Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Paulden, Arizona

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Ye Old 89

This trail follows the section south of the closed gate where the Old 89 passes through the concrete plant. It buzzes past fields of perfectly spaced Juniper trees, while jackrabbits dart across as you drive…
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Total Miles
4.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

FS 635" The Locked Gate"

This easy, two-lane, forest grader takes you all the way to a locked gate. It also is the main graded road and access to the area to get across the train tracks and gain access…
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Total Miles
7.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Rock Butte View Trail

This mostly easy two-track trail diverts from the main Rock Butte trail and provides access to a few nice dispersed camping spots via a small shelf and a few rutted off-camber tracks. The meadow area…
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Total Miles
0.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Not the Way Across the Tracks

This section of the Old 89 takes the driver from the new paved 89 back across the ridge to the old dirt section. There are quite a few nice dispersed camping spots near the beginning…
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Total Miles
1.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Northern Pipe Line Road

If you like mostly straight and mostly flat trails, this is the one for you. The road is here because of the gas pipeline that it parallels. There are a few mild transitions here and…
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Total Miles
2.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Pine Flat

This short and sweet little connector trail passes by a lovely tank and green area with plenty of flowers blooming, if you are lucky enough to be here in the springtime. It passes through some…
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Total Miles
2.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Just Grazing Trail

This short loop through the fields is clearly grazing grounds and a nice fun track to reconnect with the main road in and out of the area. This one completes the loop. It's easy and…
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Total Miles
1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Juniper Meadows

This short out and back leg offers some tight technical turns. A chance to greet cattle around blind turns and see some spectacular large old juniper trees. While there is a small view at the…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp

Jerome to Williams

This is a 49-mile well-graded gravel/paved road between Jerome and Williams. It provides access to a large area, but only the southern portion of it is an interesting ride. In the very first part after…
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Total Miles
46.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp / Wi

Road 000047

This trail is typically unmaintained in the wintertime and offers access to biking, horseback riding, and hiking trails. Spotty cellphone service. This is a residential area, so be respectful when driving as this is a…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Thumb Butte Loop

The Thumb Butte Loop is arguably the most traveled off-road section in the Prescott National Forest. It's close to town, easy to access and offers sweeping views over Prescott, the Sierra Prieta, the Weaver Mountains…
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Total Miles
7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Jack Pine Road

This trail gives you access to hiking trails and provides great views of the valley down below. There is spotty cell phone service along the trail, better at the top. If you want a more…
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Total Miles
2.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

JD Dam Lake

This easy, graded trail leads from the pine flats to the JD Dam Lake. The lake itself is a stocked fishing lake with Rainbow Trout, which is strictly catch and release. There is some camping…
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Total Miles
7.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Old 354 Road to Pine Flats

This easy graded and washboard trail takes the explorer from the paved section of Old Highway 73 all the way south toward Pine Flats. There are sweeping ridgeline views. Nice dispersed campsites under the trees…
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Total Miles
6.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

009402D

This trail is not maintained in the winter. It gets muddy when wet, and it is also rutted out in some places. There is no camping along the trail; however, there is dispersed camping at…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Mount Francis

This trail is not maintained in the winter. It gets muddy when wet and it is rutted out. The road goes past private property. The road ends at a gate; however, the trail beyond the…
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Total Miles
0.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Mingus to Cherry Vista FSR 132

This trail will take you from Mingus to the quaint little town of Cherry. Cherry is an old still inhabited ghost town established in the 1880's. It is worth checking out, as many of the…
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Total Miles
11
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Old 12 Niner

This moderately easy trail winds through the forest and passes some nice secluded camping spots. A few sections are clear enough for stunning views from a higher elevation. There is an abundance of downed trees…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Spruce Mountain Lookout

This trail leads up to a fire lookout and a couple of awesome hikes. Picnic tables and a small restroom are at the top. There is a gate; it was open when this trail was…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Bannie and Amulet Mine

This drive through ponderosa pines leads to two historic mine remains. Drivers may miss Bannie Mine, as it has little evidence left, but Amulet Mine features historic foundations and metal materials just off the side…
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Total Miles
3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Pipeline

This trail is rutted, sandy, and will be very muddy when wet. Camping is only allowed in designated areas, there are a few with big spots for bigger rigs. Typically unmaintained after rain or snow.…
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Total Miles
1.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Sycamore Point

This trail leads to a scenic overlook above the Colcord and Tule Canyons. The beginning of the trail is washboard, potholes, and ruts. There are lots of dispersed camping spots near highway 73. The spots…
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Total Miles
14.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Rosilda Springs Trail

While no springs were found along this trail, it does lead to and follows a section of the Overland Road Historic Trail #113. There are informational kiosks with information and history about the trail and…
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Total Miles
7.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Senator Highway, Crown King Road

This is a long and windy road that takes you to Crown King. Because of its length, and the many things to see and do along the way, you'll want to allow plenty of time…
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Total Miles
28.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Firewood Camping Trail

This wooded trail winds through the Kaibab National Forest; there are tons of camping and firewood to be found as you go. Stumps and rocks are scattered throughout the trail, but high clearance is not…
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Total Miles
2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

74A

This short road is rocky, sandy, muddy when wet, and tight with no turnarounds. It's a fun little road to enjoy in a 4WD; low clearance is possible with the right approach. Uneven, rutted trail…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

Hassayampa Creek

This road is short but fun. Rutted, rocky, and very tight with only enough room for one car, and no turnaround. No camping in this area. Typically unmaintained after rain or snow. You may encounter…
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Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Dogtown Trail

This is an easy dirt-road route that leads to a few different spots throughout the Kaibab National Forest. Driving through the trees with sunlight filtering through, it is an extremely serene little trip. There are…
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Total Miles
8.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Sunflower Flat and JD Cabin

This rutted-up trail provides access to the Sunflower Flats Lake recreation and wildlife viewing area and the JD cabin. The flats and cabin have posted no camping signs and are only accessible by foot. The…
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Total Miles
2.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

White Horse Lake and Sycamore Falls

This easy washboard road leads past another entry point for the Sycamore Loop Trail. This one has a pit toilet for when nature calls. There is also a turnout at Sycamore falls. If you're lucky…
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Total Miles
6.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp