Arizona Trail Passage 15: Tortilla Mountains

AZT Passage 15: Tortilla Mountains is a 28.1-mile point-to-point section of the roughly 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail. This moderately rated section runs from Freeman Road Trailhead to the Gila River and is located west of Kearny, AZ. This passage is accessible for runners, hikers, long-distance backpackers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Passage 15 rolls across a remote section of the Sonoran Desert up to the foothills of the Tortilla Mountains, and then down to the Gila River. This section is hot, dry, and exposed but with a unique, rugged beauty that is synonymous with the desert. It features moderate miles along single and doubletrack trails through a rolling desert terrain. The trail crosses sandy washes and several ranch roads, and passes large boulder piles and unique rock formations. It traverses through mesquite trees, ocotillo, and cholla cacti, while spring wildflowers, such as yellow brittlebush, desert globemallow, and the magenta petals of the strawberry hedgehog cactus, line the trail and color the hillsides. The trail descends through Ripsey Wash and its forest of swollen saguaros, and then ascends into the foothills of the Tortilla Mountains. The toughest part of this section is the ascent up the "Big Hill," a two-mile exposed climb with a series of switchbacks that leads to a scenic ridgeline with expansive views. The scenery remains impressive as the trail continues across the ridge and eventually descends towards the Gila River.DIRECTIONS- Freeman Road Trailhead follow AZT signs to the Florence-Kelvin Trailhead.- Cross the highway and continue to the Kelvin Bridge and the Gila River.WATERCheck the Arizona Trail Water Report for current information at: https://aztrail.org/explore/water-sources/.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INFORMATIONArizona National Scenic Trail Association: www.aztrail.orgArizona State Land Department, https://land.az.gov/ ,1-(602) 542-2506.Bureau of Land Management, http://www.blm.gov/ ,1-(520) 258-7200.BLM Information Center (602) 417-9300.