KEY INFO
LOCATION AZ 87 to Gooseberry Springs Trailhead
DISTANCE 30.7 miles one-way
DAY-TRIP OPTION See turnaround note in the trail description.
SHUTTLE RECOMMENDATIONS FR 93 (passage mile 8.6), FR 294 (passage mile 21.2)
DIFFICULTY Easy
LAND MANAGER Coconino National Forest, Mogollon Rim Ranger District, www.fs.usda.gov/coconino, 928-527-3600
RECOMMENDED MONTHS April–November
GATEWAY COMMUNITY See Mormon Lake.
GEOLOGY HIGHLIGHTS Not applicable
This passage traverses some attractive terrain, but much of it follows roads that are open to motorized vehicles. In the absence of natural barriers on the Mogollon Plateau, vehicles have thoroughly explored the area, and roads are more prevalent than trails. There are exceptions, including the first 5.1 miles of the south end of this passage where you’ll enjoy singletrack through scenic canyons, although the route crosses and briefly follows roads at several points.
The entire Colorado Plateau is dominated by ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest, which provides a dense canopy and ample shade for AZT hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.
In 2012 the U.S. Forest Service completed a lengthy administrative process to develop a traffic-management plan for the forest, which will close many unnecessary roads to reduce impact on the forest. Many of the roads in this passage fall under this program, and much of the AZT will eventually be located on roads that have been converted to singletrack.
There are no guaranteed water sources, but stock tanks are plentiful, and Pine Spring is fairly reliable. You’ll find good campsites all along this passage.
From the trailhead, travel 100 yards north on the dirt road to AZ 87, turn right (east) on the highway, go about 40 yards, and turn left (north) onto FR 138. Pass through a gate and continue along the road 0.1 mile to a sign indicating a singletrack on the right (northeast).
Cairns and brown carsonite posts show the way when the trail is faint. The AZT reaches a road and bends left to parallel it for 0.2 mile before crossing it to the northeast. The trail joins another road that forks immediately. Take the right fork and follow the road about 100 yards until it bends to the right. Leave the road on singletrack, continuing straight ahead (northeast).
The trail bends left (northwest) to descend into Jacks Canyon. In 0.2 mile, join a very faint old road in the bottom of the scenic canyon, follow it west approximately 1.2 miles, and exit the drainage bottom to the left (west). In another 0.7 mile along a wide level area, cross a high-quality dirt road, and continue northwest 0.6 mile to reach FR 9727H. Turn left (west) and follow this road, wending your way around chunks of lava rock, as you travel through pretty ponderosa forests.
Pass Wochner Tank, which appears as Waldroup Tank on the 1970 USGS Turkey Mountain topographic map, and in about a mile look to the left for an unnamed pond. You may find clear water here when Wochner Tank is dry or muddy.
TURNAROUND NOTE: If you’re just out for the day, Wochner Tank (passage mile 6.8) or the unnamed pond (passage mile 7.7) makes a nice place to turn around and reverse your route.
Turn right (north) at a T-intersection with FR 93. Bear right (northeast) at a triangular intersection to stay on FR 93. Walk a little more than 0.1 mile to turn left (northwest) onto FR 93K. In about 2 miles, the trail veers right (east) and continues another 1 mile to rejoin FR 93. Turn left (north-northwest), continue 0.4 mile, and then turn right (northeast) on FR 9364J.
Gonzales Tank is about 0.25 mile northwest of the intersection of FR 93 and FR 9364J. Please be careful in this environmentally sensitive area. After 0.7 mile of climbing on FR 9364J, the road curves left (north) and then, in another 0.3 mile, curves back to the right (east). At this point, at the signed turn just past the gate, veer left (northwest) and follow the singletrack trail about 0.75 mile over a flat ridge before you descend to FR 93A.
Turn right (northeast) and walk a short distance to FR 9356P. Turn left (northwest) onto this road, and begin a steady climb. After topping out around 7,300 feet, this road descends to Wild Horse Tank. Join FR 9361E at the tank, follow it north for 1.6 miles to FR 135, and bear left (west).
Continue to a signed singletrack to the left, just before reaching a T-intersection with a road. If you want to get water at Pine Spring, turn right at the T-intersection and walk on this road for less than 0.1 mile to a second fork. Turn right and continue 0.2 mile to the spring. Pine Spring flows into a stock pond that provides the easiest access to the water; plus, it has some nice places to camp.
If you don’t want to go to Pine Spring, follow the trail about 0.15 mile through the trees (note the steel AZT sign) south of the road just before the T-intersection with FR 294, until it crosses FR 294. The trail then follows FR 9356B northwest through a narrow gate strung between two large trees until it reaches a four-way junction of these rugged backcountry roads. Two steel-tower transmission lines loom ahead. Turn sharply left (south) at the junction, head through a gate and along FR 9255U a short distance. Just past the first steel tower, head west again on faint singletrack toward Bargaman Park Tank.
Pass Bargaman Park Tank and continue southwest to FR 135D. Turn right (northwest) for 1.9 miles on FR 135D to Shuffs Tank. Turn right (north), following signs and rock cairns to Maxie Tank.
Continue following the signs and heading north-northeast 0.6 mile to FR 135. Cross this road and follow FR 135C for 0.2 mile to FR 92A, which curves north-northwest around a low peak on the left. Descend slightly to an open park, and continue into the trees. The trail skirts a mound associated with the now-abandoned railroad and continues northerly along the railroad grade. You reach busy, graded dirt FR 92 and a steel AZT sign, which is the end of Passage 29.
The broken basalt tread along this passage is anything but comfortable. Bring your full-suspension bike, and be prepared for a sore undercarriage. The worst stretch is the road from mile 5.7 to mile 8.6. For more information about mountain biking along the Arizona National Scenic Trail, visit aztrail.org.
From the intersection of AZ 87 and AZ 260 north of Pine, drive northeast 19.5 miles on AZ 87, and then turn right (south) on FR 138. (This is about 0.8 mile west of the Blue Ridge Ranger Station on AZ 87.) Signs on the highway point to Moqui Campground. The trailhead is about 100 yards south on FR 138, on the left (east) side of the road.
From the turnoff leading from Forest Highway 3 to Mormon Lake Village, continue south on FH 3 for approximately 5 miles, turn left onto a prominent road on the south side of an open meadow, and drive 0.25 mile to a sharp left turn in the road. The trail-head and a steel AZT sign are on your right. You can also reach this point from AZ 87 by driving north on FH 3.