A nice trail with a couple extremely tricky spots where a spotter’s eye is a must.
This trail takes you in to Bartlett Lake from the East side, and once you reach the lake provides you with a great view of the dam. An optional, rarely used (abandoned?) power line road offers an exit, and a very tippy lean.
Four Peak, south of Hwy87 from FR143
The Four Peaks area and the El Oso Mine trail is a great place to explore within a short drive from Phoenix. I wanted to lead a trail for the 4x4wire Arizona Isuzu and Mitsubishi group, and felt that this trail would make the perfect introduction. We met at the start of the El Oso (four peaks) road, with everyone showing up at about 9:30. We made introductions and started to air down in preparation for the 18 mile drive on the graded road (designated FR143). This area is popular for all OHV users, so quads and trail bikes are to be expected, especially close to the highway.
Climb in elevation in the Mazatzal Mountains on FR143. This road eventually ends at Punkin Center NW of Theodore Roosevelt Lake. The trail rises to over 5,000′ and reaches a saddle at Pine Mountain. This is where FR422 (Edwards Trail) heads north leaving FR143. This road is still tame and has a few steep climbs, but traction is good. At FR463 (N33 44.741 W111 22.175 NAD83) we left the main the El Oso mine trail (FR422) and start on the Joline Mine trail. This is where all of the challenges are encountered.
Within a few hundred yards of FR463, the trail yields some challenges, including some nice slabs that will test the suspension travel of the vehicle. This portion of the trail runs along a ridge overlooking Big Pine Flat, with some nice views. This area was damaged by fire many years ago, and is now just recovering. The brush here is very tight, and is the worst you will find throughout the loop.
Venue Website: pima.gov
This is a beautiful run through the extreme southern portion of the state, starting just north of Nogales and ending south of Sierra Vista. This is not a difficult trail, and is suitable for any SUV. We may explore several side trails if time permits. If you enjoy visiting / photographing old ghost towns and mines you will not be disappointed. Take your camera equipment and take your time enjoying the area. This is a perfect family run. Here is a picture of the Coronado National Forest area.
This is a moderate trail and any stock Land Rover is capable of handling this trail. There are some difficult obstacles with rock in the wash and steep loose rock hill climbs. Starting at the east ranch outpost of Beyota Ranch at Mile Marker 17 off Reddington Pass Road the trail climbs and then drops down into a rocky wash with challenging obstacles along the way. The trail then climbs out of the wash and up and over the ridge towards the land mark Chimney Rock and reconnects with the Reddington Pass Road
Venue Website: http://www.sporq.com
Chuy’s Mexican Broiler. No-frills cantina where flip-flops are the norm.
Indian School just East of 32nd Street. google map.{mos_fb_discuss:10}
Venue Website: pima.gov
This is a moderate-difficulty trail that climbs from the desert foothills near the Boyce Thompson Arboretum into the Superstition Mountains. Work your way up a rocky streambed (hopefully there will be a trickle of water left), climb to scrub oak and juniper pinion vegetation, and work your way west along some ridges toward Rogers Trough, and then down into scenic rocky country the Superstition Mountains are so known. This trail packs a lot of different scenery into one day, and is suitable for all vehicles and talents.
This trail was graded after the fire on Mt. Lemmon. It is starting to wash out again in spots but is fairly easy except the last 500 feet to the top of the peak which is a steep climb and loose rocks.
original writeup: Originally not a difficult trail. With the fires and washouts, it’s rating has been upgraded to a 3.5. The last few hundred meters feature loose, thin shale that adds a bit of excitement on the final ascent.
The Rover’s Playground. Trails abound here, and there’s something for every level of driver. 4+ trails offer complex and technical challenges while some of the less challenging drives offer spectactular scenery.
Worth the trip, every time.Difficult trial that changes dramatically with water.
Jan 10, 2013 – downgraded to a 3 due to trail modifications from mining/forestry service activity removing and altering some of the more difficult obstacles.
The Charouleau Gap is one of the best 4WD trips in the Catalinas. This scenic route is for 4-wheel drive vehicles only. The road up and over Samaniego Ridge is rough, rocky and requires good ground clearance as well as excellent traction.
On the western half of the trip there are broad and expansive views as you climb up and back down Charouleau Gap, and the roads aren’t quite as bad since they have been graded in the past. For the northern half of the trip, much of your time is spent down around the Canada del Oro wash and is especially rough in places. The toughest single spot by vehicle is known as The Step (N32.53085 W110.78176); because of the incline it is preferable to drive down it from Oracle; however, many manage to climb up it from the Catalina side. Mar, 2013 – The Step has now been bypassed by the forestry service.
The other tough spot is a quarter-mile stretch known as (yep) the Quarter Mile, which if driving from Oracle starts about a mile south of The Step (around N32.51812 W110.78185) and goes down to the bottom of the elbow in the route. One other place of note is a spot known as the Elevator Shaft (N32.56493 W110.78086), a climb that is long and steep, but has a solid surface for vehicles because of past grading. The route also has interesting rock formations, the remains of an old adobe home at a place marked on topo maps as Coronado Camp.
This trail flows off of the main Table Mesa trail and leads you to an abandon mine, replete with large gears and a station house.
Supposedly this trail has been graded and is now not much of a challenge.
