Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Willcox, Arizona

East Ten Ranch Road is a long, straight dirt track that leads from Highway 191 toward the Hot Well Dunes. As of March 25, 2025, the road has been recently maintained and is generally smooth and easy to drive, though drivers may encounter occasional humps and bumps. Travelers will pass through severa...
Learn more about East Ten Ranch Road

As soon as you pass through the gate onto BLM land, the road improves significantly. Although there are a few washes and mildly off-camber sections, the trail is easy to drive and generally not challenging. It offers sweeping views of the valleys and salt flats, with dispersed camping available alon...
Learn more about Blacktail Hill

This is a back road into Fort Bowie. It has a few overlook locations of the Fort and travels in from Highway 186. This is a historic fort that stood for years during a conflict between the US Government and the Apache tribe. To get to the fort is a short hike but worth it.
Learn more about Fort Bowie Trail

The trail is wide and maintained, though often corrugated, and crosses several cattle guards as it leads to two main camping areas. The first is located in the foothills and is spacious and popular with campers. The second is set in a forested area surrounded by rocky outcrops, featuring paved camps...
Learn more about Cochise Stronghold

The Railway Trail runs alongside the train tracks and is entirely unmaintained. It is a narrow, winding route where pinstriping is likely, and it crosses numerous washes that may become difficult to navigate during or after rainfall. The trail surface is predominantly rocky, though there are occasio...
Learn more about Railroad Trail

This is a true road to nowhere. As you follow this road out of Bowie to get back to Hot Well Area, the trail almost disappears at times, opening up again with a good track. There are many tracks that look fairly fresh.
Learn more about Bowie to Nowhere

This north-south access road begins as a wide, maintained ranch road, though it is often corrugated. Numerous private properties connect to the route in its early stretches. As it continues, the road narrows and passes alongside open fields before eventually re-entering private land. Camping is not ...
Learn more about North Wilcox Road

The Powerline Trail is a relatively straight route that follows the path of overhead powerlines and, as of March 26, 2025, is in maintained condition. Large cleared areas are found beneath each powerline tower, suggesting ongoing infrastructure work along the corridor. The trail includes a few dips ...
Learn more about Powerline Trail

Rosewood Road is a State Trust route that cuts across the desert, connecting Ss1181 to Ss1180. The trail features desert creosote, yucca trees, and sandy terrain. 4WD with high clearance is recommended. Running east to west, it offers scenic views of the surrounding mountains. There are no technical...
Learn more about Rosewood Road

This is a well-maintained but heavily corrugated and dusty road, as it serves as one of the main thoroughfares in the northern part of the Hot Well Dunes area. Numerous dispersed campsites can be found along the route, making it a popular choice for vans and RVs as the views of the surrounding mount...
Learn more about Tanque Road

SS1084A begins off Tanque Road, where a convenient staging, parking, and camping area is located directly beside the roadway. The route starts as a wide two-track through classic Sonoran Desert terrain with creosote, cholla cactus, open desert views, and free-ranging livestock, which may be encounte...
Learn more about Ss1084a

Trail Ss1180 branches off Ss1181 and heads south across open desert terrain. Shortly after beginning, you’ll climb a small hill and enter a tight section of trees where pinstripes are almost guaranteed. Fortunately, this narrow stretch is short, and the trail widens again soon after. This is a very ...
Learn more about Ss1180

SS1181 is a wide, well-maintained gravel road that provides access to the Hot Well Dunes from the south. The route serves dual purposes, accommodating both weekend tourist traffic and agricultural vehicles, which contributes to its occasional wash boarding and rough surface in spots. Drivers should ...
Learn more about SS1181

This trail connects the Railway Trail to the paved Haekel Road, which serves as the access road to the Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area. The initial portion of the trail is smooth and maintained, but it soon drops into a wash with a steep descent and climb. Beyond the wash, the route becomes increasin...
Learn more about Ss1096

Ss1085 runs as a smooth sand and gravel track with a few gentle whoops, weaving through cholla, creosote, yucca, and barrel cactus. Early on, it’s fairly open, expect light undercarriage pinstripes & high clearance recommended. The route crosses a wash and goes up an easy off-camber section. Nothing...
Learn more about Ss1085

Trail Ss1087 is an out-and-back route that’s a little wild but overall mild. Some sections are overgrown, and pinstripes are likely. The trail crosses multiple washes and includes several mild off-camber areas, but nothing technical. In good conditions, both 2WD and 4WD can manage the route; the tra...
Learn more about Ss1087

Trail Ss1134d is an emergency evacuation route for the mining operation now in place at the end of this trail. Traveling to the north, it is a wide track road that offers a beautiful view of Javelina Peak. At the end of the road, you will come to the other side of Ss1134; however, all of these trail...
Learn more about Ss1134d

This is the perimeter fence of the Hot Wells Sand Dune area. It has some fun trails and is sandy, somewhat hilly, and sometimes a little rocky. The trails inside this area are mostly sandy with only a couple of sand hills, but watch out for the drop-offs, as they are abrupt and can damper your day. ...
Learn more about Hot Wells OHV Area Perimeter

This is a great little side trip from Hot Wells to Bowie. There are some technical spots, but it's mostly a pretty easy drive in the SxS and can be done in 4x4 vehicles with ground clearance. There are signs on the Hot Wells side that tell you to stay on existing trails since you are on BLM land. Th...
Learn more about Hot Wells to Bowie

Slavin Forest Road 687 lies within Coronado National Forest. Most of the trail is smooth sandy gravel with incredible views of Council Rocks. Once reaching the gate at Corazon Ranch and turning onto West Stronghold FR 688 the road becomes more technical and narrow with washouts and many creek crossi...
Learn more about Slavin to West Stronghold

East Ten Ranch Road is a long, straight dirt track that leads from Highway 191 toward the Hot Well Dunes. As of March 25, 2025, the road has been recently maintained and is generally smooth and easy to drive, though drivers may encounter occasional humps and bumps. Travelers will pass through severa...
Learn more about East Ten Ranch Road

As soon as you pass through the gate onto BLM land, the road improves significantly. Although there are a few washes and mildly off-camber sections, the trail is easy to drive and generally not challenging. It offers sweeping views of the valleys and salt flats, with dispersed camping available alon...
Learn more about Blacktail Hill

This is a back road into Fort Bowie. It has a few overlook locations of the Fort and travels in from Highway 186. This is a historic fort that stood for years during a conflict between the US Government and the Apache tribe. To get to the fort is a short hike but worth it.
Learn more about Fort Bowie Trail

The trail is wide and maintained, though often corrugated, and crosses several cattle guards as it leads to two main camping areas. The first is located in the foothills and is spacious and popular with campers. The second is set in a forested area surrounded by rocky outcrops, featuring paved camps...
Learn more about Cochise Stronghold

East Ten Ranch Road is a long, straight dirt track that leads from Highway 191 toward the Hot Well Dunes. As of March 25, 2025, the road has been recently maintained and is generally smooth and easy to drive, though drivers may encounter occasional humps and bumps. Travelers will pass through severa...
Learn more about East Ten Ranch Road

As soon as you pass through the gate onto BLM land, the road improves significantly. Although there are a few washes and mildly off-camber sections, the trail is easy to drive and generally not challenging. It offers sweeping views of the valleys and salt flats, with dispersed camping available alon...
Learn more about Blacktail Hill

This is a back road into Fort Bowie. It has a few overlook locations of the Fort and travels in from Highway 186. This is a historic fort that stood for years during a conflict between the US Government and the Apache tribe. To get to the fort is a short hike but worth it.
Learn more about Fort Bowie Trail

The trail is wide and maintained, though often corrugated, and crosses several cattle guards as it leads to two main camping areas. The first is located in the foothills and is spacious and popular with campers. The second is set in a forested area surrounded by rocky outcrops, featuring paved camps...
Learn more about Cochise Stronghold