Beautiful places and trails

[DougB]

This hasn't been a hot spot of activity, so I thought I'd post a note to ask for posts about your favorite places.

For me, I really love the Sierra Anchas, and try to make some extened trips there every year. Pleanty of really nice camping spots up there...from Dupont Cabin to Redman Mesa, to Cherry Creek - just awesome. Some caves to explore too...and cliff dwellings. I'll be back there this spring to check out a trail with real possibilities

Also, had a chance to do Camino del Diablo, and was really impressed by some of the spots along that stretch of Arizona....but I won't want to be there in the summer.

Also did some off roading in Baja - up in the mountains near Mike's Sky Ranch...wow...whodathunk...but we were really up there in terms of elevation and there are some really great places to explore.

Did some hiking in and around Sycamore Canyon, near (SE of)Williams...wow...really out there and spectacular!

Anyway...that's a start. Az and the southwest have so much to offer.

Feel free to post some of your favorite places. Maybe we can start a database.

[Antman]

I have lived up here in Heber/Overgaard for 22 years and I usually am out exploring one or two weekends a month. I covered a lot of terrirory in 22 years and believe me there's plenty left to check out.
The Mogollon Rim, above and below it, is some of the most awesome country on earth. Most of the trails are really not even 4 wheel drive because the FS usually close the hard core stuff off. But there are some places if you know who to talk to. Like Thom and Donna Campbell of this club and the Undertakers who know the "below" the Rim country very well and have shown me a few neat trails, like Pyeatt Draw and other un-named trails. I think they have a few others to show us, as Thom is always ready to go.
I have been working on an area between Heber and Holbrook we call "The Cracks", but is actually in a ridge line call "Pink Cliffs". We have had as many as 25 Jeeps camped up there and running a few of the trails day and night. They are short but fun to run both ways, with some a little on the hard side. I hope to have more of this area explored by spring. As soon as I do a little more work on my TJ and find a trailer for it I hope to come down to the desert and run some of those trails again. I have explored a lot of the desert country in the 60s and 70s with a jeep panel truck with a chevy 282 motor and a 65 ford f100 4 by.

[Nnote]

I agree with DougB. The sierra anchas are wonderfull! Cherry Creek and up to Young, Az are really nice spots. Also the area north of SevenSprings i.e. fr 18 and the surrounding area are also great. Usually there is always creeks and water flowing in that area. Also, on the other side of four peaks on 87 highway, alot of areas off the highway always have water flowing and nice green areas.

[DougB]

Originally posted by Nnote
I agree with DougB. The sierra anchas are wonderfull! Cherry Creek and up to Young, Az are really nice spots. Also the area north of SevenSprings i.e. fr 18 and the surrounding area are also great. Usually there is always creeks and water flowing in that area. Also, on the other side of four peaks on 87 highway, alot of areas off the highway always have water flowing and nice green areas.

...and let's not forget Red Creek. Nice swimmin in the summer time.

[Stu Olson]

I haven't been to Red Creek in a couple of years. Where it empties into the Verde is so nice.

A pic from when I was last there....

http://www.stu-offroad.com/others/redcreek/redcreek10.jpg

[Linda]

One of my favorite close-to-the-valley trails is Montana Mtn Rd (FR650). It isn't a tough trail, but the view from the top is awesome and there are some great camping spots up there too.

Another favorite is the Camino del Diablo. Next time I want to spend a week out there. Christmas Pass is a great place to decompress.

[DougB]

Originally posted by Linda
One of my favorite close-to-the-valley trails is Montana Mtn Rd (FR650). It isn't a tough trail, but the view from the top is awesome and there are some great camping spots up there too.

Another favorite is the Camino del Diablo. Next time I want to spend a week out there. Christmas Pass is a great place to decompress.

Just love Camino del Diablo - really spectacular!! Would like to go again soon, when the trail is open (non lambing season)

[TimFryeAZ]

My wife and I joined in on the last trip across the Camino del Diablo and we really enjoyed it . My wife's comment is "that is what I thought Jeepin in Arizona was going to be like". Spectacular evening light show with the Geminid Metor shower that evening . Plenty dark but we could see the glow from Phoenix on the NE horizon. Nice campsite near Tulle wells and some great people on the Run. Kent and his Signifigant other (sorry I forgot her name) from Yuma leading and Clark and Claire and their kids. We even had Mike and his Ford F150 with a camper on it join in the run! Lots of nice scenery and the Tinjas Atlas were real nice too. Be sure to get your permits. They are free and I would hate to explain to some LEO why I didn't take the time to comply.

[Y2K-XJ]

I'm gonna have to go with Sedona (Broken arrow) for now .

[DustDweller]

My job has allowed me to travel all the state and federal owned roads in Arizona, as well as a majority of the county roads and a lot of roads that are barely roads at all. These are some of my favorite places, so far, for one reason or another:

Canyon De Chelly

The Crater area north of Ajo on SR 85 (think its name is crater canyon or somethin)

Young Area

The Other Q, Phoenix

US 66 out of Seligman

Forest Lakes Area/ Bear Canyon Lake

The Badlands

Sierra Vista Area

2 Lanes, Globe

Mobile Area through Gila Bend South

The dunes, Ok they're in Cali, but they're movin East ;)

[Desertjeep]

How about between Horseshoe and Bartlett?

http://members.cox.net/desertjeep1/images/DSCF0023small.JPG

[Dragonfly]

Could I come with you to work? :p ;)

[Roughian98TJ]

I haven't been to Red Creek in a couple of years. Where it empties into the Verde is so nice.

A pic from when I was last there....

http://www.stu-offroad.com/others/redcreek/redcreek10.jpg
yeah so how do you get there?

[Antman]

Wow! Nice to see this thread again. I would say that I enjoyed all the mountain trails I used to run when I did tower and antenna work for the state back in the 70's and 80's like Navajo mountain, Green's Peak, or Towers Mountain behind Crown King. Others like Signal or Pinal behind Globe. Mount Lemon by Tucson or Heliograph Peak on Mount Graham by Safford.

Navajo MTN is actually in Utah east of Page and a 3 or 4 hour trip from the base to the top. I have also been up all these mountains in the winter in snow cats and that's an even more beautiful trip. On Navajo we used to stay all week and camp out in the communications building. Gees this brought back a lot of fun memories. I'll have to see if I can find my pictures.

:D

[T.C.'S TOY]

Ya Antman Your Right There Are So Many Places Up Here To See And Wheel That It's Unreal.ive Been Running Around Up Here For 25 Years Now And Always Find Something Else To Be Fascinated By.here's A Picture Of A Place Called Leanard Canyon That Is Burried Up Here On The Rim In Deep Pine Max Temps In The Summertime Never Over 75.i Have Never Seen Anyone Else Here As The Trail In There Is 4x4 Only..................t.c.'s Toy :)

[Linda]

Wow! I totally forgot about that place! The last time we were down in Leonard Canyon was in the late 80s. We had friends who owned a cabin site near the edge. Back then you could easily drive a car all the way to the bottom. In fact the last time we camped there there was a VW camper van parked down by the creek.

Back then the trail going into the canyon dead ended at the bottom of the canyon. The south leg of the trail had been washed out several years before and the log reenforcements used for erosion control were rotted and falling apart.

[T.C.'S TOY]

Ya Linda The Place Really Hasn't Changed All That Much Theres A Few More Trails (old Loggin Roads) On The Backside That I Would Rate Around A 3 To 3.5,haven't Been There In A Year Or So But Maybe After We Get A Little Moisture Will Make A Small Run Out Of It...5 Or 6 Rigs.............thom :)

[cypherjoe]

Anyone ever been to Aztec Peak? I beleive its on the back side of Roosevelt Lake. Easy road with a few waterfalls but the view is fantastic from the top.
I just got to look at my gazzetter to find it again. Perfect date trip.

[azjeepcjman]

From route 188 between Roosevelt Lake and Globe you take route 288 to Young. Then you go up Workman Creek to get to Aztec Peak. The Forest Service has the road gated and locked about half way up. It's still a mile or more walk to the waterfall from the gate. Definitely a beautiful area. This is where we were talking about camping when we were at BWW for the meet and greet.

[Stomper]

Yeah, that sounds like a great spot. I will have to keep that in mind and pick your brain some more the next time we meet Wayne. I hope the freeway opening this Saturday goes well.

Take care,

S