I'll be in Apache Junction area next week from about sunday thru wendsday.

From a map I see Usery Mountain Recreation Area, Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake and Superstition Mt. are close.

Something along the way from Calif. is an option too.

Any ideas appreciated!

 

Hey, im new on here, but umm. I go 4wheelin around Lake Pleasant and New River area, and then i go to Alamo Lake sometimes, have you ever heard of that lake, well anyways, its not that bad to go 4wheelin there if you find the right spots

 

I have a generic map right now. I'll go to AAA and pick up a better map of the area tomorrow.

 

FYI

The daytime heat limits the amount of wheelin' I do down south. You need to be pretty well prepared for what can be extreme conditions- both for yourself and your vehicle.

Apache junction is home to some awesome trails- (Martinez Canyon is one of Steve S's favorites) but you really can only do'm at night this time of year, and even at that, it'll be in the upper 90's.

Lake Pleasant to Crown King is a local favorite. It starts down in the desert and ends up at over 6500' at an old mining town called Crown King. It's a long trail- usually takes 5 hours or so to cover 30 miles or so. All but one of the obsticals are bypassed. http://www.azvjc.org/oldsite/Trails/View.asp?T=1

If you'd like to see some Ponderosa Pine country, take a day trip to the White Mountains. Take the main highway in Apache Junction, US 60 east and stay on it till you get to Lake Side/Pine Top. It will take you thru some pretty diverse terrain.

The local lakes are great if you have a boat.............

Hopefully one of the local guys will chime in too- I'm up in the "cool" country - 90 miles north of the Valley of the Heat Oppressed via power shortage crew

 

Box Canyon! Go to it by turning near the Prison in Florence. But take heed to what Mark said, the conditions can be deadly.

 

Has anyone been up Crown King in a while? Just wondering because i would really want to try that someday, but i heard its gotten pretty bad latley

 

I live by CK, but I wont want to try it until OCT or NOV. Let me know.

 

I used to wheel the Grand Canyon in my stock 4runner

 

Crown King is getting a little wild. I was on that trail in early march. But with alittle care you and your truck will be fine. I'am with Christian though wait untill latter in the year. I do know a bypass around the last obsticale right before the long hill up. I do like this way better on my quad.


Greg

 

You are visiting a very awesome region of Arizona, but unfortunately at probably the least desireable time of year unless you are a true desert freak which requires some odd characteristics in the head

If you are lucky, you might catch a late monsoon rain and get to see some really neat stuff out in the desert.

You might try to hook up with someone for some night wheeling, or a moonlight hike. If you have time to get away for a day trip, I would highly recommend a drive up to Tonto Natural Bridge. It's maybe a 2 hour drive north of Apache Junction. I just posted some pics and video of this place on my website. No wheeling, but a good day trip. You could have lunch in Payson or Pine (higher elevation with cooler temps).

Tubing down the Salt River might be a fun thing too.

http://www.saltrivertubing.com/

 

Thanks for all the replies. I'll look at your site bajataco & crawler# and look up that book Toyotadoodz.

Yeah, not my first choice going out there to see if I blister instantly in 120degree temps but it's for a family thing so gotta go.

 

I remember i went back behind Alamo lake at the beggining of summer with a friend. just bascially a desert run, and i didnt use A/C so i could save some gas. I had the windows open on the dirt roads, and me and my friend left some sweat stains on the seats, and that day it was only like 100 degrees out there

 

help me out I can't find tonto bridge on your website.

 

Awesome pic's Chris!


http://www.bajataco.com/mogollonrim/index.htm

 

Thanks!

Yea, the pics of the Tonto bridge park are the whole middle of the photo gallery, and there is a vid link at the bottom.

 

Do you guys have some suggestions for Sedona/Flagstaff area? I figure it might be cooler up there. It's 107 degrees here!!!

 

Sedona will be hot too. Just not as hot as Phoenix. Maybe 10-12 degrees cooler. The high today for Sedona is 99 degrees.

Flagstaff is where you want to go, but you've got a bit of a drive. You can go to the Cinder Hills OHV area just northeast of town, or just a drive up into the San Francisco peaks behind town would be nice and cool.

Prescott (where I'm at) is closer (and cooler), but the high is supposed to be 91 here today. It's not too bad just outside of town in the pines though.

 

Look at my trip computer!

It actually hit 117 at the highest (near Needles, Ca)! Damn, it's hot in the desert!

thanks again Chris!

 

Welcome to AZ my friend!!

 

Yeah, can a brother get some SPF100?!
95 by 9am and crazies driving around with the top down in 110+. Man...summer is blacked out from now on!