Picnic facilities are available at the base of the rock. The only negative was that there were swarms of flies all over us, even at the summit. This is what Pilot Rock Trail is known for. There is a portion of the trail where you can choose to offshoot to a more challenging route. This is a primitive route that takes you through a thick forest and along a high ridge. There is a correlation between distance and difficulty rating. Initially crosses a creek, then climbs through a cove forest gradually getting farther from it. Soon after that, the trail begins to get rockier and rockier and very tight switchbacks start appearing. Steep sections. Picnic tables are also available on this well-traveled trail. Trail Length: 3.6 miles RT. This trail comes with consequences. The Pilot Rock Trail now begins at a trailhead in a large parking area (an old quarry) on BLM Road 40-2E-33, two miles from old Highway 99. The Pilot Rock Truck Trail (Forest Route 2N33) is a trail of little difficulty with some optional spurs of varying difficulty. When you pop out of the forest onto Slate Rock itself, you'll know it, as an expansive view opens up to the southwest, across Pilot Rock Ridge up to the Pisgah Ridge, and down into the Pink Beds and Cradle of Forestry area. The trail is primarily used for nature trips and ohv/off road driving and is accessible year-round. Your email address will not be published. Any vehicle with some ground clearance should make it through this scenic and stunning trail. Off trail the entire way through what can be harsh and rugged territory. Turn left on a small paved road at a sign for Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area/Miller Canyon. Uneven terrain with small rocks or roots. Flat. Your email address will not be published. Any vehicle with some ground clearance should make it through this scenic and stunning trail. (FS 1206) at the Pilot Rock Trail. A wide variety of desert scenery throughout with the hike ending the Pilot Rock campsites on Lake Havasu. Pilot Rock has a bench for you and your space. I came a bit better prepared this time, with a roommate and no dog. As you ascend, you may notice remnants of old and eroding use trails. The road then eases into Gold Crown road and leads to highway 62. Moderate in difficulty, sights along the way include knobby geological formations and, if you’re lucky, bighorn sheep. Pilot Rock. Continue east on Yellow Gap Rd. However the reward is worth it, as only a handful of people climb Pilot Rock and most of them are park employees. I came a bit better prepared this time, with a roommate and no dog. This was my first time on 2N17X, a trail considered moderate in difficulty (rated a 5-7 out of 10 on Trailsoffroad.com). Date: 9/3/15. Some technical terrain and limited alternate lines. Pilot Rock park benches provide a comfortable place to sit in a wide selection of styles and materials. Take a leisurely stroll through the surrounding forests or enjoy the challenge of a full day's hike. Required fields are marked *. If you own a Subaru/modern station wagon it would make it through, albeit with some likely damage to the bumpers. Trail Length: 3.6 miles RT. This area is open to green-sticker vehicles. Overview Pilot Rock is a volcanic rock on the Arizona side of Lake Havasu with a small lighthouse on top of it. Steep. This area is open to green-sticker vehicles. Primarily downhill, it's difficulty rating is well earned and not for the timid. Today, Pilot Rock still serves modern boaters with a navigation light that blinks from the top at night. Pilot Rock Trail . Moderately steep. If you've driven Cleghorn Ridge, Trail #65, first, turn right on 138 and go 5.8 miles. Elevation Gain: 1036 ft. My Rating (out of 5): 4.5 – I have never been on this challenging of a trail, but it was a good thing. For the first half-mile, the trail follows the ridge and drops through more Laurel thickets and straight-lines through much of it, dropping 200 feet in the process. Your turnaround point is a Lake Havasu cove at Balance Rock. From there the dirt disappears into a descent over a massive technical rock garden following tight switchbacks down the rock face before returning to faster rough singletrack towards the bottom. Soon after that, the trail begins to get rockier and rockier and very tight switchbacks start appearing. Regardless, it was an exhilarating climb in which I really learned to trust myself. Ran 2N17X and Pilot Rock Trails, we encountered bad weather. Mostly flat. I thought it would be cold again like last time, but I was wrong and the jeans I wore were overkill. The signed trail starts behind a boulder and follows up what was an old road but which has now been re-built as a trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Allowed Uses: Hiking, Mountain Biking I quickly learned the importance of three-point contact and smart route planning. This is what Pilot Rock is known for. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The longer trails are considered more difficult by default due to the length of the trail, even if the trail is not difficult to hike otherwise. There is a pit toilet at this trailhead but no water. The lack of water means that all water must be packed in, which can make for quite the heavy pack. Mile 7.4 – Ledge Spring Trail ends at Grindstone Trail (blue circle blaze). Allowed Uses: Hiking; Length: 0.42 mi; Pilot Rock - Thompson Creek to BRP Boundary. The new trail will take you to the base of Pilot Rock where there are fine views to the south, west, and northwest. The Pilot Rock Truck Trail (Forest Route 2N33) is a trail of little difficulty with some optional spurs of varying difficulty. Go north about 400 feet to Forest Road 2N37 on right. Plus it’s historic! This is a steep, technical climbing route that requires mountaineering skills, ice axes and knowledge of moving through high-alpine, glaciated terrain. Some of the mofos even photobombed a few of my pictures… The smoke was kind of a downer, also, but I’m used to it by now. While the Laurel Mountain trail features classic backcountry-style ridgeline singletrack, the main event is the Pilot Rock descent: four miles of steep, never-ending rock gardens with a series of tight switchbacks thrown in.