GOT winter wheeling area?

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LandCruiserPhil

LandCruiserPhil

Peter Pan Syndrome
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With the cooler temps I went looking for a new area to explore. I wanted something close and below 2000' and new to me. My new area is north of Carefree Hwy and west of Lake Pleasent. The area is BLM and the trails are very well marked. Once you get past the shooters area:( the wheeling was good and the scenery was Arizona great. I started in the Morgan Wash and skirted the border of the Hells Canyon Wilderness. Jumped out of the wash and picked up the MC road trail and meet up with middle of the Castle Springs road. At that point you go left you end up coming out at Morristown or right and come out at Lake Pleasent.

A couple pictures of my trip
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Dinner on the trail
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Area Map link Wilderness.net - U.S. National Wilderness Preservation System Map
 
Phil, thanks for the write up and pics on what looks like a sweet little close to home adventure. By the way, what street looking tires are you running there?
 
GOLDY said:
Phil, thanks for the write up and pics on what looks like a sweet little close to home adventure. By the way, what street looking tires are you running there?
Click to expand...

Nitto Terra Grappler
 
Yes there is. The wash north of Route 60 (you have to pretend you live around there the natives may get slightly restless) opens out to some great trails. Fullsize rigs need not apply through some of the narrower stuff. Google Maps calls it 296th ave. Or search for Rio Vista Hills Airport. Flew in and out of there a lot when I lived next to it.
 
Good spot!

A few of my fav's for westsiders... Im sure you guys know these?

On the 60 about 5+ miles west of Wickenburg heading to Aguila... great trails north of the highway, I dont know the mile marker off hand, but you'll see a distinguished turnoff and metal gate if you keep an eye

Also 355th Ave north of I10 turns into Aguila rd... changes to dirt after vulture mine intersect. BLM land all around and gorgeous... heads back to big horn pit gravel mine. rich in wildlife esp. javalina/yotes/vultures,etc

Also Eagle Eye rd heading north of Solome highway to Aguila Windy scenic paved road with endless trails heading off into state and BLM land.

Basically, recently I love the Harquahala valley...some of the best (and least used) land I have come across near PHX.

There are too many great places to explore in AZ!!!
 
Hijack away. Seems like all the east side 'wheeling is getting boring? Wickenburg, Morristown, Aguila, Congress, etc. Then there's Poland Junction, Yarnell, Bagdad, Kirkland... hmmm.
 
Follow Rincon Rd far enough and you'll pass through 'The Straights' where there's water running through a trench just wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass for about 1/4-1/2 mile. It's a great place during the summer, as the canyon walls provide shade and you can get out and walk in the sandy water. Last time we were out there (June?) there was a breeding flush of caterpillars however - this made for icky-gooey caterpillar smashing on everything, but the water washed them away. Further north of there is a lot of open country without a lot of traffic, including a ranch strangely situated on what would be an isolated island when the floods come. There's a make-shift cable car system setup to get supplies and people on/off the island ranch for serious flooding which is pretty cool to see.
 
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