"Yeah, go down that road, make the second right, then once you get on the trail, turn left after a few miles (you'll see it) and then once you get to the big right hand turn, go left at the fork..."
Sadly, that's how most 4WD trails are navigated these days, and often how mistakes are made in the backcountry. While those directions might be fine for those who really know the area, or the trail, most overlanders are all about exploring new ones in areas we're unfamiliar with—which leaves us at a distinct disadvantage. Luckily, there's people who compile these routes, along with detailed GPS coordinates and trail descriptions, that enable people to get out into the backcountry and see something unique. If you're in California, (parts of) Utah, and Arizona, you're lucky that FunTreks likely produces a guidebook that details more trails than you likely even know about. They're constantly updating the books with the latest information, including most recently, the second edition of Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails.
The recently updated guide book features 43 new trails (100 total) which are each individually marked with three ratings: easy, moderate, and difficult. Each of which are now color-coded in the full color guidebook.
Some of the highlighted new trails include: Canyon De Chelly, Monument Valley and El Camino Del Diablo.
It's available right now for preorder, but we were lucky to get our hands on a copy before they ship this month, we can tell you that it's definitely worth it.
The second edition pairs over 500 images to the 100 trails. Some images are scenic, while others show detail of important or historic parts of the trail. Each trail is gets two dedicated pages, a description on the first, as well as mileage logs (along with reverse miles) and a map on the second.
The book is separated into 7 different respective areas where you'll find the most trails.
The book clearly and concisely describes what they mean by Easy, Moderate, and Difficult. They go into detail describing what you'll encounter on the trail, as well as suggested modifications.
The guide book covers trails for not only 4WD street vehicles, but also side-by-sides, ATV's and unlicensed dirt bikes.
The spiral bound book is durable enough to endure years of being thrown around the inside of your vehicle. The pages have a good thickness to them, and don't tear easily. I found the layout to be simple, easy, and great for cruising down the road.
You can download a sample of the book in PDF here. [link]
Check out the other guidebooks published by FunTreks on their website here. [link]
