Getting started just outside of Jerome, AZ.



Truck is clean and ready to roll.



The trail starts out fairly docile.





According to the sign, the trail then gets a little more serious.



Red clay mud looks good on a black truck!







The trail becomes more interesting as it enters a canyon. Unfortunately, the camera flattens the terrain.





Finally arriving at Smiley Rock.



The canyon became more challenging after our stop at Smiley Rock.



Two and a half hours later we emerged from the canyon. Unfortunately the failing daylight hours forced us to put the cameras away as we made our way out of the canyon (the most challenging part of the run). Overall it was a great run among some amazing scenery without any major problems.

 

man i wish i would have known i might have made the trip down there to wheel. we need to get an az meet together and have a nice lil wheelin group

 

Looks like a fun trip,, Where Exactly is that at in AZ??

Truck looks good! Im really eye'n those sliders...

 

That would be cool. This last weekend was a good one for wheeling as I did Broken Arrow in Sedona and Smiley Rock (Jerome to Mingus Mountain). Both trails were within the abilities of my truck but took some care to get past obstacles.

 

That is sick man looks like a great time

 

The Smiley Rock trail runs from Jerome, and old mining town located northwest of Phoenix to Mingus Mountain (also northwest of Phoenix near Prescott Valley).

 

hey we need to meet up and go wheelin sometime. who made your sliders and bed rack?

 

Sliders were made by Rocky Road Outfitters out of Utah and the bed rack is a custom design that I came up with and had fabricated by a local welder. I am happy with both as they both turned out well (in my opinion).

 

Nice rig! I don't think i've seen it here before i don't think. I like the bed rack.....are those hinges at the back?

Can you possibly post up pics of your rails, so i can get a look at how it's designed? They look as though they are square tube w/ a tubular outside or something. I like!

 

Thanks for the props. I have only posted pictures once before in the new member forum. I will try and get some pictures of the sliders posted. You are correct, the main bars are square inner hitch steel and the outer portions are round tube. The sliders are bolted to the frame in three locations per side.

 

man that looks like a ton of fun!

 

How far from phoenix is this? Peoria to be exact? i have family there and want to go wheeling out then some time next spring

 

looks like a blast! thanks for sharin!

 

The pictures ended like No Country For Old Men did...


but looks fun! I wish Florida was less lame and had more fun stuff like that.

 

Sorry that we had to cut the photo shoot short. I would have liked to get more pictures on the more challenging portion of the trail. After leaving smiley rock the trail entered the river bottom and stayed in the rocks for the majority of the remainder of the trail. It was dusk as we entered the river bottom and we wanted to get through as much of it as possible before it got too dark to spot the differential killing rocks. By the time that we exited the canyon it was 9:30 pm and pitch black (thank heavens for GPS!). The total run (off pavement) took approximately 7.5 hours. As for distance from Phoenix/Peoria, my guess is that you could reach the trail head in roughly 2 hours maybe a bit less.

A closer trail run would be the back road to Crown King. The trail head for that run is located near Lake Pleasant just north of Peoria.

 

I was telling Charlie (redranger 02) that I want to run the back road to Crown King. How do you think a stock height Ranger would do with decent tires? I've always heard that stock 4x4s can make it but it would be difficult.

 

I have yet to run Crown King. Backcountry Adventures Arizona rates the trail as a 6 with portions that approach 7. It may or may not be possible with a stock Ranger. However, I have generally found that driving style and careful wheel placement can compensate for clearance in many situations. It looks like I may be free tomorrow (Saturday July 26th) if you and Redranger_02 want to give Crown King a try. Let me know as I would have to drive up from Tucson. I am also considering a run through Charouleau Gap tomorrow but am concerned with the wash crossings that are likely to be holding enough water to bury the front and rear differentials.

 

There are ZERO trails like that where i live! Very jealous, Love the first pick, nice truck too!