Turtleback Wash

Trail Overview

This trail can be picked up from the town of Wickenburg at the Kerkes trailhead. The entrance to this trail that drops down into the Hassayampa River wash is relatively narrow. It is just large enough for side-by-side and smaller 4x4s. There may be other access areas points into the Hassayampa River wash from different parts of town. The trail goes through the river bed. Make sure it is dry season when traveling this trail. This river can get an incredible flow during monsoons or a wet winter. It turns out of the river and heads underneath an old train bridge. A gate is on private property, but they are allowing access. This first part of the trail after the bridge is graded and quite nice. There are cattle, and it is an open-range land. The ranchers are most likely the ones that grade the trail. This trail runs up Turtleback Wash and runs through some beautiful rock formations. There is a lovely canyon and a canyon with some tight, twisty sections back and forth. Some beautiful rocks are covered by green moss at one point. The further up the trail goes, the narrower it is, and the last third has some bumpy rocks and is relatively narrow. This trail meets up with another trail network at the Turtleback cattle tank. AT&T cell service is decent near town but fades in and out the rest of the trail.

Photos of Turtleback Wash

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Difficulty

Even though this is a wash, the sand is nicely graded in most parts and is more of a dense gravel than a deep sand. There are some sandy sections and a few rocky sections, but overall, it's a nice trail. The most challenging sections are the narrow entry from the riverbed and the end of the trail, where it becomes rocky and narrower. Paint damage is very possible from the narrow sharp desert trees.

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