Sand Wash Trail

Covering 3.2 miles of native dirt, this route holds to the 5 to 8 percent grade band, so the climbing is moderate and spread out. ATVs, bicycles, horses, and people on foot may all use it, which means engines and quiet travel share the same tread. Trail 0525 is rated class 2, a simple route with light construction. The Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest manages it. A wash route can change shape after a storm, filling with loose sand or cutting new lines, so ask the ranger district how it is holding up before a long day out. Bring water and a map.

Riders on an ATV share this one with people on foot, on a bicycle, and on horseback, so expect to meet motorized traffic. It runs 3.07 miles on native dirt, with grades in the 5 to 8 percent range, which makes for a moderate and fairly even pull. Trail 0546 is rated class 3, a step more developed than a rough footpath, with a wider and better defined tread. The Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest manages it. Dirt tread can wash out after a storm, so ask the ranger district about conditions before a long ride. Yield rules matter here, since users travel at very different speeds.

Lee's Tree Service & Property Maintenance is a tree care and property maintenance business listed in Verde Village, Arizona. The crew does tree trimming and pruning, safe tree and large limb removal, bucket truck and aerial work, commercial stump grinding, chipping, brush clean up, and emergency storm clean up. It also handles acreage and lot clearing, fence line and property clearing, and wildfire mitigation. The business is locally owned, listed as licensed and insured, and gives free estimates. Hours run from early morning to evening every day of the week. Cottonwood is listed in the service area, along with the wider Verde Valley and northern Arizona.

Steep is the word for this one. Grades run from 12 to 20 percent across 2.4 miles of native dirt, which is the sharpest pitch among the nearby routes. Motorcycles and ATVs are allowed here, along with bicycles, horses, and people on foot, so the mix of users is wide. Trail 9703 is rated class 2, so the tread is simple and lightly built. The Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest manages it. Loose dirt on a steep pitch gets slick when wet and chewed up after heavy use, so check with the ranger district before you commit to it.

Short and mostly gentle, this route covers 1.35 miles with grades in the 5 to 8 percent range. The tread is native dirt. It is open to ATV riders, bicycles, horses, and people on foot, so a quiet walk is not guaranteed and it pays to listen for engines. Trail 0526 carries a class 2 rating, meaning simple construction and few built features. The Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest manages it. Its length makes it a reasonable choice when time is short or when you want to link it with something longer. Conditions in a wash change after rain, so check before you go.

Trail 9705 runs 2.4 miles over native dirt, with no paving and no surfaced tread. Grades sit in the 8 to 10 percent band, so the climbing is steady rather than gentle. Hikers, riders on horseback, and people on bicycles may all use it. Motorized vehicles are not among the listed uses. It is rated trail class 2, which means a basic route with light construction and few built features. The Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest manages it. Check with the ranger district for current conditions, since washes and storms change dirt tread quickly. Carry water and wear shoes with grip.

Riders on an ATV share this one with people on foot, on a bicycle, and on horseback, so expect to meet motorized traffic. It runs 3.07 miles on native dirt, with grades in the 5 to 8 percent range, which makes for a moderate and fairly even pull. Trail 0546 is rated class 3, a step more developed than a rough footpath, with a wider and better defined tread. The Verde Ranger District of the Prescott National Forest manages it. Dirt tread can wash out after a storm, so ask the ranger district about conditions before a long ride. Yield rules matter here, since users travel at very different speeds.

Grades of 0 to 5 percent make this one of the flatter routes in the area, and it runs 4.29 miles on native dirt. Trail 1000 is rated class 3, so the tread is wider and better defined than a rough footpath, which suits a steady pace over a longer distance. This is Red Rock Ranger District land, on the Coconino National Forest. Allowed uses are not listed here, so check with the ranger district before bringing a bicycle, a horse, or anything motorized. Gentle grade does not mean short, so carry water for the full distance and ask about conditions after any storm.