July 2002 - Belmont Mountains

Trail Rating - 2

Trip Leader: Chris Villarreal

Photos submitted by Chris Villarreal, Ken Blaisdell

With the latest BLM land closures due to the dry conditions and the resulting fire hazard there isn't much in the way of 4 wheeling near Phoenix.  The Belmont Mountains area about an hour from town.   The pictures below are some of the better obstacles we found off to the side of the mining roads.  Unfortunately you have to endure miles of bumpy, dusty roads between the rocky sections so I am not sure it's worth the drive.   The mining roads might be pretty fun in a stock rig, just head out early and make sure anyone following you knows it will be dusty.

An old mining road dropped down into this wash, it dead ended in the middle of nowhere.

(Click for larger images)

This little spot was in a wash the bordered the road.  The road was actually in the wash but bypassed this section for obvious reasons.  Interesting how the water just carved a smooth funnel right into the rock.  I tried a few times but couldn't find a line that worked.

After driving a good half hour on some flat , dusty mining roads we stumbled upon this short section.