3M Ranch Road

Trail Overview

3M Ranch Road is a wide, curvy trail with no obstacles, making for an easy and enjoyable drive. It provides access to other trails and has several campsites along the way for convenient stops. The route eventually ends at private property, so plan accordingly. Along the way you'll pass the historic Teskey Home Site in the Agua Fria National Monument. The Teskey Home is in the northern part of the Agua Fria National Monument. The Teskey family lived in a home along Big Bug Creek from 1940 to 1948. Parts of the chimney and foundation remain today. A short set of steps leads to the home site. With no cell service in the area, be sure to download offline maps before heading out.

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Difficulty

This is a semi-maintained road with sections of washboard surface. It terminates at private property, which is clearly marked. Along the route is the Teskey Home Site, where Cornelius "Colonel" H. Teskey settled when he came to Arizona from Wyoming in 1925. He was nicknamed Colonel because it was easier to pronounce than Cornelius. In 1940, Colonel built a small house on this site and moved in with his wife Phoebe and baby daughter Trudy. Here he grew hay, grain, and pinto beans in a field south of the house and in a field across Big Bug Creek. The fields were watered from a reservoir that collected water from a canal that came off the creek about a mile upstream. In addition to water fields on the southeast side of Big Bug Creek, a pipe from the reservoir was suspended over the creek by steel cables. Phoebe grew a small vegetable garden west of the house. To date, the hearth, foundation, and staircase, as well as informational placards, are placed around the area to inform visitors.

Technical Rating

3M Ranch Road can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV
• SxS (60")
• ATV (50")
• Dirt Bike