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SANDROCK PASTURE
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| Overlooking Fossil Springs Wilderness |
Short in length but packed with a variety of terrain and points of interest, a walk on Forest Road 9266F delivers the goods over its 4-mile stretch.
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| Sandrock Tank |
The rough dirt route wanders through several vegetation zones as it works its way to the edge of Sandrock Canyon in the Fossil Springs Wilderness.
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| Approaching the rim |
FR 9266F starts in a meadow that’s lightly shaded with pine and juniper, then bends right at an intersection with FR9361C.
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| Game trail to the rim |
A few yards in, a fallen tree blocks the way, but is easily circumvented by foot travelers. At the 0.4-mile point, the glassy water of Sandrock Tank appears on the right.
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| Wild turkey track |
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| Unnamed water hole on FR 9366F |
The created water catchment in Coconino National Forest sits behind an earthen dam and is ringed with a rustic corral.
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| The FR 9366F pine forest segment |
Based on footprints seen around its rim, this is a popular drinking hangout for wild turkeys, coyote and raccoons.
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| Limestone ledges over Sandrock Canyon |
Past the tank, the road dips into a dense pine-oak forest, crossing drainages.
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| Corral around Sandrock Tank |
The short forest segment is the first of several ups-and-downs that account for over 1,000 feet of elevation change over the course of the hike.
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| Rocky Mountain Spring Beauty |
Emerging from the forest, the road heads uphill into sunny meadow dotted with junipers.
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| The end of FR9366F |
Another small water hole on the left marks the beginning of glimpses of the rim of the Fossil Springs gorge.
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| A sunny meadow near no name tank |
Just past the 1-mile mark, the wilderness cliffs are visible straight ahead as the road makes its final descent into Sandrock Pasture, a more arid zone of yucca, cacti, scrub and alligator junipers.
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| Wild candytuft |
The road ends at 1.8 miles, but game trails lead to limestone ledges overlooking the dizzying gorge at the head of Sandrock Canyon.
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| trailhead |
LENGTH: 4 miles round trip
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 6,313 - 6,084 feet
CUMULATIVE ELEVATION CHANGE: 1,187 feet
GETTING THERE:
From Interstate 17 in Camp verde, go 26 miles east (toward Payson) on State Route 260 to Forest Road 9366F on the right just past milepost 244.There’s parking past the gate an in turnouts along SR260.
