Hieroglyphic Mountain Loop

The trail was a fun trail but went relatively quickly if you are just sticking to the guided trail it self. We finished the trail in about 2-3 hours total trip. We did not stop venturing out much as we had things to do later on. Some parts going up the hill and down do get very narrow. Definitely not for a full size vehicle. 4 door wrangler just makes it

Pretty fun and clean trail has a nice mix of everything! Few spots that are little tricky but good tire placement makes easy work. Watch out towards the end of the hill climb there's a sharp turn that's pretty rutted and lose take it slow or you might slide into the wall.

This is not that difficult if trail. In the old days of 1 to 10, maybe a 5.

Did this trail today. It’s lots of fun. The waterfall obstacle is fun to play on for sure. There’s one steep climb that is fun. There is one decline that is steep, bends to the driver’s side out of view, and has a large washed hole along the driver’s side. Take it slow and be prepared for the rear ended to slide a little. Not sure if it should be a 5. Waterfall is optional and there isn’t really anything after that which cannot be done in a stock Wrangler. Fun trail just out of Phoenix. I recommend it for a fun time.

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

We completed this trail in two different visits. The first time, on a Saturday, we came in via Morgan City Wash and met up with the trail at Waypoint 16. We than ran the trail backwards. That greatly reduced the brush and increased the fun factor climbing out of the wash with the steep incline, loose dirt, curved trail, and the small ledge in one of the curves. The front camera got a good workout due to numerous peaks where otherwise you only saw the hood and the sky. The second day we came in through the staging area and followed the trail to Waypoint 9 where we left this trail to follow LP9 north to meet with the northern end of LP10. From there we followed LP10 to meet back up with this trail at Waypoint 13 and continued on for the rest of this trail ending up back at the staging area. I much preferred the northern routes that we took on both days ... more steep inclines/declines and great views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Pleasant. The southern route from Waypoint 16 through Waypoint 20 spent more time down in the washes ... although it was still a a fun trail. Both days were dry and sunny with temps around 70 degrees ... doesn't get much better than that.

Having never explored the Boulder HOV area, it was suprising to see the vast network of interconnected trails–unless you know where you're going, you could easily get lost on one of many side trails. We ran this loop in what I'm guessing is the reverse of what the majority do, and the climb out of the wash was especially… interesting. I wouldn't recommend running it that way if you have a fear of heights, a very steep climb, and a sheer drop-off all in one ascent. The TrailsOffroad description "narrow trail when climbing the high peaks that give a bit of the pucker factor with little to no room for turnarounds" was pretty spot on - We had to help a broken down Jeep coming in the other direction stuck in the trail, and it required a lot of manuevering to get them to a safe spot so vehicles could get by.

We tackled HML yesterday with a rather large group and had a blast. The descent at waypoint 12 was a little tricky given it was a little slippery from a brief rain that day but still exciting. We did not run into much traffic until after that point but you've got to do your best to be respectful and mindful of Tread Lightly principals as there are limited places to pass. The trail markers are easy to follow and this trail makes for a great day on the trail. Being afraid of heights will make this trail certainly more exciting.

They're not lying when they say it is a roller coaster through the desert. Constant rain and fog made our trip especially interesting. I'd love to go back on a sunny day to see how different it can be. Fog muted our views, but added a special element to the trip as we so rarely see it out here. Mud city in the rain, but no one seemed to have any issues with traction, but all were highly cautious throughout the ride. Our group was massive, the largest I've ever been involved in, so our trip took about 5-6 hours due to traffic jams. Do yourself a favor and go with a small, tight-knit group.