucker factor for me. I’m pretty new at off-roading so I wouldn’t recommend the hill of you don’t have confidence or experience in your rig. Beautiful views from the top.
I had never heard of this trail until finding it on this site- glad I did! Beautiful views and it felt like you were in the middle of nowhere- which I like. Saw only one other truck. It was just me & the pup and we went out a little late, so we didn't go all the way up- but caught a beautiful sunset. We will definitely come back soon. **make sure to get a permit :)
The Sawtooth Fire has resulted in a temporary closure to this trail. I have attached a link to the Incident Site where you can find out more details about the current conditions.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6730/
This is a fun trail that is close by for those of us who live in the east valley. A huge assortment of cross trails can get you lost, so do bring a digital map of the trail. And, absolutely do not miss climbing to the top of the mountain next to the mine site. The views are tremendous in all directions .... this perch was the highlight of the trail for us.
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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.
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