Home > Arizona > Agua Caliente

Agua Caliente

Monday, March 18, 2024

Trail Map

Other Names

Agua Caliente Scenic Drive, Yellow Medicine Hills, Gila Bend Mountains, Sonoran Desert, Gila Compressor Station, Eagletail Mountain Wilderness, Saddle Mountain, Black Butte, Fourth Of July Butte, Face Mountain, Coppper Wash

Last Known Status

Open

Because it is so hot and dry, Agua Caliente is best explored during the winter or spring months. Old mines and some narrow washes are among the many things to discover. (There used be a ghost town at Sundad but it has been leveled.) Although you won't find a lot of challenging terrain or specific motorcycle or ATV trails, there is still a large network of sand washes and general 4x4 roads in a very remote setting. It's a good place for cruising.

This area was a popular place to go in the late 1880's and early 1900's and the hot springs in the area were used for medicinal purposes. The sandy trails are surrounded by beautiful desert vegetation with the southern route climbing onto the Sentinel Plain lava flow - a landscape of lava from 15 to 45 meters thick.

There are no services and no drinking water in the area, but nearby Painted Rock Campground does have picnic tables, BBQ grills, fire rings and vault toilets, plus an opportunity to view the prehistoric petroglyphs.

Trail Map... Nearby ATV Trails...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	AZGFD sticker required
Dates Open	Year-Round
Other ATV Stickers Accepted	No	All non-residents must purchase an Arizona OHV decal.
Spark Arrestor	No	A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is not required but is always recommended.
Noise Limit	Yes (96 dB)
Whip Flags	Not Required
Maximum Vehicle Width	No Restriction
Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes	Permitted
ATVs	Permitted
UTV & SXS	Permitted
SUVs & Jeeps (registered)	Permitted
Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered)	Permitted
2 Stroke Engines	No Restriction
MX Helmet Required	Youth Only	required for persons under 18 by state law (RiderPlanet strongly recommends helmets for all riders.)
Camping	No Restriction	(camp anywhere)
Campfires	No Restriction
Night Riding	Yes
Trail Blazing	Prohibited	stay on trails
Rule Enforcement	Few/Periodic

TERRAIN

Approx Size	128,000 acres (200 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	25
Climate Type	Desert
Elevation	800 to 1700 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Not Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Mostly
Sand	Some
Mud	None
Dust	Little
Rocks	Little
Trees	None
Steep Hills	Few
Water Crossings	Few	seasonal
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	Few
Berms	None
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	Few
Roads	Mostly
Intersections	Some
Rider Traffic	Few
Shade	Few
Ranges/Gunfire	Few
Hazards	None
Novice	Mostly
Amateur	Some
Expert	Little

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails

Land

BLM

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	5-20 Miles (NE)	Shell/Buckeye
Diesel	5-20 Miles (NE)	Shell/Buckeye
Water	5-20 Miles (NE)	Shell/Buckeye
RV Hookup	20-30 Miles (S)	Augie's Quail Trail RV Park/Gila Bend (928) 683-2850
RV Disposal	20-30 Miles (S)	Augie's Quail Trail RV Park/Gila Bend (928) 683-2850
Campground	5-20 Miles (E)	Buckeye Hills Regional Park (623) 932-3811
Conv Store	5-20 Miles (NE)	Shell/Buckeye

FEES & PASSES

Parking	(None)
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	(None)

RATINGS

Pros	large area, beautiful desert scenery
Cons	no services
Our Rating	Good
Recommended Stay	Full Day
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Arlington, AZ

Address

Agua Caliente Road, Arlington, AZ 85322

Trail Map

From: Phoenix, AZ
1) Take I-10 West to Exit 112
2) Merge onto Hwy 85 South, continue 3.5 miles
3) Turn right (west) onto Baseline Road, continue about 3 miles
4) Turn left (south) onto Palo Verde Road, continue 2 miles
5) Turn right (west) onto Old Hwy 80, continue about 11 miles
6) Turn right (west) onto Agua Caliente Road, continue .7 miles
7) Veer right to stay on Agua Caliente Road, continue about 300 yards
8) Turn left onto gravel road, stage here.