Woodcutter's Pass crosses the Gila Mountains east of Yuma, following a historic route first cut in 1896 to haul timber from an ironwood grove on the east side of the range to the Fortuna Mine on the west side. A major storm wrecked the original road in the 1960s, and it sat unused until local off-roaders reopened it in the late 1990s. The trail runs through the Barry M. Goldwater Range, so a free range permit is required before heading out. Rusted-out vehicles left behind by earlier attempts still sit along the route, a reminder that this pass has never been an easy crossing.
Trail Summary
- Location: Gila Mountains, Barry M. Goldwater Range, near Fortuna Foothills, AZ
- Distance: 20.4 miles
- Difficulty: Level 4 - Typically challenges the limits of a high clearance 4x4
- Minimum Elevation: 335 ft
- Maximum Elevation: 1,400 ft
- Elevation Gain: 1,097 ft
- Travel Time: 2 hours 51 minutes (recorded)
Difficulty
Typically challenges the limits of a high clearance 4x4
Low-range gearing is needed and undercarriage damage is a possibility. The road surface is rocky and undulated for long stretches, with obstacles under 18 inches such as ledges, drops, and short climbs that require careful tire placement. Sections are steep, loose, and slightly off-camber. The trail is typically one vehicle wide with occasional places to pass.
Elevation
The route climbs from 335 feet near the western end to a high point of 1,400 feet as it crosses the mountain pass, then drops back down toward the eastern trailhead. Total recorded gain is 1,097 feet against 1,173 feet of loss, for a net elevation change of roughly negative 76 feet end to end. Grades are gradual on the approaches but tighten up noticeably through the summit section.
Terrain
Expect mountain shelf roads and rocky two-track through most of the crossing. The surface alternates between loose rock, embedded boulders, and hard-packed dirt washes, with the roughest and narrowest stretches concentrated near the summit. Several dry washes cross the route on both approaches. The old road cut is visible in places, carved directly into the hillside.
4WD Experience
This is a working rock crawl for most of its middle section, not a scenic cruise. Ground clearance and low range gearing matter here, and tire placement on the ledge sections takes some care. A winch or a heavy-duty jack is worth carrying, and it helps to air down before starting the climb. The vehicles left abandoned along the trail are a good reminder to scout anything that looks questionable before committing to it. Full size trucks and long-wheelbase rigs will want to walk the tighter sections first.
Travel Time
The recorded run took 2 hours 51 minutes total, with 2 hours 49 minutes of that in motion. For a stock high-clearance 4WD picking through the ledges and washes at a careful pace, plan on 3 to 4 hours end to end, more if the group stops to spot each other through the obstacle sections or air down and back up at the trailheads.
Highlights
The historic mining road itself is the main draw, along with the old abandoned vehicles scattered along the route that mark decades of attempts to cross the pass. The summit area opens up to wide views back across the Yuma Valley and out toward the Colorado River lowlands. Ironwood and palo verde stands line parts of the lower washes on both ends of the trail.
Trail GPS File
Map