I finally managed to get in a trip over Montezuma Pass and in to the SW side of the Huachuca Mountain range of the Coronado National Forest. I wish I had done this sooner, but my planning was poor at times, and at other times the weather did not cooperate in terms of temperature. Yesterday it got up to 72°, a perfect riding temperature.

Montezuma Pass is a steep dirt road that takes you up in elevation from 4500' to about 6575'. It turns into Montezuma Canyon Drive, and is a dirt road that winds along the valley below, with plenty of twists and turns. I took the road that eventually led to Parker Canyon Lake, a small isolated Forest Service campground along the banks of the lake. The lake is actually a reservoir created by a dam at its south end. On the way home, I took AZ 83, a very picturesque paved road leading from Parker Canyon Lake north to Sonoita, and then on to I-10. I also passed by all the wineries in Elgin, which seemed to be stacked up in a straight along the road, one after the other.

The Coronado National Forest region has a number of nice dirt roads to ride, roads I can handle easily. There are a number of more challenging spurs, but I didn’t go down any of them on this ride as I had no time. If/When we come back next year, I will certainly do some exploring, but on the whole, the scenery remains the same: juniper pines, sycamores, some high grasses. There is a road you can take that rides right along the Mexican border. Montezuma Canyon Road also crosses the Arizona Trail in several locations. The area is ideal for dispersed camping.

I keep forgetting when I ride the Trail Rider that 45MPH is not 65MPH, and I wonder why it’s taking me so long to get home. Riding at 25MPH on those dirt roads is actually pretty fast, but when you’re on pavement, that 50MPH limit is something to mentally adjust to. I almost ran out of gas as well, although I always keep about a liter of gas with me whenever I drive. I’ll be looking forward to getting back and doing much more riding next year if all goes well.