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This is such a popular area for four-wheeling that the Tonto National Forest instituted a permit system several years ago. Locked gates bar entry, and the combination you receive with your permit works for six months before the lock is changed.
This is hilly area with enormous boulders that tower as high as the buildings downtown. With the yellow-green lichen growing on them, they look like something from another world. Every time you crest a ridge you’re treated to a new vista, and you get some of the best views of the Superstitions, Weaver’s Needle and Four Peaks that you’ve ever seen.
Enormous coveys of quail make their homes here, as do javelina, deer, and hundreds of birds and smaller mammals. In spite of the lengthy drought, springs continue to provide water year-round. Ruins of old mining shacks dot the landscape here, and scattered along the hillsides are piles of stones put there by Spaniards to mark their mining claims.
A permit is required for this trail. It’s easy to obtain and free. Carry it with you at all times. This is a highly sensitive area and subject to closure. The trail passes through scenic Sonoran Desert with views of Goldfield and Superstition Mountains. Several short, steep rocky climbs that require careful tire placement and some driving skill. Suitable for aggressive stock SUVs with high ground clearance. Go with a friend and carry a tow strap.
