Wentworth Road to Malpais Spring — Tonto National Forest Mogollon Rim Desert Bench via Young Highway
Arizona's loneliest rim country run.
Drop south off State Route 260 onto FR 512 and the pavement ends fast. The Wentworth Road cuts across the upper Tonto Basin’s broken rim country — a landscape of juniper flats, volcanic outcrops, and the occasional windmill that marks a stock tank. The route works through open ponderosa and pinyon-juniper benches above the Salt River watershed, eventually threading down toward Malpais Spring and the grassland basin around Young, one of Arizona’s most isolated communities. The road itself is unmaintained dirt and two-track with washboard, loose basalt cobble, and occasional shelf sections above creek drainages. Water crossings of Tonto Creek tributaries can be meaningful after monsoon season.
A stock 4WD with decent clearance handles this in dry conditions, but mud after monsoon rains can strand low-slung trucks for days — the clay-rich soils here go greasy fast. Carry two to three gallons of water per person; springs are unreliable. Best season is April through June and September through October. No permit required on Tonto National Forest land, though dispersed camping is allowed well clear of drainages. Cell service is essentially zero once you leave SR 260. Fuel in Payson before you drop in — Young has no services to rely on.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Rock |
| Features | Camping, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 38 mi / 61.2 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 6900 ft |
| Best season | April-June, September-October |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Young, AZ |
| Land manager | Tonto National Forest, Payson Ranger District |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | Tonto National Forest Payson Ranger District |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock 4Runner or Wrangler handle this trail without modifications?
Yes — a stock 4WD with genuine high clearance is the minimum. The rocky sections and rutted two-track won't punish a bone-stock rig badly, but a lifted or skid-plated vehicle will have more margin on the rougher volcanic rimrock stretches.
When is this trail passable and what shuts it down?
April–June and September–October are the sweet spots. Snow closes the upper rim sections in winter, and the summer monsoon season (July–August) turns dirt crossings into mud traps and can flash-flood the water crossings fast — don't roll the dice on it mid-storm.
Do I need a permit or are there any fees to run this route?
No permit required and no fee to drive the trail — it's Tonto National Forest dispersed-use land. If you're camping, standard forest rules apply: no campfire restrictions vary by season, so check current fire restrictions with the Payson Ranger District before you go.
What's the hardest section and what should I actually be ready for?
The volcanic rimrock sections are where most rigs earn their scratches — loose rock shelves and off-camber two-track with limited recovery room. Nothing that demands lockers on a capable stock rig, but a moment of inattention will put a rocker panel into basalt fast.
Is Malpais Spring reliable for water, and how far is the nearest gas from the trailhead?
Malpais Spring exists on the map but treat it as unreliable — bring all your water from home. Young, AZ is your last fuel stop and it's small; top off in Payson before heading out because Young's options are limited and the nearest real fuel after that is over 50 miles of slow road away.
Trail track
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