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OFF ROAD GTG

eeaton5

eeaton5

Full Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
2,243
Location
Litchfield Park AZ
I thought we could get another off road trip together for next weekend march 24th. Is there any interest in this? I guess it would be like another chapter of the exploring AZ. I think there is a lot left to see and I have the itch for Sand after this past weekend. I will start a list at the bottom of this post.

Meeting point will be at the loves gas station on I-10 I think its exit 114 in Buckeye. Time will be meeting at 9:00 am and ready to leave by 9:30am Bring a bag lunch and your camera. radios will be on channel 7.  See ya there




:B: eeaton5 
:B: 05sunburstII
:B: MRW8
:B: AZ-spoiled-wife & Ghost


 
Always looking to get the truck dirty? >:D

I know there was talk about heading up to Wickenburg and runing the back road to Lake Pleasant last time we were out but I'm on for where ever.
 
We already have plans for that weekend. But we can let you know if anything changes. Otherwise I think we are free so far the following weekend, 3/31 & 4/1.

 
Ok lets plan on March 31 is that cool with everyone.  I don't think we can go the back way up to crown king. You have to have a lifted truck for that. Lets find a trail everyone can go on. Any suggestions Donna?
 
31st sounds like a good plan.

It would be nice to head north where it is cooler but most of the forest roads north of the mongollon rim level are still closed. We hit that road block this weekend when we tried to get into the munds park area. I will see if I can find anything in my az books.





 
eeaton5 said:
Ok lets plan on March 31 is that cool with everyone.? I don't think we can go the back way up to crown king. You have to have a lifted truck for that. Lets find a trail everyone can go on. Any suggestions Donna?
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The route I was suggesting is not the back road to Crown King which unles you want your truck to look like mine, lift and scrapes included, is not what most would want to do.

The route from Wickenberg to Castle Hot Springs and back to lake Pleasant is what I was refering to.  Supposed to be car passable although for the part I drove it is a little washed out in places and certainly the 300C would bang bottom!  But the trucks should do just fine.
 
AZ 03 AV said:
The route I was suggesting is not the back road to Crown King which unles you want your truck to look like mine, lift and scrapes included, is not what most would want to do.

The route from Wickenberg to Castle Hot Springs and back to lake Pleasant is what I was refering to.? Supposed to be car passable although for the part I drove it is a little washed out in places and certainly the 300C would bang bottom!? But the trucks should do just fine.
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Is there info on this route in the trail book that we both use?




 
The dirt roads that we were on near the lake pleasant area required the state land trust permit. We would need to confirm if the area Nigel is talking about requires it or not.


 
Yes Donna, the trail is in the Arizona Trails book, here is the web front page:

Castle Hot Springs Road
Morristown Arizona Off-Road Trails
Preview: Scenic drive through high Sonoran Desert near low mountain foothills. Drive by venerable Castle Hot Springs Resort (now closed to the public). Lake Pleasant offers boating, fishing and other water sports. Graded gravel road that intermittently crosses and follows sandy creek bottoms. One stretch of road follows Castle Creek for 3 miles. The road is generally in good condition except after heavy rains and flash floods. High-clearance four-wheel drive is recommended because of sandy and potentially rocky conditions. Don?t drive when rain is forecast. Route-finding is easy.

? Copyright Charles A. Wells Published by FunTreks. All Rights Reserved.

Trail Stats & Information
Activity Type: Off-Highway Drives
Nearby City: Morristown, AZ
Length: 48 total miles
Trail Type: Point-to-Point
Skill Level: Easy
Duration: 2 to 3 hours
Local Maps: Castle Hot Springs Road Topo Map

Arizona Atlas and Gazetteer; USGS Phoenix?
Guide book: Guide to Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails Guide Book

Ed I sent you a PM with some more information on local trails
Definately sugggest you either buy this book or subscribe to it via the web - lots of great information!
 
That trail looks good to us. I was looking at ones in the general area round there, wickenburg and prescott other then crown king. It looks like there are some interesting ones around those places.

A map I have shows that trail passes thru private, state and blm land. So, I would think the state trust land permit would be required to travel on it. We have one but it does cover everyone who comes.

Here is the link for the permit info:

http://www.land.state.az.us/programs/natural/rec_offroad_permit.htm

I recommend anyone who wishes to off road on any state trust land look into obtaining one. It is worth it if we go off roading. $15-$20 per year is a lot cheaper then a couple of hundred $$ fines if caught without one.


 
Ok Nigel we will let you pick the trail and I will try to see if we need a permit. I would rather not do the castle hot springs rd trail. I think its boring and uneventful.So what will the trail be???

-ED
 
eeaton5 said:
Ok Nigel we will let you pick the trail and I will try to see if we need a permit. I would rather not do the castle hot springs rd trail. I think its boring and uneventful.So what will the trail be???

-ED
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Not sure what you mean nor want - your standard of eventful maybe more than most want to experience >:D  Was there anything out of the list I PM'd you that sparked any interest?
 
AZ 03 AV said:
Not sure what you mean nor want - your standard of eventful maybe more than most want to experience >:D  Was there anything out of the list I PM'd you that sparked any interest?
Click to expand...

Belmont Mountain   
See the Tonopah/Belmont Mine high in the Sonoran Desert. Visit Vulture Mine?a rare opportunity to see a well-preserved gold mine and ghost town. Henry Wickenburg discovered the mine in 1863 and sold i...
From the guidebook "Guide to Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails" 

Tonopah, AZ - Off-Highway Drives - 22 miles

Or

Buckhorn Creek Trail   
This scenic, easy trail travels in a loop through the Wickenburg Mountains, mainly in the gravelly wash of Buckhorn Creek. It leaves the center of Wickenburg and goes up the graded dirt Constellation ...
From the guidebook "Backcountry Adventures: Arizona" 

Wickenburg, AZ - Off-Highway Drives - 24.7 miles   
 
Either is fine - Anyone else on the list want to add their comments?

So for the moment lets lock in on Tonopah, AZ - Off-Highway Drives - 22 miles I've always wanted to visit a ghost? :eek: town!

Figure we will meet at Loves the normal stop on I10 around 10am, be on the road by 10:30 and take a picnic lunch.

Who's in??

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? eeaton5
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? AZ 03 AV
                  AZ Spoiled Wife
                  05sunburstII
 
05sunburstII said:
Sounds good to me!
Chris
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Az-Spoiled-Wife said:
Either is fine with us. We will be followers this time. :)
Click to expand...

Got you both added - anyone else up for Ghost Towns, Old mines, and a picnic in the high sonoran desert?
 
Hate to say this but it appears that this trail crosses State Trust land as do most of the others that I have checked so far.

http://sco.az.gov/website/parcels/viewer.htm

This is the web site that the state has showing all the surface parcels as they call them.? If I am reading this right there are not too many places you can go without running across one of the parcels. If you look at the detail map for Wickenburg we will be going south of 60 on Vulture Mine road which follows the edge of the state land parcel running on the angle to the right of the word Maricopa on the Map and dead heads into State trust land.? - I just sent my $20 for my permit!

Maybe running that wash by you again Ed although that even runs into state Land norht and south - I guess that was where the wire was across the wash as we went north!
 

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AZ 03 AV said:
Either is fine - Anyone else on the list want to add their comments?

So for the moment lets lock in on Tonopah, AZ - Off-Highway Drives - 22 miles I've always wanted to visit a ghost  :eek: town!

Figure we will meet at Loves the normal stop on I10 around 10am, be on the road by 10:30 and take a picnic lunch.

Who's in??

                  eeaton5
                  AZ 03 AV
                  AZ Spoiled Wife
                  05sunburstII

Ok Nigel you will be the leader on this trail I cant wait!!! :drive: :drive: :drive:
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