North Vulture Peak Road

Trail Overview

This is a 1.5-mile-long section of full-width dirt road that accesses the Vulture Mine Recreation Area and a ton of dispersed camping spots on Arizona State Trust Land. It has some uneven ruts, is a bit loose, has some small hills, and crosses a small wash in the beginning, but is pretty accessible by most 2WD vehicles. The gentle hills on this trail have some water erosion to navigate and could become more dug out in the future without maintenance. Take caution if driving this trail after rain storms. Several camp spots within the first half mile are pretty big rig-friendly, although everyone seems to camp right at the entrance to this road in a huge clearing, so it's worth it to go back a bit farther for more remote campsites. This trail takes the adventurer from the highway into hillsides covered in giant saguaro cacti. A few stunning rock formations tower in the distance and some of the trail networks will head close to these formations. The road continues south as 9052, which gets more difficult. It also continues to a very small mine. It has a flat spot that one could use as a dispersed campsite. The trail entrance to the mine is narrow and rated a 3-4. There isn't much space to turn around, so use caution if traveling with a larger group. Parking larger vehicles on the main trail and walking over to check out the mine is recommended. This is a great way to access all of the OHV trails in this area. There are also some non-motorized hikes accessed off of this road. It's got a great view of Vulture Peak in the distance.

Photos of North Vulture Peak Road

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Difficulty

Most of the trail is one vehicle wide. There are a couple of easy, small, sandy washes to cross. A few hills with water erosion to navigate might cause larger vehicles to feel slightly off-camber.

History

This route is on Arizona State Land 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.

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