Location

  • Oak Tree Canyon to Lakes Road

Length

  • 13.1 miles

Southern Access Point: Oak Tree Canyon

  • GPS Coordinates: 31.81072° N, 110.72330° W
  • NOTE: This trailhead is not directly accessible by vehicles. The trailhead is approximately 0.7 miles west of the access point (31.80926° N, 110.71026° W) along a two-track road.

Access

From the intersection of I-10 and AZ 83, drive south on AZ 83 to 0.8 miles past milepost 44. Pull off on the right (west) at an unmarked road (FR 4072). A gate prevents vehicles from proceeding very far. Park in this area and walk along the fence about 0.8 miles west to an AZT trailhead sign.

Northern Access Point: Lakes Road

  • GPS Coordinates: 31.90910° N, 110.67151° W
  • NOTE: This trailhead is not directly accessible by vehicles. The trailhead is approximately 0.6 miles west of the access point (31.90857° N, 110.66196° W) along a two-track road.

Access

From the intersection of I-10 and AZ 83, drive south for 7.2 miles on AZ 83 to milepost 51.4. Turn right (west) and go through a gate on an unmarked, rough dirt road about 0.6 miles to the AZT. This road requires a 4WD high-clearance vehicle, or park near AZ 83 and walk in (recommended).

Trail Route Description

Passage 6 rolls across the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains. The trail passes through oak-lined, semi-desert grassland and features ocotillo, barrel and prickly pear cactus. The terrain is up and down over rolling hills and across several ridges and sandy washes. There are a few short, steep climbs followed by similar descents, with an overall downhill trend. 

This section features grand vistas to the west and views of the Empire Mountains to the east. Looking south, Mountain Wrightson dominates as a majestic reminder of where you have been. Look north, however, and you will see the mighty Rincon Mountains, which foretell adventures to come!

Difficulty

  • Moderate

Season(s)

Water

There may be water off of FR 4064, otherwise water is intermittent and scarce. Plan to bring your own water.  Check the online Arizona Trail Water Report for current information at https://aztrail.org/explore/water-sources/.

Notes/Warnings

All water along this passage should be purified prior to use.

Resources

  • Map of Passage 6
  • USGS Topographic Maps: Empire Ranch and Mount Fagan.
  • BLM Information Center maps.

For more information

Current Passage Info

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