Tortilla Mountains, Arizona Trail, Pinal County, AZ
For 800 miles, the Arizona Trail charges across its namesake, serving up equal parts desert glory and mountain grandeur. Within that, the BLM manages 45 lonely, dust-caked miles just east of Phoenix that pack in all the splendor but none of the crowds. And, according to the trailhead register, there’s an average of just five visitors a day. Echo-o-o-o-o-o-o!
This segment is invariably dry, so save yourself the hassle of caching water and tick off an 18.6-mile out-and-back from the Florence-Kelvin trailhead, spending a night in the Tortillas. Start at the Gila River and speed south past brittlebushes and saguaros—some as tall as 40 feet—into the 4,000-foot range. The going is easy, but slow down to see the Spring Mountains rise out of the heat waves like a mirage to the north and the Sonoran Desert spread out to the south. Make camp above a wash near mile 9.3 and keep an eye out for desert A-listers like Gila monsters, desert tortoises, and javelinas.
Distance 18.6 miles (out and back) Time 2 days Elevation change +2,600 feet, -1,600 feet (one way) Trailhead Florence-Kelvin (33.1023, -110.9749) Season September to May Permit None