Trail Overview
Sunshine Canyon Trail serves as an easy and highly accessible gateway into the Fivemile Pass recreation area, making it perfect for beginners, stock high-clearance vehicles, and SxSs looking to climb into the surrounding hills. Spanning approximately 2.4 miles with a mild elevation gain of around 660 feet, the route features a primarily dirt and gravel surface with occasional minor dips and bumps. The trail climbs from an elevation of 5,454 feet up to 6,114 feet and has historically been graded, offering a smooth and predictable ride that rarely requires engaging four-wheel-drive under dry conditions.
Scenic desert views and scattered primitive camping sites flank the lower sections of the trail, providing excellent staging spots or overnight options. As the trail winds through Alma Young Canyon and up into Sunshine Canyon, it connects drivers to a broader, more challenging network of trails within the Fivemile Pass OHV area. This makes it an ideal warm-up route or a direct, low-stress transition for offroaders heading deeper into the mountains.
Difficulty
Sunshine Canyon is one of the easier ways to get up into the Five Mile mountain area. A couple of small dips and bumps here and there, but nothing too technical about this section. My truck remained in 2WD the entire way. It did appear that a tractor had come through and smoothed out the trail in some areas. Scattered primitive campsites were noted along the bottom of the trail.
Access Description
The trail is located on public Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land within the Fivemile Pass Recreation Area. No permits or fees are required for day use or dispersed camping, but visitors should practice Leave No Trace principles and be mindful of active OHV traffic.
