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3 times I’ve driven by the pull off for the dirt road that heads towards Mormon Grove Trailhead and I swear it always says closed, trespassing, private property something like that? Is that trailhead no longer accessible by road?

some of the roads in that area go through private property and are closed to the public. The other way in can be closed at times due to poor road conditions but usually it is open while they close off the upper trailheads in other gates during the winter.

are you following the directions at: [ Sheep Creek Cabin ]

It looks like you walked the road you needed to drive ( [ gps route ] ), from where you went off the road, keep driving, take a right at the intersections with the private road, then a left at the Mormon Grove turnoff.

If the road you hiked was closed, then they will probably reopen it in the spring. Sometimes they close that road (by mistake?) intending to cut off access where FR201 goes up towards Mt Peeley.

Don't think FR 25 has been closed since 2013. Just stay on FR 25 all the way to Mormon Grove.

kelly14 wrote:3 times I’ve driven by the pull off for the dirt road that heads towards Mormon Grove Trailhead and I swear it always says closed, trespassing, private property something like that? Is that trailhead no longer accessible by road

If you see a Private Property/No Trespassing sign at the 'pull-off', that is NOT the way to Mormon Grove TH. (I'm guessing you have driven on old AZ 87) PAST the FR 201 turn to go toward Mt Peeley & Mormon Grove TH's.
BTW, Pretty much ANY road/path marked 'private property' in the area does NOT lead to Mormon Grove.

If you wish to get to Mormon Grove TH, just follow the directions at the bottom of this hike guide: [ Saddle Mountain #91 ]

NOTE: The west end of the gps route @nonot posted (a few posts above) is at an old Forest Road (labeled FR 1679) which has been closed for over a decade. FR 1679 does NOT lead to Mormon Grove. I'm pretty sure the metal bar/gate blocking access to FR 1679 does not say anything about Private Property as it is Tonto National Forest land.

Thanks for the replys everyone! I assumed the road I was hiking(fr 25) would take me there, my mistake it looks like was thinking that the dirt road that goes north off the old beeline highway by the Cross F Ranch would take me there. Now I know that is actually not an option and is private property. Thanks again!

CannondaleKid wrote:If you see a Private Property/No Trespassing sign at the 'pull-off', that is NOT the way to Mormon Grove TH. (I'm guessing you have driven on old AZ 87) PAST the FR 201 turn to go toward Mt Peeley & Mormon Grove TH's.

FWIW, this is the way that Google Maps (incorrectly) routed me to Mormon Grove TH when I did the Saddle Mountain trail at the end of September.

KBKB wrote:this is the way that Google Maps (incorrectly) routed me to Mormon Grove TH

Agreed... Google Maps has plenty of incorrect/outdated labels.
Case in point: If you use Route Editor in Satellite mode, it still shows 'NF 201' traveling from the old Beeline Hwy (which I believe now has a wire fence gate and Private Property sign) along Sycamore Creek for a short distance before turning east and heading on what is now FR 25 to the FR 201/FR 25 intersection.