Government Canyon Trail

Yew Thicket Trail is 2.14 miles near Clarkdale, as trail number 0052. The typical grade is 5 to 8 percent, moderate for the distance, and the surface is native material. The recorded trail class is 2. Hiking and horses are the listed uses; bicycles are not. one caution about this page rather than the trail: the managing forest and the managing district listed for it do not match each other, so we are not stating either here until we can check which is right. That also means we cannot tell you which office to call. Look the trail number up before you go.

Henderson Trail covers 4.4 miles near Clarkdale, in the Bradshaw Ranger District of Prescott National Forest, as trail number 0053. The typical grade is 0 to 5 percent, the flattest band are listed, which is unusual for a trail of this length here and makes the distance more approachable than it sounds. It is class 2, on native material. Hiking and horses are listed as allowed uses; bicycles are not. That combination often means a quieter trail. Trailhead directions and water information are not posted, so check with the district office before driving out, especially after storms.

Deadman Trail is short and steep. It covers 1.59 miles on native material, with grades in the 12 to 20 percent range, so the climbing is sustained for its length. The route is rated trail class 1, the roughest built class, meaning a faint and narrow tread in places where route finding matters. It is open to hiking, horseback riding and bicycles, and is numbered 29 under Kaibab National Forest. Sturdy footwear helps, and a trail map is worth carrying because a class 1 path can be easy to lose. Check with the forest for closures and conditions before you drive out.

Great Western Trail is the long one here, at 16.8 miles on native material. Grades reach 10 to 12 percent, and the route is rated trail class 4, the most developed class, so the tread is wider and easier to follow than on a rough single track. It is open to hiking, horseback riding, bicycles and 4wd travel, which means you can meet vehicles along the way. The route is numbered 150 and sits under Kaibab National Forest. Plan fuel, water and daylight for the full length, or ride a section out and back. Check the forest for closures before heading out.

Deadman Pocket Trail runs 5.2 miles through the Bradshaw Ranger District of Prescott National Forest, near Clarkdale. It is trail number 0117. The typical grade is 12 to 20 percent, which is the steep end of what we list anywhere in the area, so treat the distance as slower than it looks on paper. Native material underfoot, class 2. Hiking and horses are the allowed uses. Bicycles are not listed. Carry more water than you think you need for a climb this sustained, and check the forest for closures before heading out, because district conditions change with weather and fire.

Bones Trail is 6.05 miles long on native material, so the tread is dirt and rock rather than gravel or pavement. Grades run 5 to 8 percent, which is a steady pull rather than a sharp climb, but the length adds up. It is rated trail class 2, meaning a built path that stays rough in places. The route is numbered 180 and falls under the Red Rock Ranger District of Coconino National Forest. Carry more water than you think you need, since there is no posted water along the way, and check with the ranger district for closures and current conditions before heading out.

Deadman Pocket Trail runs 5.2 miles through the Bradshaw Ranger District of Prescott National Forest, near Clarkdale. It is trail number 0117. The typical grade is 12 to 20 percent, which is the steep end of what we list anywhere in the area, so treat the distance as slower than it looks on paper. Native material underfoot, class 2. Hiking and horses are the allowed uses. Bicycles are not listed. Carry more water than you think you need for a climb this sustained, and check the forest for closures before heading out, because district conditions change with weather and fire.

Deadman Trail is short and steep. It covers 1.59 miles on native material, with grades in the 12 to 20 percent range, so the climbing is sustained for its length. The route is rated trail class 1, the roughest built class, meaning a faint and narrow tread in places where route finding matters. It is open to hiking, horseback riding and bicycles, and is numbered 29 under Kaibab National Forest. Sturdy footwear helps, and a trail map is worth carrying because a class 1 path can be easy to lose. Check with the forest for closures and conditions before you drive out.