Highway 88 question.

[Turkish]

I have never done Brown`s Peak before and I am planning on doing it next week. I have a question about getting there.

I have a 2WD Dodge Ram and am planning on approaching the 4 Peaks area from the Roosevelt Lake side (not 87A). Instead of taking 60 to Globe and then going left I want to take HIghway 88 from Apache Junction to Roosevelt. My question is how good is this road? I was told that it is a paved road out to a certain point and then it turns into a dirt road. Is it well maintained??? And how many miles is it along the dirt road (IE 88) to the Roosevelt Lake area??? I can`t find any info on this road anywhere.

Thanks. More questions will be posted this weekend.

[joebartels]

It turns to dirt somewhere near mile marker 120 I believe. It's currently and can almost always be considered as negotiable in a sedan. Be careful around the curves, I was hit by a teenager going twice the limit that lost control of his vehicle.
http://hikearizona.com/images/joebartels/fordescort.htm
Then again, the views are awesome, everybody should experience it a few times in their life!

It would be considerably faster to take 87 up to 188 and come back down to El Oso.

Then again 143 in from the west is currently in awesome condition for any pickup.

[Al_HikesAZ]

In response to Turkish's reply:

Look it up online as the Apache Trail. It is about 46 miles.
Here are some descriptions:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreatio ... rail.shtml
http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/apache_trail/
http://www.amwest-travel.com/awt_apachetrail.html
http://www.onroute.com/archives/drives3.html

You can make it fairly easily in a 2wd truck.

These are my impressions from my memory. It is not meant to be an absolutely accurate navigation record.

The Apache Trail starts as a nice winding 2 lane paved road. The pavement stops shortly after Tortilla Flat (about half way). Getting to here might take 1/2 hour (45mph average). At Fish Tail hill things get interesting. It turns into a 1 1/4 lane road with a dramatic winding downhill (1,000 foot descent) to the Fish Creek Bridge which is a one-lane bridge (ok just be polite). It widens out again and is then relatively flat until shortly after the Apache Lake Turnoff. It is "washboarded" through this section. Then it begins a moderate climb up to Roosevelt Lake. This second half will take about an hour (20 mph avg).

If I'm mistaken, others will correct me.

I agree with Joe. FR143 is in pretty good shape. And going up 87 and then back will probably be faster than the Apache Trail. The Apache Trail is an experience unto itself if you are interested in scenic drives.

[Turkish]

In regards to 87A and then onto FR143; I have been cautioned by several people that even though this route is faster I may have trouble on it because my truck isn`t 4WD. I don`t want to take any chances and get stuck. Believe me I DO NOT want to be on TV thanks to Bruces Haffener`s News CHopper 3 catching me in a bad spot!!!

What do you guys think??? I am a very cautious hiker so when I get people telling me that an alternate route (IE the Roosevelt Lake side) is safer then IM going to listen.

Thanks for the info by the way.

[Al_HikesAZ]

In response to Turkish's reply:

I personally was up to Soldier's Camp Trail about a month ago. I had no need for 4wd. I did not go quite as far as the Brown's Peak Trailhead, but I did not see any indication that 2wd couldn't make it all the way. There were lots of quadrunners and dirt bikes on the road. If you're worried, carry a shovel and blankets in your truck. [-o<

I don't mind News Chopper 3 . It's MCSO Fox 1 on a SAR mission that I don't ever want to see. http://www.mcso.org/submenu.asp?file=Aviation #-o

[joebartels]

If you take the long way 87 up to 188 and back down to El Oso Road from Roosevelt Lake it's only 10 minutes to a half hour more time wise. I've timed it.

Phoenix side
20 +/- miles on slow dirt road with two creek crossings. The one that can be more serious is in better shape currently then the other.

Roosevelt side
10 +/- miles on fast dirt road with one somewhat scary hair pin drop off

There's going to be risk involved on either side. It may be less risky on the Roosevelt side but you're further from home if something does happen.

[Davis2001r6]

I would agree to just take 142 from the 87. I done it numerous times in a car. So a pickup should be no problem at all. Takes about an hour from the turnoff.

[mttgilbert]

I've been up to browns times, mostly from the west but a couple times from the ease, a couple times in the rain even. I would say that as long as you are cautious there won't be any problems taking a 2WD vehicle up there, even without much clearance. Of course if you have more clearance it just makes it all the easier.

[AZHikr4444]

There's a very rough and rocky section of road right around Mud Springs, if I recall. I am a probably an overly cautious driver, even in my Jeep, but watch out for that section!


Hey Matt- good to see you back!

Mike

[Nighthiker]

Area from Mud Springs is usually rough, would recommend 4x4. The El Oso road has several places with clay type soils if it has been raining problem is not so much as getting stuck as slidding off the road. El Oso road may not have as much quad traffic as the road up from the Beeline Highway.

[Davis2001r6]

I made it 3 times in my Honda Accord and once in a VW Golf, I would see no reason at all not to take your truck up there.

Twice in the Honda there was packed snow on parts of the road in December.

We haven't had any rain in months and unless we get some right before you go I wouldn't worry about it.