Around Timber Mesa follows a loop of forest roads circling Timber Mesa in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, just north of Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona. The route stays mostly on established two-track and single-lane forest road, with a mix of packed dirt, cinder, and rocky sections. Elevation changes are gradual, and the road winds through Ponderosa pine and pinyon-juniper woodland with a few open stretches near Jaques Marsh.
Trail Summary
- Location: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, near Pinetop-Lakeside, Arizona
- Distance: 11.9 miles (loop)
- Difficulty: Level 2 - Typically suitable for high clearance 2WD
- Minimum Elevation: 6,535 ft
- Maximum Elevation: 7,063 ft
- Elevation Gain: 380 ft gain / 697 ft loss
- Travel Time: 1 hr 18 min recorded (1 hr 16 min moving)
Difficulty
Typically suitable for high clearance 2WD
Stock equipment is sufficient here, though the terrain will test tire traction and ground clearance in a few spots. Expect dirt and rocky road surface with occasional rocks, dips, or ruts under 9 inches, along with grades that can feel steep but generally hold good traction. After rain or snow the road is typically unmaintained, so shallow water crossings and small ledges under 12 inches are possible. The road runs one to two vehicles wide for most of the loop.
Elevation
The route starts near 6,900 feet at the Timber Mesa Trailhead area and works through a series of gentle rises and drops as it circles the mesa. The high point on the loop reaches 7,063 feet, while the low point along the western leg drops to 6,535 feet. Total elevation gain over the loop is 380 feet, with 697 feet of loss, giving a modest net descent by the finish. None of the climbs are sustained or steep enough to require low range under normal conditions.
Terrain
This is mountain shelf road and rocky two-track for most of its length, cut through pine and juniper forest at close to 7,000 feet. The surface alternates between packed dirt, cinder, and rock, with the rockiest sections showing up on the west side of the loop. The road narrows to one lane in places with periodic pull-outs to pass oncoming traffic. Cattle guards and old fence lines cross the route in a few spots, a reminder this is active grazing allotment land.
4WD Experience
A stock high-clearance 4WD handles this loop without issue in dry conditions. The rocky stretches call for some line selection to protect tires and rocker panels, but nothing here demands low range or lockers. After rain or snowmelt the surface can get greasy and rutted, and the shallow washes and low spots may hold water, so traction becomes the main concern rather than obstacle height. Full-size trucks will want to watch mirror clearance on the narrower single-lane sections.
Travel Time
The recorded run covered the 11.9 mile loop in 1 hour 18 minutes total, with 1 hour 16 minutes of that spent moving. For a high-clearance 4WD vehicle driving at a deliberate, sightseeing pace with stops to check the road and take in views, plan on 1.5 to 2 hours to complete the full loop.
Highlights
The loop skirts the edge of Jaques Marsh, a riparian pocket that draws a variety of birdlife and offers a change of scenery from the surrounding pine forest. Several stretches along the mesa rim open up to long views north toward Show Low and Snowflake-Taylor. Old fence lines, a stock tank, and scattered homestead remnants along the route add some history to the drive through otherwise quiet timber country.
Trail GPS File
Map