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Anyone else on this site share an interest in offroading, other then by means of getting to a trailhead? Figured why not get some people together to run some trails here in AZ, like Broken Arrow, Backway to Crown King, White Canyon Wilderness etc. Nothing extreme, just fellow hikers who like to get out and wheel every once in a while, capable car with 4x4 is all that would be necessary for the most part

I'm down. I'd be there with my Disco for easier trails or the Scout for rough ones...I'll even kidnap Nick and make him come bounce around

Jeff

My 99 Ranger was well-suited for such adventures and made many such trips. (and my 98 Ranger met its fate on the backway to CK, but thats a story for another day). However, my new 08 Tacoma doesn't yet have the requisite desert pinstriping for me to be as carefree as I might like yet. Plus, the OEM tires are only BFG rugged trails, which don't compare to the ATs, so until these wear down and I put ATs on I'm leery of too much rocky desert driving. Not to mention, the 08 Taco has an irritatingly poor design with an exhaust crossover pipe that is the lowest thing on the underbody. The skid plate doesn't go back that far. Seems stupid. A 3rd party skid costs $400! Ouch.

But yeah. I'd be interested in an occasional trip...

chumley wrote:My 99 Ranger was well-suited for such adventures and made many such trips. (and my 98 Ranger met its fate on the backway to CK, but thats a story for another day). However, my new 08 Tacoma doesn't yet have the requisite desert pinstriping for me to be as carefree as I might like yet. Plus, the OEM tires are only BFG rugged trails, which don't compare to the ATs, so until these wear down and I put ATs on I'm leery of too much rocky desert driving. Not to mention, the 08 Taco has an irritatingly poor design with an exhaust crossover pipe that is the lowest thing on the underbody. The skid plate doesn't go back that far. Seems stupid. A 3rd party skid costs $400! Ouch.

But yeah. I'd be interested in an occasional trip...

That stinks! Are there convenient places to drill nearby? Might not be too hard to build a skid...

I'm down! I can't get to carried away, but I can get through most of the intermediate trails around the area. Box Canyon and Sunflower Mine are always good choices. I haven't been many places.

Martinez Mine and the Coke Ovens might be a couple of other choice destinations, too!

the Rolls are good, close to Mesa. Also just up the beeline is some nice trails in the Mazatzals. Four Peaks near Cottonwood, stuff out by Needle Rock, Cave Creek. Id like to hit a 4x4 car camping trip to Sheeps Bridge (although 4x4 not needed to get there, plenty of roads to explore)

I drove out to Sheep Bridge on New Year's Day. Beautiful out there. Loooooooong way though. Some nice water fording when the flow is low enough. Same is true for the Verde below Horseshoe. Because really, is there a better photo opportunity of you and your truck than fording a river?

te-wa wrote:close to Mesa

Bulldog Canyon is good for that too. Requires a permit from the Mesa ranger station to get the combo for the lock though. Nice area back there.

You could even consider many of the trails in Florence Junction.. last time I was out there (years ago now) many of the sections that made most of them hard were beaten down or rocks stacked and could be pretty passable.

te-wa wrote:Also just up the beeline is some nice trails in the Mazatzals.

"FR25A" to it's end at the old Cornucopia mine site, then park & also do a nice hike up the Cornucopia TR#86 to the remote Peeley TH & back!

Grasshopper wrote:

te-wa wrote:Also just up the beeline is some nice trails in the Mazatzals.

"FR25A" to it's end at the old Cornucopia mine site, then park & also do a nice hike up the Cornucopia TR#86 to the remote Peeley TH & back!

sounds cool!

Aha, this was the good reaction I was looking for. I'm in for all of the above, Sunflower Mine, Coke Ovens and the others have been on my list for awhile. Table Mesa Road is another fun one near town, and I'd love to make it up to Sheeps Bridge, with a nice campout while the weather's nice and chilly

Charleau will go down again this year down here for those interested...

Charleau is always a fun trip. I now sort of miss having a rig.

Jeff MacE wrote:Charleau will go down again this year down here for those interested...

if Charleau is going down, then so is Samaniego Ridge.

nickfraley wrote:

Jeff MacE wrote:Charleau will go down again this year down here for those interested...

if Charleau is going down, then so is Samaniego Ridge.

Please believe

MY VOTE FOR BEST AZ OFFROAD ADVENTURE: "Rug Road"

One of the most epic 4x4 roads in the state is down near Mammoth, heading northeast towards Aravaipa Canyon via Turkey Creek. The most historically noteworthy segment of this route is "Carpet Hill". Many people refer to this route as the "Rug Road". Absolutely killer off-road adventure into the remote northwestern edge of the Galiuro Mountains. Awesome senerry, very isolated, and many riparian canyons. The road has gone through some transition over the years. Some years it's not to bad and other years it's terrible. I was in there within the last two years and it was horrible. High clearance, 32" LT rated tires at minimum, and a rear locker are a must. The only current drawback with this route is that a disgruntled landowner has been locking a gate above Turkey Creek, pretty much eliminating driving through. It's still a great road for an in-and-out weekend trip. There are a few beautiful camping spots back in there. A good turnaround spot is an old homestead location called "Parsons Grove".


Eric (SSK44)

If I'm not hiking I would be interested. Nothing too hardcore as I need to be able to sell my Jeep by June when I move to Italy. Need to get something out of it.

davis2001r6 wrote:If I'm not hiking I would be interested. Nothing too hardcore as I need to be able to sell my Jeep by June when I move to Italy. Need to get something out of it.

Some people might pay extra if it's "broken in"