Facility · Arizona ·
Managed by the Bureau of Land Management
Hassayampa Field Office (Bureau of Land Management AZ) · Open Access
A popular staging area for the Lake Pleasant/Hieroglyphic Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) recreation area which showcases a motorized off-highway route system in the scenic Upper Sonoran Desert landscape.
With over 200 miles of unimproved backcountry roads and single-track motorbike trails, ranging from 1,700 to 3,500 feet in elevation, this recreation area is bound to please any off-highway vehicle enthusiast.
The semi-primitive staging area has over 10 acres available for camping and includes a vault toilet and information kiosk. There are no designated campsites, drinking water, dumping stations, picnic tables or shade structures.
The best season of use is between October and May.
The staging area is located in Maricopa County, 45 miles north of downtown Phoenix, Arizona, approximately 8 miles west of the Lake Pleasant Regional Park on State Route 74 (Carefree Highway).
To access the staging area from the east on Interstate 17, take exit 223 to State Route 74 (Carefree Highway) and head west towards Lake Pleasant Regional Park. To access from the west on U.S. 60, take the Morristown–SR-74 exit and head east on SR-74. The unmarked turnoff to the staging area is on the north side of the road between mile markers 11 and 12. Slow down when approaching the area as the turnoff can be easily overlooked. The staging area is one mile north of the highway turnoff.
33.84427, -112.44167 · 33°50'39.4"N 112°26'30.0"W
Typically 105°F in Jul, down to 64°F in Dec.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 65 | 68 | 75 | 82 | 92 | 102 | 105 | 103 | 98 | 87 | 74 | 64 |
| Low °F | 39 | 41 | 46 | 51 | 60 | 69 | 77 | 77 | 70 | 57 | 46 | 39 |
| Precip in | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 6.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Free
From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-13.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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