Best Off-Road Trails Northern Arizona
Elden Mountain
Located just North of Flagstaff off east Highway 180 and is rated as an easy trail. A popular Northern Arizona off-road trail for mountain bikers (be careful and pay attention) this trail offers outstanding view of Mormon Lake, Oak Creek Canyon, Humphreys Peak, Painted Desert, and Sunset Crater National Monument. From the starting point to where the road splits at the top of this climb you’ll travel 6.3 miles, the other roads will add about ½ to ¾ of mile to the trail the entire ride should take you around 30 minutes. The top elevation of this trail peaks at 9,299 ft. Contact the Peaks Ranger Station in Flagstaff for more information if this trail is open.
Greasy Spoon
Located just west of Sedona, off north Highway 89A and rated as difficult, the Greasy Spoon is remote 5.8 mile long trail with another 11 miles to get there and back. A remote trail, this is a great location for off-road drivers and hikers, alike, but can be difficult to find due to the excessive amount of side roads on the way there. Once in the trail, park and hike the two mountain peaks which are near Boynton Pass. If you are planning on traversing this trail and making any stops you will need a Red Rocks pass.
This Northern Arizona off road trail is best for stock SUVs with high clearance in dry conditions. It is not safe to driver or hike this road in wet conditions.
Apache Maid Fire Lookout Trail
Located near Sedona, this easy twisting trail will take you about half an hour to explore and is best driven from May to October. Mud may be a concern during wet conditions, so it’s best to travel this during a dry period. Located in the Coconino National Forest, this short trail takes you up to Apache Maid Fire Lookout, giving you a panoramic view. Best suited for high clearance, 4WD vehicles.
Broken Arrow
At four miles, this trail is short, but considered one of the best trails in Arizona and can take about 2 hours to travel (more if it’s busy). An insanely fun drive located just south of Sedona and east of Highway 179 will give you some of the finest views of red rock the state has to offer. Broken Arrow is rated as a moderate trail and is very popular. Because of this the trail’s traffic can be heavy. Trail blazers are prohibited from widening the somewhat narrow trail by pulling over anywhere other than the provided pull-outs. On this Northern Arizona off-road trail it is of the utmost importance to follow the arrows before the trails turn into one-way sections.
Vehicles with high clearance are required for this drive a there are sever rock ledges. Less than on mile into the trail there is what’s called the “go-no-go” rock- if you can’t make it, backup and head of the trail because your vehicle won’t be able to make the rest of the trail. Additionally, this trail offers many articles, some of which are optional. If you choose one trail from this list, make sure it’s this one.
