Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Clay Springs, Arizona

This shortcut trail connects the northern and southern routes of Cactus Flats at the western end. It avoids the western trailhead, which can get busy on weekends. It is an easy trail with a few ruts. As a shortcut, it will take 4.5 miles off the trip. Most of the area is open with beautiful wildflow...
Learn more about Hunt Tank Shortcut

This beautiful, easy route connects FS 139 Cottonwood Wash with the East Mogollon Rim Road. The decommissioned Deer Springs Fire Lookout rises stoically above the far western side of this route overlooking the Mogollon Rim. This historic forest fire lookout was built in 1923 and listed on the Nation...
Learn more about FS 161 West Fork

This level, the easy short route follows FS 46 Stinson Road west from FS 139. It is through prime wild horse habitat. Driving slowly will increase your chances of viewing the majestic animals that have lived wild in the area for almost 300 years. The horses are wild and should not be approached. Th...
Learn more about FS 46 Wild Horse Haven

This peaceful route is from the south end of Turkey Hill Road in Pinedale to Pinedale Ridge (FS 132). It travels through the pine forest and a few open areas where wild horses can be seen. With moisture, the trail becomes slick and can add some mud holes and ruts to navigate. It is a short but rewar...
Learn more about Hub Point - FS 919

Connecting the historic mountain community of Pinedale with the Mogollon Rim, FS 130 climbs steadily through one of Arizona’s largest ponderosa pine forests. The route transitions from quiet forest roads to dramatic overlooks where the land drops thousands of feet into Arizona’s rugged Rim Country. ...
Learn more about Pinedale Rim - FS 130

Forest Road 219, commonly known as Water Canyon, is a scenic backcountry route through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Pinedale, Arizona. This peaceful drive winds through towering ponderosa pines, mixed conifer forest, and open mountain meadows, offering a classic White Mountains experie...
Learn more about Water Canyon - FS 219

This easy trail showcases the beautiful, open views of the desert southwest. The green trees are contrasted with the black, tangled roots of dead trees, serving as sentinel to their past. Watch the large rocks carefully in this area for the brilliant green Eastern Collared Lizard sunning itself. The...
Learn more about Lazy Lizard - FR 9600S

This peaceful, scenic, open route connects the Lazy Lizard FR 9600S to Cactus Flats. There is one very rutted section midway through the route that increases the difficulty. There are numerous overland camping spots on the western side of the trail. Antelope are frequently racing across the open ter...
Learn more about Red Dirt Road

Forest Service Road 130 is an enjoyable, easy-to-moderate drive through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest that leads to the historic Juniper Ridge Fire Lookout. The route begins as FS 143 near Pinedale and winds through beautiful stands of ponderosa pine, mixed conifer forest, and open meadows b...
Learn more about Juniper Ridge - FS 130

This trail starts at Arizona Highway 260. There is a parking area and staging spot at the turnoff. This trail meanders toward the Mogollon Rim. The area was ravaged by the Rodeo-Chediski Fire in 2002 which burned 410,000 acres. It was the largest fire in Arizona until it was surpassed in 2011. The f...
Learn more about FS 139 Cottonwood Wash

This route is heavily treed and lined with beautiful, young Ponderosa Pines. The area was ravaged by the Rodeo-Chemiski Fire in 2002 and the new trees are all about 20 years old. The route travels through very rocky, steep terrain. It is primarily small rocks traction can be difficult and erosion ca...
Learn more about Young Pondo Pine Path

This shortcut connects West Pinedale Road with the Cactus Flats trail. West Pinedale Road is paved and has easy access to AZ Highway 260. The route is rocky with some ruts. Antelope, coyotes, and hawks can be seen from this route. If you stop along this route, watch out for the giant ant hills.
Learn more about Antelope Shortcut

FS 141 may be short, but it packs one of the most technical sections in the Pinedale area. This rocky spur climbs through the ponderosa pines with deep erosion ruts, exposed bedrock, and loose rock that require careful tire placement and a slow, controlled approach. While experienced drivers will en...
Learn more about FS 141

This trail follows FS 107 Willow Wash from Arizona Highway 260 to the Mogollon Rim Road. It is well-traveled but has a few rutted spots and some sandy areas. Watch for the wild horses along this trail. They are the Mogollon Rim wild horses that supposedly descended from the horses brought by the Spa...
Learn more about FS 107 Willow Wash

This is another great out-and-back trail from the Thistle Hollow Road to Thistle Well Tank. It meets up with a closed road on the west side by Thistle Well Tank. The drive back heading East is well worth the trip out and back with spectacular views to the North overlooking the Snowflake-Taylor area....
Learn more about Thistle Well Tank

Forest Road 131 (Bear Canyon) is a scenic, shortcut route connecting FS 300 Rim Road East and FS 130 Pinedale Rim. The trail meanders through towering ponderosa pines, mixed conifer forest, and quiet mountain meadows before descending into the peaceful Bear Canyon drainage. With its combination of b...
Learn more about Bear Canyon - FS 131

This is an awesome trail for views. Almost every part of this trail has views one way or another. This trail offers views of canyons, mountains, rock out cropping's, and Trees. Unfortunately, this trail ends up on a closed road so it is an out-and-back trip. There are some hills to climb and descen...
Learn more about Bull Ranch Draw

This trail travels through Thistle Hollow, an area transitioning from high desert into the lower elevations of the White Mountains. Starting on the north end near Pinedale Road and traveling south toward Lone Pine Dam Road, the landscape gradually shifts from scrub brush and cactus to juniper and sc...
Learn more about Thistle Hollow - FS 229

This is an easy trail winding through forest meadows and across small washes. Despite its name, this trail has lots of wild horses to see. This trail can be traveled in 2WD with medium clearance, however, during and after rain or snow, it can become very muddy. Please do not attempt to use the south...
Learn more about Dead Horse Draw

Most of this trail is an easy-going forest road until it heads west, when it becomes a bit of rocky terrain --nothing extreme, just a small rock. The trail is mainly in Juniper/Pinion pines and has some good views of the North, looking towards Snowflake-T lor. It's a nice afternoon drive--be prepare...
Learn more about Thistle Hollow

This shortcut trail connects the northern and southern routes of Cactus Flats at the western end. It avoids the western trailhead, which can get busy on weekends. It is an easy trail with a few ruts. As a shortcut, it will take 4.5 miles off the trip. Most of the area is open with beautiful wildflow...
Learn more about Hunt Tank Shortcut

This beautiful, easy route connects FS 139 Cottonwood Wash with the East Mogollon Rim Road. The decommissioned Deer Springs Fire Lookout rises stoically above the far western side of this route overlooking the Mogollon Rim. This historic forest fire lookout was built in 1923 and listed on the Nation...
Learn more about FS 161 West Fork

This level, the easy short route follows FS 46 Stinson Road west from FS 139. It is through prime wild horse habitat. Driving slowly will increase your chances of viewing the majestic animals that have lived wild in the area for almost 300 years. The horses are wild and should not be approached. Th...
Learn more about FS 46 Wild Horse Haven

This peaceful route is from the south end of Turkey Hill Road in Pinedale to Pinedale Ridge (FS 132). It travels through the pine forest and a few open areas where wild horses can be seen. With moisture, the trail becomes slick and can add some mud holes and ruts to navigate. It is a short but rewar...
Learn more about Hub Point - FS 919

This shortcut trail connects the northern and southern routes of Cactus Flats at the western end. It avoids the western trailhead, which can get busy on weekends. It is an easy trail with a few ruts. As a shortcut, it will take 4.5 miles off the trip. Most of the area is open with beautiful wildflow...
Learn more about Hunt Tank Shortcut

This beautiful, easy route connects FS 139 Cottonwood Wash with the East Mogollon Rim Road. The decommissioned Deer Springs Fire Lookout rises stoically above the far western side of this route overlooking the Mogollon Rim. This historic forest fire lookout was built in 1923 and listed on the Nation...
Learn more about FS 161 West Fork

This level, the easy short route follows FS 46 Stinson Road west from FS 139. It is through prime wild horse habitat. Driving slowly will increase your chances of viewing the majestic animals that have lived wild in the area for almost 300 years. The horses are wild and should not be approached. Th...
Learn more about FS 46 Wild Horse Haven

This peaceful route is from the south end of Turkey Hill Road in Pinedale to Pinedale Ridge (FS 132). It travels through the pine forest and a few open areas where wild horses can be seen. With moisture, the trail becomes slick and can add some mud holes and ruts to navigate. It is a short but rewar...
Learn more about Hub Point - FS 919