Walnut Canyon trail status (1 Viewer)

[cartercd]

I was perusing the AZ Backroads and 4-Wheel-Drive Trails Book and came across the Walnut Canyon trail. I see some posts on this forum back in 2009, but nothing in recent past. The publishers website (FunTreks.com) has a post from 2018 that indicates the trail was open. Does anyone know the status of the trail now and level of difficulty? I do see a portion is on State Trust land so a permit is needed.

 

[DSRTRDR]

according to my latest info, which is from ~2013-2014 (and some later hear-say to the same effect), the part between 07 and 08 on your map is closed to motorized traffic - the route was declared a hiker-only trail by the Forest Service several years ago

 

[cartercd]

Thanks Claudia. With some further digging it looks like the stretch along the Gila River is now part of the non-motorized Arizona Trail. So if one wants to hike 800 miles from Mexico to Utah there is no worries about being run over by a Land Cruiser on the Walnut Canyon trail. Unfortunate, but with the recklessness of many 4-wheelers not surprising that they closed this to vehicular traffic.

 

[Stepmurr]

@murf led a run-of-the-month in this vicinity in 2015 that used the eastern leg on your map

November ROTM 11/07-08

The November ROTM will be the weekend of Nov 07-08. ** UPDATE ** Nov ROTM will be in the Superstition Mnt area. Stocker friendly trail that will return back later in the day to set up camp in predesignated area Or give option to return back home as a day trip. Bring food/drinks as we will stop...

forum.ih8mud.com

Crossing the Gila river twice avoids the Arizona Trail

 

[Enrique Sonora]

Thanks for the update. This would be a nice trail to drive on.
One note about closed trails on U.S. Forest and BLM land can be dubious. I learned recently, I am by no means an expert on this, Many of these closures were executive orders during 2008-2016. I believe they can be overturned easily since they were not debated or reviewed by law. IDK what do you all know about this?

 

[TWILLY]

Thanks for the update. This would be a nice trail to drive on.
One note about closed trails on U.S. Forest and BLM land can be dubious. I learned recently, I am by no means an expert on this, Many of these closures were executive orders during 2008-2016. I believe they can be overturned easily since they were not debated or reviewed by law. IDK what do you all know about this?

Decisions about route designations on federal public lands are subject to legally-mandated public involvement and analysis.

 

[DSRTRDR]

this particular closure purportedly was made for protection of riparian habitat - never mind there's only gazillions of non-indigenous tamarisks growing there

the river crossings in the trail that @Stepmurr posted may or may not be fordable depending on water level - several years ago, Kevin and others went to drag out an FJCruiser that had managed to get stuck in deep water

 

[bwesty]

I've done this trail a few times. It is open, expect rutted hills, off camber trail and river crossings. Great area, if you study some maps you can see the route via Battleaxe Road down to Gila River. Avoid the trail Miners Revenge, it's the wash northwest of The Spine. That's another way through but it's a rock crawling trail and a difficult one at that.

 

[cartercd]

I checked this trail out on Sunday and there was no closure between points 07 and 08 (see map post #1). No signs, no fence, and no barriers. I did check out the river crossings and both were passable at the time, so one could cross the river and head east/west along the south bank (also a railroad track running along here). Trail was generally stocker-friendly, with a few rutted areas that were easily traversed. Pinstriping, on the other hand, was aplenty.

 

[DSRTRDR]

thanks for the update

great to hear you enjoyed it

 

[tls3601]

Thanks Claudia. With some further digging it looks like the stretch along the Gila River is now part of the non-motorized Arizona Trail. So if one wants to hike 800 miles from Mexico to Utah there is no worries about being run over by a Land Cruiser on the Walnut Canyon trail. Unfortunate, but with the recklessness of many 4-wheelers not surprising that they closed this to vehicular traffic.
View attachment 2186009

More like recklessness of high performance side by sides! The true nimby’s of the off road world. What a shame the idiocy of the few ruin things for the more responsible.