Pinery Canyon Trail
Climb through a scenic, forested canyon into the rocky Chiricahua Mountains. After climbing over 3,000 feet, the trail ends near Rustler Park where numerous camping and hiking opportunities can be found. You can also continue further up the road to Paradise or Portal.
Where to go:
This trail begins near the entrance to Chiricahua National Monument, 36 miles from I-10 in Wilcox. In Wilcox, follow Rex Allen Dr. east from I-10. After 1 mile, continue right onto AZ-186/I-10 Business. Follow south for 0.7 miles and stay left onto AZ-186. After 31 miles, stay left onto AZ-181 towards Chiricahua N.M. Follow east for 3 miles until you reach Pinery Canyon Road (where the road curves left). Stay right to head south as the road soon turns to dirt.
Trail Description:
From paved Highway 181 near Chiricahua National Monument, head south on Pinery Canyon Road / Forest Road 42. After a few hundred feet, the road turns to dirt as it heads due south. After three-quarters of a mile, the road swings southeast and then passes through a burned area and a small ranch. This area was burned during the Pinery Canyon Fire of 2018 but fortunately, this is the extent of the fire damage you’ll see on the drive. Past the ranch, the trail enters some thicker vegetation as it begins to gently climb. The trail remains wide and smooth and eventually enters Coronado National Forest.
Stay straight at 5.5 miles where F.R. 356 goes left after you cross through a wash. The trail gets narrower as it continues on. Stay left at 7.2 miles where a lesser road goes right. From here on out, the trail will begin a pretty rapid climb all the way to the end. The trail gets curvy and has several switchbacks over the next 4 miles, so take it slower on this section and keep an eye out for traffic. After a considerable climb, you’ll reach another switchback at the 11.9 mile mark before the trail reaches Onion Saddle at 12.0 miles. Here, the view to the west is incredible, as you get to see the canyon you just climbed through and the grasslands beyond. Onion Saddle is a critical junction of trails in the area. Our trail will continue to the right on F.R. 42D, but if you want to continue east along F.R. 42 towards Paradise, Portal, or Cave Creek Canyon, read the section below the next paragraph.
Continue south from Onion Saddle on Forest Road 42D. The trail gets narrower and even though you are over 7500’ already, will continue to climb. Shortly down the trail, you’ll see a sign warning you of bears off to the left. If you plan on camping up here, keep in mind that this high elevation mountain section can have bears and other wildlife roaming around. Continuing south, the trail remains pretty densely forested. Every once in a while, you’ll get an open view of the incredible scenery below. At 13.9 miles, you’ll reach a final switchback before the trail ends at another trail junction. The elevation here is over 8200’.
To the left is the scenic Rustler Park Campground (1 mile south on 42D) which has developed sites but also contains some fire damage from the 2011 Horseshoe 2 Fire. To the right from this junction will take you to Barfoot Park (1 mile north/west) where you will have views of the rocky Barfoot Peak as well as the ruins of the Barfoot Lookout Tower that was burned during the fire. Both options dead-end shortly after 1 mile, but numerous great views, camping opportunities, and hiking trails can be checked out while in the area. Check these out, or continue 2 miles back north to Onion Saddle where you can either return the way you came or continue east into the scenic Cave Creek Canyon.
East of Onion Saddle/Cave Creek Canyon:
From Onion Saddle, the F.R. 42 continues east. Almost immediately, the trail drops back downhill. This section is also very twisty and can be rougher. The drive is filled with big & open views as you drop in elevation. 3.3 miles east of Onion Saddle, stay straight where Paradise Road goes left to the small community of Paradise. F.R. 42 briefly levels out before continuing to drop. Just after 6.0 miles, the road enters a canyon and begins following alongside a creek. The canyon walls quickly get higher and higher as the road works its way east. After passing some buildings off on the right, the trail soon enters Cave Creek Canyon and the road becomes paved after around 9 miles. Stay left at 11.0 miles to continue north towards Portal. Along this section, you’ll pass numerous campgrounds which range in popularity depending on the time of year. Enjoy the views as the sharp rock walls pass by. Cave Creek Canyon is called the “Yosemite of Arizona”, and it’s clear to see why. Portal is a decent sized community and has several residential areas and cabins. Around 12.0 miles from Onion Saddle, the paved road reaches an intersection with Paradise & Portal Rd. where this drive officially ends. Continuing west will take you back to Paradise and eventually I-10 where going east will you into New Mexico and Highway 80.
Notes & Trail Ratings:
The drive into Pinery Canyon (and beyond) from Chiricahua National Monument, while steep, is an easy forest drive. The trail remains wide and smooth in most spots. High-clearance is not required for this drive, but if you want to explore side roads along or at the end of the drive, it is a good idea. Several tight turns and switchbacks require care and attention when driving. While the trail description ends near Rustler Park, you can easily extend your trip by camping, hiking, or driving east of Onion Saddle. Consult Cornado N.F. map for additional trails. Due to the high elevation, this trail can be impassable for much of the winter and be chilly even in the summer time. Be prepared for mountain weather at all times of year.