Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona

Springer Mountain is an easy and scenic point-to-point trail through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Lakeside, AZ. The route is graded and covered with gravel and easily passable by most vehicles. Rain may increase the trail difficulty, and winter travel may not be possible. This is a gre...
Learn more about Springer Mountain

This is a nice little drive in the forest--nothing technical. Ski Hi is accessible by high-clearance cars. There are beautiful pines and awesome starry night skies in the late spring/summer! The roads are usually passable in the snow but not always. A few tanks along the way may bring some wildlife ...
Learn more about Ski Hi to Turkey Mountain

Spring, Summer, Fall - mostly easy trail with some great side spurs with awesome views. Along this route, you will also see an old run-down cabin near the Sawmill tank and an old homestead North of the Timber Mesa Trailhead, which we call Twin Chimneys. Parts of this trail are shared with maintained...
Learn more about Porter Mountain Loop

This is a little jumper road between FR182 and FR283 with lots of side trails to explore. It is a really easy grade. It may become impassible in winter. Less than 1/2 hour - more like a 15-minute ride from one road to the next on a nice day. Winter may take a little longer depending on the snow.
Learn more about Turkey Mountain

You'll find lots of Ponderosa Pine, Some Oak, and Juniper. You'll also see changes to see wildlife such as Elk, Deer, Turkey, Rabbits & Squirrels. This is a nice easy drive through the forest. This trail will take you from Porter Mountain Road to FR271 if you stay through and don't wander on the man...
Learn more about FR283 - Marshall Mountain

Should you decide to take this trail, please know it is very slow going due to the amount of Malapais and rock in the trail. If you air down, it might help. Along this trip, you will cross over into the Apache-Sitgreaves Forest and see some wonderful Juniper, and if you get out and hike a short dist...
Learn more about North Fool Hollow

This trail seems like it will lead to a dead end;there's a lot of overgrowth and many downed trees on and near the road. Surprisingly, it continues through. There's nothing hard about this trek and it has a great view of a prairie-type land at the north end.
Learn more about Decon1

FR135 is another great connection between Rim Road (FR300) and Joe Tank Road (FR136). This has a greater change in elevation than FR140 and in the winter can become impassable due to snow and the grade combined. This trail has several really cool side trails and some spurs as well. It's great to exp...
Learn more about FR135

Joe Tank is a good access road to places to hike, bike, horseback ride, 4-wheel, and camp, and includes many side trails. Many of them are spur trails created for hiking and biking. Some of the hiking, biking, and horseback trails share 2-track roads, so be cautious of hikers, bikers, and horseback ...
Learn more about Joe Tank Road (FR136)

Use FR140 to cross between Joe Tank Road (FR136) and Rim Road (FR300)--it is a good access road to some great side trips for a day of exploring. Wild horses and bald eagles are present in the area. Bringing a motorhome or car back here for camping is not recommended, but it is a good area for overla...
Learn more about FR140

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 is a shortcut across from Cactus Flats to FS655 - also known as the Maverick Trail. This is a great side trip to explore while making a day out of all the trails in the area. This trail is recommended for UTV, ATV, and dirt bikes since once you leave the Cactus Flats trail you will run into the...
Learn more about Thistle Camp

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

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 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

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 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 is a very scenic drive that will take you by the Thode Cabin and the old Whiting Saw Mill that both date back to the early 1900's as well as a small side trail that will take the Greens Peak lookout tower. About half of the trail is a well-maintained Forest Service Road, while the other half is...
Learn more about Forest Service Road 61/64F

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

Springer Mountain is an easy and scenic point-to-point trail through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Lakeside, AZ. The route is graded and covered with gravel and easily passable by most vehicles. Rain may increase the trail difficulty, and winter travel may not be possible. This is a gre...
Learn more about Springer Mountain

This is a nice little drive in the forest--nothing technical. Ski Hi is accessible by high-clearance cars. There are beautiful pines and awesome starry night skies in the late spring/summer! The roads are usually passable in the snow but not always. A few tanks along the way may bring some wildlife ...
Learn more about Ski Hi to Turkey Mountain

Spring, Summer, Fall - mostly easy trail with some great side spurs with awesome views. Along this route, you will also see an old run-down cabin near the Sawmill tank and an old homestead North of the Timber Mesa Trailhead, which we call Twin Chimneys. Parts of this trail are shared with maintained...
Learn more about Porter Mountain Loop

This is a little jumper road between FR182 and FR283 with lots of side trails to explore. It is a really easy grade. It may become impassible in winter. Less than 1/2 hour - more like a 15-minute ride from one road to the next on a nice day. Winter may take a little longer depending on the snow.
Learn more about Turkey Mountain

Springer Mountain is an easy and scenic point-to-point trail through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Lakeside, AZ. The route is graded and covered with gravel and easily passable by most vehicles. Rain may increase the trail difficulty, and winter travel may not be possible. This is a gre...
Learn more about Springer Mountain

This is a nice little drive in the forest--nothing technical. Ski Hi is accessible by high-clearance cars. There are beautiful pines and awesome starry night skies in the late spring/summer! The roads are usually passable in the snow but not always. A few tanks along the way may bring some wildlife ...
Learn more about Ski Hi to Turkey Mountain

Spring, Summer, Fall - mostly easy trail with some great side spurs with awesome views. Along this route, you will also see an old run-down cabin near the Sawmill tank and an old homestead North of the Timber Mesa Trailhead, which we call Twin Chimneys. Parts of this trail are shared with maintained...
Learn more about Porter Mountain Loop

This is a little jumper road between FR182 and FR283 with lots of side trails to explore. It is a really easy grade. It may become impassible in winter. Less than 1/2 hour - more like a 15-minute ride from one road to the next on a nice day. Winter may take a little longer depending on the snow.
Learn more about Turkey Mountain