Four Peaks Bunkhouse Trail (FR 401)

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Vehicles are not allowed in wilderness areas, however the Four Peaks Wilderness Area has a Forest Road that cuts six miles into the wilderness and ends at an old, abandoned ranch. The ranch has a corral, old foundations, a run down bunkhouse, and the most sturdy fence I've seen.

FR 401 to the ranch is well designed and follows the terrain without having crazy climbs or descents. It has some rocky sections. This will be a stock friendly run, but stock vehicles should expect some bumps and bangs in the rockier sections. There is a small ledge at the start of the road to be negotiated.

I'm calling this a 2.5 road on this scale:

http://www.experience-az.com/About/Ratings/fwdratings.html

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Trail to the ranch.

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Trail to the ranch.

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Trail from the ranch.

The ranch is beneath the Southern end of the Four Peaks, so we'll see views of the Four Peaks that most people never will. From the tops of the ridges we'll drive on, we'll have some great, 360 degree views of Phoenix area mountains.

We'll meet at Four Peaks Road and FR 401. After exiting the Beeline Highway on the Four Peaks Road, the FR 401 intersection is 2 miles up the Four Peaks Road. (This is not the staging area...go past the staging area to FR 401.)

From there, we'll drive down to Cottonwood Camp. Then we'll take FR 401 out to the ranch, then come back the same way. We'll exit via Trail 13 across The Rolls and finish up at the Pobrecito gate on the Bush Highway.

FR 401 is 6 miles in and 6 miles out from Cottonwood Camp. Trail 13 is a 9.5 mile long wash. Really, Trail 13 a seemingly never-ending ATV trail barely wide enough in some spots for a Jeep. Trail 13 is series of ups, downs, turns, and bumps. Pin stripes guaranteed.

Anyone not wanting to take Trail 13, can exit from Cottonwood Camp via FR 401 the way we came in.

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Trail 13

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Trail 13

This is a new run for our group. Expect that we'll be at the ranch for two to three hours for eating lunch, scouting around, and taking photos. The ranch is spread out, so there will be the need for walking around to see the corral, foundations, and bunkhouse. However, we'll make sure there's room for parking at the corral, foundations, and bunkhouse for anyone who wishes to drive to each site.

The only warning I have is one of the fence posts (a 10 inch tube) had a large beehive inside it in April 2014. I don't know how the bees will be in the fall, but use caution when walking around the fence posts at the corral.