Walnut Canyon 4x4 Road, Arizona

Nearby Destinations

White Canyon Wilderness

Nearby Guides

Content
provided by

Viewed 4543 times

(2 votes, 1 review)

Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 14.0 miles / 23 km
Duration: Half day

Family Friendly • Dog Friendly

Download to Phone

View Large Map

View Photos

Overview: A photographer’s dream. Beautiful Sonoran Desert with towering red buttes on all sides of the trail. A fun drive offering real adventure. Hike into the nearby White Canyon Wilderness area north of the trail. A small part of this trail crosses State Trust Land so it’s best to have a State Trust Land permit. For information call 602-364-2753. This is also a popular ATV area. Stay on existing trails at all times.

Rating:

Moderate. Winding, rutted road with moderate climbs and descents. Narrow in a few places. Our group drove the trail following a period of torrential rains. Several places were badly washed out, which required some rock-stacking for several stock vehicles in our group. While the road is well defined most of the way, one section crosses a low sandy area along the Gila River. Skid plates and high ground clearance recommended for stock vehicles. Brush may lightly touch your vehicle.

This trail is one of 75 trails from the book, Guide to Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails, by Charles Wells, and is available at www.funtreks.com. This trail is also in FunTreks ATV Trails Guide Arizona Phoenix Region.

Tips: Remote area. Travel with other vehicles. Carry plenty of water and protection from the sun. Tell somewhere where you’re going.

Trail conditions can change without notice. FunTreks, Inc. and its owner and employees are not responsible for injury, death, or vehicle damage as a result of using this guide. The content of this guide is the property of FunTreks, Inc. and is made available to the user pursuant to EveryTrail’s Terms of Service (http://www.everytrail.com/tos.php)

Points of Interest

map

Start of Trail

Head southwest here on Battle Axe Road. Adquate room here to park and unload unlicensed vehicles.

map

Right Turn Out of Wash

Turn right here out of wash on defined road and begin to climb.

Turn out of wash and follow this road uphill past Copper Butte Photo

map

Start of Loop

Turn left here to begin loop in clockwise direction.

Several steep, rough sections after start of loop Photo

map

Wide Sandy Wash

After several small washes, turn right here in large sandy wash and head south.

Club stops for lunch in wash bottom Photo

map

Right Turn

Turn right here out of wide wash into lesser wash. Follow fence line west. If you miss this turn, you'll soon reach the Gila River. As you head west, you are now crossing State Trust Land, which requires a permit.

map

Follow Large Wash North

You'll enter a very wide sandy wash. Turn north and choose clearest route. Left here goes to Gila River where tight brush makes it difficult to get close enough to see it easily.

map

Important Turn

You must turn left here up steep bank out of wash onto defined road. It's easy to miss this turn, so pay attention to tracklog.

Easy to miss this turn out of wash Photo

map

Hard Left Downhill

Road branches in different directions. If you are following the tracklog, you'll make a hard left here and head downhill. You'll eventually reach another wash and head north. Follow this road out of wash and climb back to start of loop. Return the way you came.

After Point #8, you'll climb this road back to start of loop Photo

Pictures in this guide taken by: FunTreks, FunTreks

Copyright 2011 FunTreks, Inc

How does this work?

I just got back from this trip and need to want people-- it is currently not a "family friendly" moderate route- it is leaning much closer to hard right now. The entire route has been effected by the strong storms AZ has gotten this year and there are many big washouts. Some sections have become fairly technical if you have a stock SUV/Truck. Also, expect to get your sides scratched up on all the brush that has grown into the trails.

Please take care if you do this route! It is also highly recommended you travel with another vehicle-- don't solo this route right now unless you have a well modified rig and a winch! I ended up having to call in a recovery specialist to come winch me out of a big wash between points 1 and 2 on the map. My friend was unable to tow me out of it.

All that said, it is a route with beautiful scenery!
Visited on Aug 20, 2011

by skarz3d on Aug 21, 2011