Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Cottonwood, Arizona

Ranch Loop

The Ranch Loop Trail consists of two approximately 3-mile long OHV/4x4 sections. The trail is considered suitable for most stock 4x4 and AWD vehicles, but high clearance is recommended. The trail is mostly dirt with…
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Total Miles
7.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Jerome to Williams

This is a 49-mile well-graded gravel/paved road between Jerome and Williams. It provides access to a large area, but only the southern portion of it is an interesting ride. In the very first part after…
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Total Miles
46.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp / Wi

Mingus to Cherry Vista FSR 132

This trail will take you from Mingus to the quaint little town of Cherry. Cherry is an old still inhabited ghost town established in the 1880's. It is worth checking out, as many of the…
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Total Miles
11
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Johnson Wash 96

Johnson wash trail 96 is an easy meandering trail outside of Cherry and Dewey. It is a 6 mile long trail offering many camping opportunities and great views. This trail makes of 6 miles of…
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Total Miles
6.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp

Reimer Road to Squaw Peak Road

This is a trail suitable for stock 2WD SUVs with higher clearance. The trail takes you through the scenic plains of the Prescott National Forest. There are small sections with loose rocks and dry river…
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Total Miles
35
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Montezuma Well

Montezuma Well is a wide well-maintained gravel road between Beaver Creek Road and Rimrock. It's a through route that descends 300 ft in elevation with a panoramic view of the Verde valley and mountains. Dispersed…
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Total Miles
2.9
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Schnebly Hill Road

Phenomenal scenery includes massive red rock buttes and a thick, healthy forest. If you're going to Sedona from Flagstaff, this is a really fun way to travel. Take your time and explore some of the…
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Total Miles
10.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Little Round Mountain

This road is not maintained in the winter. It varies in technicality, but you will find rocky sections, rutted areas, and fallen trees to go over or around. In the wet season, this road will…
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Total Miles
6.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Soda Springs

Soda Springs is seasonally open for recreation and camping consisting mostly of compact dirt and gravel. It's wide and smooth with a few washouts to keep a lookout for. No longer a through route it…
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Total Miles
2.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Sycamore Point

This trail leads to a scenic overlook above the Colcord and Tule Canyons. The beginning of the trail is washboard, potholes, and ruts. There are lots of dispersed camping spots near highway 73. The spots…
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Total Miles
14.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Edge of the World

Edge of the World (FS RD 231) is a wonderfully scenic, and easy, a route traversing through AZ State Trust land and Coconino National Forest leaving Flagstaff and heading South toward the East Pocket Lookout.…
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Total Miles
24.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

East Buzzard Ridge

East Buzzard Ridge trail (FS RD 792) is a scenic point-to-point trail under the Ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest northwest of Sedona, AZ. The trail, which can be accessed by most vehicles, does…
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Total Miles
3.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Turkey Butte

This road is not maintained in the winter. It can vary from one to two cars wide. You will find lots of deer on this road and maybe a few elk. It can be rocky…
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Total Miles
4.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Big Draw

This road is not maintained in the winter and will be muddy when wet. It is very rocky in sections, which require 4x4 and high clearance. If you enjoy bouncing around on a very rocky…
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Total Miles
3.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

JD Dam Lake

This easy, graded trail leads from the pine flats to the JD Dam Lake. The lake itself is a stocked fishing lake with Rainbow Trout, which is strictly catch and release. There is some camping…
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Total Miles
7.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

West Buzzard Ridge

West Buzzard Ridge trail (FS RD 9015H) is a scenic point-to-point trail under the Ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest northwest of Sedona, AZ. The trail, which can be accessed by most vehicles, does…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Dorsey Spring Trailhead

In the winter season, the road is closed and not maintained. It will be muddy when wet. There are very rocky in sections that require 4x4 and high clearance. Mostly one-car in width, with a…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Heifer Hills

Heifer Hills is an easy-going trail with beautiful views of the southern Prescott National Forest. It is surrounded by rolling hills and wildlife. The road is mild with some ruts and washes that won't be…
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Total Miles
6.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Kelsey Spring Trailhead

This road is not winter maintained and is closed to vehicles during the winter season. It will be muddy when wet. It is very rocky in sections, which will require 4x4 and high clearance. If…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

Ruin Mountain

This washboard section of the trail takes you around the backside of Ruin Mountain. Mostly is just an east cut across to get over to Sycamore Point Trail. There are a few side trails that…
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Total Miles
4.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Deadwood Tank

This scenic point-to-point trail is located under the pines of the Coconino National Forest near Munds Park, AZ, and can be combined with Crazy Park trail to become a bumpy, but fun, loop trail. The…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Old 12 Niner

This moderately easy trail winds through the forest and passes some nice secluded camping spots. A few sections are clear enough for stunning views from a higher elevation. There is an abundance of downed trees…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Crazy Park

Scenic point-to-point trail under the pines of the Coconino National Forest near Munds Park, AZ. The route is a combination of rutted dirt and loose and buried rock that terminates just past Crazy Park at…
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Total Miles
4.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Old 354 Road to Pine Flats

This easy graded and washboard trail takes the explorer from the paved section of Old Highway 73 all the way south toward Pine Flats. There are sweeping ridgeline views. Nice dispersed campsites under the trees…
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Total Miles
6.8
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Thomas Point Trail

Thomas Point Trail is a fun, rocky out-and-back trail near Munds Park, AZ. The trail is mostly dirt with plenty of buried and loose rock to navigate as you roll through the Ponderosa pines in…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Thomas Point Connector

This scenic connector trail is found under the pines of the Coconino National Forest west of Munds Park, AZ. The trail is a mix of rutted dirt and both loose and buried rock, making for…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Backward Tank

This is an easy, two-car width road with plenty of pull-offs. Not maintained in the winter. Along this route, you will find multiple camp spots, for both big and small groups, and beautiful open meadow…
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Total Miles
3.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Fry Park

This road is not maintained in the winter. It is easy, two-car width with plenty of pull-offs. There are multiple camp spots, for big or small groups. It can be a busy area on the…
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Total Miles
5.5
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Sp / Fa

White Horse Lake and Sycamore Falls

This easy washboard road leads past another entry point for the Sycamore Loop Trail. This one has a pit toilet for when nature calls. There is also a turnout at Sycamore falls. If you're lucky…
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Total Miles
6.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Ritter Road (Newman Park)

Easy, but beautiful, forest road through the Ponderosa pines of the Coconino National Forest west of Munds Park, AZ. Along this route, you will find many dispersed campsites and access to other 4x4 trails in…
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Total Miles
7.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa