Pinal Mountain Road

On the north, Pinal Mountain Raod (Forest Road 651) begins on Kellner Canyon Road (Forest Road 55) in a residential area just beyond Besh-Ba-Gowah Archeological Park outside the town of Globe. At around 4 miles, you'll see a sign on your left for the Kellner Group Site, and a minute later, you'll turn left to begin your ascent toward both Signal Peak and Pinal Peak. This is where the dirt road begins and where civilization fades away. Scrubby bushes of manzanita and juniper comprise the landscape, but as the road climbs, pine trees emerge. The well-maintained road passes by Sulphide Del Rey campground, once the site of an old mining company. The campsite is first come, first serve, and there is no fee. The site has restrooms, fire rings, and tables but no water. Once you reach the saddle, there are multiple roads, but stay left against the mountainside. You'll catch your first views here while you continue to the top, careful with the steep dropoffs. Once you reach the summit, the forest thickens, and there will be two additional campgrounds, the Pinal and Upper Pinal Campgrounds, plus cabins. The campsites are located on a site formerly occupied by the US Army that used it as a heliographic signaling (using mirrors to reflect sunlight) station during the late 1800s. The campsites are first come, first serve, and there is no fee. The sites have restrooms, fire rings, and tables but no water. There are several trails to stretch your legs before heading back down the mountain.