Black Mountain West

Trail Overview

This trail is the western route around Black Mountain. The very end of this trail runs parallel to the railroad track fence. The section along the fenceline is a super narrow wash. Some of it is very sandy, with a few off-camber dirt washouts. These washouts could become much deeper after a heavy rain. There is also one shelf to climb or drop into. This more challenging section at the end connects to the Black Mountain East trail. The rest of the Black Mountain West trail is easy and mostly dirt. It's rated a 2. It's very easy with some little ruts and washouts. Access to this trail from the highway is through a metal gate with a nice latch. There are some dispersed campsites at the beginning of the trail. Some of them are near Highway 60 and have road noise. There are more dispersed campsites a little further in that are quiet and have lovely mountain views. There is some AT&T cell service on the trail-1 to 2 intermittent bars. This area gets extremely hot in the summer months. Bring extra water and supplies if traveling during those months. There is no shade on this trail.

Photos of Black Mountain West

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Difficulty

The rating is for the narrow sandy wash at the trail's end connecting to the Black Mountain East Trail. There is one sandy shelf to navigate up or down. The wash area is soft sand that can become deep. The bushes in this section are tight and might cause paint damage. Some areas will be pretty muddy after a rainstorm.

History

This route is on Arizona State Trust Land. This land requires a yearly permit that can be purchased and printed online. The permits allow certain recreational activities, including camping, bicycling, bird watching, GPS-based recreational activities (geocaching), hiking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle (OHV) usage, photography, picnicking, and sightseeing. There are a few permit options depending on your use type: An Individual Permit is $15 and grants a single person access to State Trust Land for the above-listed purposes. The permit is good for one year from the date of purchase. A Family Permit costs $20 and grants a family unit (two adults and their children under 18) access to State Trust Land for the above-listed activities. The permit is good for one year from the date of purchase. A Small-Group Permit costs $15 and grants up to 19 people access to State Trust Land locations for five consecutive days for certain types of non-commercial recreational activities, including the above-listed activities. The permit is good for one year from the date of purchase. A Large-group Permit is for a group larger than 20 people. You must apply for this size separately online and be approved for group activities of this size. Responsibilities: Permittee(s) shall respect the land and adhere to the terms and conditions of the permit at all times. Permittee(s) shall comply with all federal, state, county, and municipal laws and ordinances while on State Trust Land. The Permittee(s) shall have the permit with them at all times while recreating on State Trust Land and have it readily available if stopped by law enforcement or any State Land Department staff. The Permittee(s) shall not remove natural products from or visit archaeological sites on State Trust Land. The Permittee(s) shall not create or leave any trash on State Trust Land, except for geocaches placed according to ASLD. The Permittee(s) shall not discharge a firearm on State Trust Land except pursuant to lawful and licensed hunting. An ASLD Recreational Permit is not required for individuals with a valid hunting and fishing license who are actively pursuing game or fish. The Permittee(s) shall only participate in OHV usage on State Trust Land with an ASLD Recreational Permit and an OHV decal or license plate. The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) is the issuing agency for the OHV decal, certificates of title, registrations, and license plates.

Technical Rating