Great Western 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.

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.

Government Canyon Trail runs 1.6 miles near Clarkdale, in the Bradshaw Ranger District of Prescott National Forest. Its number is 0073. The typical grade is 0 to 5 percent, the flattest band we list, which makes this one of the easier walks in the set on paper. Native material underfoot, class 2. Hiking, horses and bicycles are the allowed uses. A short, gentle trail is a reasonable choice with children or an out of shape dog. Trailhead parking details are not posted or a water source for it, so check the district first.

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.

Sycamore Basin Trail runs 18.19 miles near Clarkdale, in the Bradshaw Ranger District of Prescott National Forest. It is trail number 0063. That distance puts it among the longest routes we list, and the typical grade of 5 to 8 percent is what makes it walkable at all. Native material underfoot, class 2. Hiking, horses and bicycles are the allowed uses. At eighteen miles, water, heat and daylight decide the day, not fitness. This is a trip to plan with the district office and a map, not one to start on the strength of a listing page.

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.