Exploring Arizona Off-Road

In our continuing effort to explore our new State, in the past couple of weeks we’ve took a couple of off road trails.  One to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the second in our own back yard.  The North Rim, although in Arizona, is about 300 road miles from our home.  So the plan was to drive up to Jacob Lake, stay the night in the Jacob Lake Lodge, drive to the North Rim the next day, and upon our return stay at the Lodge for a second night.  Friends Ken and Trudy also Joined us as it is always good to travel off road with a second vehicle.

So early in the morning we headed out.  Part of the drive to Jacob Lake is pretty scenic, traveling through red rock country and crossing the Colorado River at Navaho Bridge. We stopped for a few pictures, but being around 100 degrees, we continued on to the high country and the cool air at 8,000 feet at Jacob Lake.  The next morning after breakfast at the lodge, we headed for the North Rim and Point Sublime.  There are quite a few North Rim viewpoints that require a high clearance vehicle or 4 wheel drive, but we had heard that Point Sublime, as the name suggest, was one of the best.  Once we hit the dirt, we were on pretty well maintained Forest Service roads, that as the miles past, gradually became narrower and narrower.  Not bad roads mind you, as most of the way 2 wheel drive sufficed.  Once we crossed into the National Park, the roads showed no sighs of being maintained in the recent past.  We had heard that in the winter when the roads are closed, many trees are blown down during storms blocking the road.  In June, when the park service opens the roads, a lot of effort must be made to clear the downed trees.  We saw hundreds of trees that had been cleared off the road and we too encountered on tree blocking our path.  I had brought with us a chain saw just in case, but the tree wasn’t all that big and we were able to drag it off the road.

After 26 miles and several hours we arrived at Point Sublime and sublime it was.  Beautiful 180 degree views up, down, and across the Grand Canyon.  We enjoyed our lunch with a view and after about an hour, we started our trek back to pavement.  Timing was perfect as just as we were heading out, several vehicles arrived, and on our drive out we encountered more people heading in.  We opted for a different route out, staying in the National Park.  The road was rough and rocky and although not technical, it was still nice to have 4 wheel drive.

After 44 miles in the dirt, we headed back to Jacob Lake for another night, before heading home the following morning.  We all agreed that we would return to the North Rim and explore some of the other overlooks in the back country.

Next up, something closer to home.  We were invited by friends John and Eva, to join up with them and folks from their neighborhood, for some off road adventure ending up in Williams, AZ.  We arrived at the appointed 8:30 start time at the appointed place and joined up with 8 other rigs who had arrived before us, putting us at the back of the pack.  We were introduced around and of course due to my advanced age, names I quickly forgot, but not to worry as pretty much everyone forgot our names too.

So with our fearless leader leading we headed out across the dusty plain towards our first destination of Perkinsville.  Cathie and I had been to Perkinsville twice before, but by different routes.  One in the dirt and once on the Verde Canyon Railroad.  Not much to Perkinsville nowadays, a ranch and some ruins, but the ranch is still operated by the Perkins Family who settled here in 1900.  There is a bridge here crossing the Verde River allowing us to continuing North and to higher elevations near Williams.  We made two unscheduled stops along the way, one to winch out a hapless kid who tried to do more than his truck was capable of, and a flat tire that one in our group had.  No fun changing a flat in 100 degree heat, but others chipped in and helped.  As our route gained elevation the road changed to pavement and the scenery went from shrubs, to junipers and finally to tall ponderosa pines and green grass.  After 58 miles we arrived in Williams and a well deserved final stop at the Grand Canyon Brewery for lunch and a brew.  I opted for lemonade, and for Cathie, what she knows best, a Bloody Mary.

Thanks to John and Eva for inviting us as we had great time.  Hoping that they will remember us for the next off-road adventure and we promise to learn a couple of more names.