Hualapai Mountains Trail
Cruise through the scenic Hualpai Mountains at over 7,000 feet before dropping down a rugged mining road to the historic Boriana Mine. Although this trail starts and ends in the high-desert, it is not recommended to complete this long and arduous trail when snow or ice is present on the road.
Where to go:
This trail begins in Hualapai Mountain Park 14 miles southeast of Kingman. From I-40 in Kingman, take Stockton Hill Road south. Continue straight across Route 66 as road becomes Hualapai Mountain Road. Follow this for 12 miles as it climbs to the park. The trail begins at the intersection of Flag Mine Road & Hualapai Mountain Road. There are staging areas available but require a $7 day pass. Check with the park headquarters building for more details or call 928-681-5700 for current conditions. This trail can also be completed in reverse, starting near Yucca and continuing up through Boriana Mine.
Trail Description:
From the intersection of Flag Mine Road & Hualapai Mountain Road in the county park, turn right onto Flag Mine Road and head south. The road climbs through a residential area before leaving the county park. The road continues climbing in and out of trees as you traverse shelf road. The trail begins downhill with a switchback at 2.4 miles. The trail forks at 3.2 and 3.4 miles. Stay left at the first and right at the second as road becomes Road 7101 and goes west. Trail remains fairly uneventful as it twists through the trees.
At 6.0 miles you’ll reach a highpoint as the trail exits the trees and begins a section of narrow, downhill shelf road. Use caution on this as the road gets rougher. Trail continues to follow ridgeline of mountains for the next 5 miles and is especially scenic. Reach the highpoint of the trail (7,077’) at 11.2 miles. After this, the road becomes rougher still as it switchbacks down the ridge of the range. After about a mile, the trail levels back out at around 12.9 miles. Trail continues descending.
The trail levels back out after the 15.0 mile mark. Stay right at 16.0 miles where 7101R goes left to Pine Flat. At 17.6 miles the trail reaches a nice lookout above the Boriana Mine before the last and roughest descent. After 17.6 miles, the trail returns to a narrow, rocky shelf road. Use caution as many sections are not wide enough for two vehicles to pass. Several switchbacks at 18.7 miles. At 19.4 miles, the Boriana Mine can be found off to the right. Several structures remain at what was once the largest tungsten mine in Arizona. The mine was closed after a fire in 1957.
Continue southwest as trail leaves Boriana Mine downhill. The trail follows along a creek which it crosses several times. Road condition may vary depending on how recently it rained and was maintained. Stay to the left as another road joins from the right at 21.9 miles. The road remains rocky and washed out in sections as it continues past another mine off to the right at 24.9 miles. From here to the end, the road gets progressively wider and more maintained as it passes several houses and ranches. The trail ends at the paved Alamo Road at 33.3 miles. Continue right to reach I-40 and the small town of Yucca, which has services.
Notes & Trail Ratings:
The difficulty of this trail seems to vary greatly depending on two factors: when it was last maintained and how the recent storms have deteriorated it. It is safe to say that high-clearance and 4-wheel drive are required. We’ve errored on the side of caution and rated this trail a ‘5’ out of ‘10’. Novice drivers or people with a fear of heights not recommended due to the numerous shelf roads. To complete the 33 miles from Hualapai Mountain Park to I-40, allow for 5-6 hours. This is a long trail and much of it is slow and go. Camping and numerous hiking trails available in the county park at the beginning of the trail. Easily extend your trip by adding a night or two in the area. Those wishing for a shorter trail can consider beginning at I-40 in Yucca and riding to Boriana Mine. You can avoid the rough shelf roads by doing just the beginning of the drive. Also, much of the trail around Hualapai Mountain Park is easy and scenic. It is not recommended to do this trail when there is snow and ice on the road. For current trail conditions call 928-681-5700 or visit http://www.mcparks.com/parks/hualapai-mtn-park/ or be in touch with the BLM Kingman field office listed at the top of this page.
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