Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Tempe, Arizona

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Bulldog Wash

This trail is just off Ellsworth Road, and takes you right to Bulldog Canyon trail. Most of it is a sandy wash that weaves around the Arizona desert. Expect some canyon walls, with one one…
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Total Miles
3.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Rolls Road

From the first parking lot on Four Peaks Rd heading south, the road is whoops and sandy washes to a rocky road, then you'll be at the parking lot for Butcher Jones. Please note there…
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Total Miles
6.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Wi

Peralta road

Peralta road is an easy, graded dirt road. Although the road is not challenging, it still leads to great views and has plenty of turn-offs for dispersed camping. If you are into hiking, this road…
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Total Miles
11.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

El Paso Pipeline Road

This is a dirt-covered service road that is regularly maintained. It's a fun, easy route for getting to different areas. Nothing technical about this trail aside from a couple of sandy washes. Note of caution,…
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Total Miles
5.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp

Twin Buttes to Hwy 74

This is a great short and quick trail, or gateway trail, through desert terrain that gets you from the Twin Buttes to Hwy 74. This trail is north of the Vistancia area, which can lead…
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Total Miles
6.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Cactus Express

A quick, short little section of trail that connects Lake Pleasant road to Saguaro Way trail, which leads to a shooting area. There is nothing terribly technical about this route aside from a couple of…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Saguaro Way

This section of trail weaves its way through the beautiful desert and leads to a shooting area at the North end. It also connects to a handful of other trails. There are a couple of…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp

Walnut Spring Trail

This out-and-back trail begins right off Seven Spring Road, and immediately there is a sandy river wash to cross. Be aware that it could be hazardous in flash flooding conditions. Shortly after, there is a…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Cramm Mountain Loop

This very short, easy, loop trail around Cramm Mountain offers sweeping 360 views of the desert landscape. It does seem that this trail is minimally used and therefore has vegetation overgrowth in places - higher…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Castle Hot Springs Road

Castle Hot Springs is a natural hot spring that has had a series of resorts, several of which have burned. It is now privately owned and overseen by caretakers. Not open to the public.As of…
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Total Miles
33.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Mesa Connection

This easy dirt road section is the start/end of a 60-mile trail. It leads to the top of the mesa with beautiful desert views and scattered primitive camping. Connects to the (OnX) New River trail.…
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Total Miles
3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Maggie May's Way

This out-and-back offshoot leads to a fun area with a handful of both easy and advanced trails. This particular trail is not very technical itself, although water erosion on or next to the trail is…
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Total Miles
1.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Trail 9949

This short section of trail is more narrow and therefore is only open to small utility SXS and smaller. No full-size trucks or SXS's. Nothing too technical on this trail, aside from one section with…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp

Carefree Highway R87 Exit

This trail allows riders a simple route to Highway 87 from the Wrangler's Nest Trail or the West Vistancia Loop Trail. If you have ever off-roaded in this area you know how difficult it is…
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Total Miles
1.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Sonoran Desert 8009

Take Freeman Road exit about 17 miles east of Gila Bend. BLM. Camping is available, but put some distance between yourself and the interstate. It is an easy drive, though clearance is necessary in some…
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Total Miles
11.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Indian Fort

A stone wall fort on a small flat-top hill just off the Table Mesa North Access Road. Drive to the base of the hill and scramble up an easy climb to enter the fort. Commanding…
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Total Miles
1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Margie's Cove Trail

Margie's Cove Trail skirts the south side of Margie's Peak, splitting the Sonoran Desert National Monument and North Maricopa Wilderness. The trail is mostly a rutted dirt track with long stretches of soft sand. You…
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Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Mount Ord

Mt Ord is almost 7000' elevation, so it is a nice place to be in hot weather, but not so good after a cold winter storm.This trip is an enjoyable way to spend a short…
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Total Miles
16.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Bloody Basin Road

Take a day to drive this road that will take you through Agua Fria National Monument. You'll want to take your time to explore archaeological sites and petroglyphs along the way. You can also enjoy…
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Total Miles
35.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Road Between Worlds

This mostly easy out-and-back trail traverses through the beautiful desert grasslands of the Agua Fria National Monument and Tonto National Forest at an elevation too high for saguaros and too low for alpine forests. The…
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Total Miles
11.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Maggie Mine

Very scenic trail in the foothills of the Bradshaw Mountains. Although not far from the highway and Black Canyon City, this route feels isolated and offers a chance to spot wildlife, beautiful desert plant life,…
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Total Miles
6.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Sawtooth Mountain Loop

AZ State Trust permit required. This is a scenic trail that circles around the Sawtooth Mountains. The trail is on BLM and AZ State Trust and skirts private land. You will experience forests of cholla…
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Total Miles
22.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Pucker Ridge Bat Cave

A short distance after the Mini Grand Canyon you have a chance to hike to the Bat Cave. This will probably take an hour and involve a small bit of rock scrambling. Drive to the…
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Total Miles
0.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Ox Wash Singletrack

This is an entertaining beginner singletrack. This track winds through the desert with some great views and unique cacti to see. There is one hill that is a bit loose with a washout that can…
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Total Miles
14.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Sp / Fa

A-Cross Road

A-Cross Road is an easy 25-mile drive through the beautiful countryside north of Roosevelt Lake. There are wide open views of Roosevelt Lake and the Sierra Ancha Mountains for the entire length. One area of…
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Total Miles
24
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Wi / Fa

Agua Caliente Road

Loop the Gila Bend Mountains while visiting the Gillespie Dam and Bridge plus Sundad Ghost Town.Start this run in Gila Bend then go north up the Gila River Valley on historic US Route 80, which…
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Total Miles
83.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Wagon Tracks, Apache Tears and Arnett Canyon

Begin at the east end of the airport and follow the trail to the Wagon Tracks. According to the Tom Kollenborn Chronicles the tracks were the results of the ore wagons hauling silver ore from…
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Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Buckhorn Wash Trail

Buckhorn Wash Trail connects Castle Creek Road (Wash) to Bradshaw Mountain Trail, then to Constellation Road (Wickenburg, AZ) Which then offers two choices. Going north leads to the North end of the Box Canyon Hassayampa…
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Total Miles
9.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Putz Cemetery and Superior View

A trail to some historical graves and a fantastic viewpoint. A pretty drive even if you don't care for the history, but we recommend checking the history section below. From US 60, go directly across…
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Total Miles
4.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Windmill Wash

Beautiful scenic loop through the foothills of the Northwestern portion of the Tonto National Forest off of Bloody Basin Rd. The trail circles around Mesa Butte (5125 ft), which is easy to spot and runs…
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Total Miles
6.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi