Region
Florence Junction
Arizona

Offroad Trails in Florence Junction

A Region within Arizona
4.5/5 (162)

Located within the Middle Gila Canyons, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, Florence Junction offers a huge network of OHV trails loaded with outdoor adventures and history the entire family will enjoy. With over a century of mining history on this rugged desert landscape, many trails have been cut into the mountains and narrow canyons. The trails have a wide range of difficulty, leading to various remote locations deep within the rocky canyons. Petroglyphs, old mine buildings, wagon stops, and towering saguaros are all part of the epic scenery. While dusty two-tracks, rocky riverbeds, steep hills, narrow channels, and waterfall climbs showcase the area's wide range of traversable terrain.

Florence Junction is a vast region where beginners and novices can strengthen their offroad driving skills on a large network of "moderate" trails. You can begin with a one-of-a-kind drive through Box Canyon, where you'll slowly crawl through a narrow slot canyon in a stock 4x4 vehicle. If your timing is right, you can experience it when water flows and the cacti are fully in bloom. Once you outgrow these easier trails, try your luck on one of several “Technical Vehicle” trails, such as Jack Handle, Woodpecker, or Highway to Hell.

The region is part of numerous land management agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management and Arizona State Trust Land. With allowable camping for up to 14 days, you can set up basecamp and have time to explore all of the hidden gems. The main dirt road entering the OHV area, Cottonwood Canyon Road, is often lined with large RV corrals and other weekend encampments, while more private campsites are tucked further back in the hills. Be sure to acquire a State Land Recreational Permit if you plan to camp or drive the trails within the state’s jurisdiction. This area is popular any time of year except summer, when temperatures can exceed 110° in the shade.

Whether you are into boondocking, relaxing desert rides, wild west history, or hardcore rock crawling, Florence Junction is sure to have something for everyone.

Top Reasons to Explore Here
Beginner Category IconBeginner
Camping Category IconCamping
Desert Category IconDesert
Ghost Town Category IconGhost Town
Iconic Category IconIconic
Mine Category IconMine
Overland Category IconOverland
Rock Category IconRock
Sand Category IconSand
Scenic Category IconScenic
Wash Category IconWash
Water Category IconWater
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