Take a Ride Along the Arizona Peace Trail

Fans of Neil Young often listen to his song, Peace Trail, on the album of the same name.

Fans of off-road vehicles have their own Peace Trail to enjoy: the Arizona Peace Trail (AZPT), a 750-mile long Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Loop that explores the dramatic and remote Sonoran Desert landscapes of western Arizona.

Credit: John Geyer

The trail stretches from Yuma in the south to Bullhead City in the north, crossing Mohave, La Paz and Yuma Counties, and passing through Lake Havasu City. The trail gets its name from La Paz, the Spanish word for "the peace."

While riding the Arizona Peace Trail, OHV enthusiasts travel through some of the most beautiful parts of the southwestern U.S. deserts. We're talking thousands of tall saguaro cacti, red rock landscapes, sand-filled washes, narrow canyons and mountain passes. Elevations range from 170 ft. along the banks of the Colorado River to the 7,070 ft. mountaintops in the Hualapai Mountains.

Whether for a day, overnight or a week, UTVs, ATVs, dirt bikes, dual sport bikes, and full-size 4x4s can enjoy trails ranging from easy graded dirt roads, challenging hill climbs, and even specialized rock crawling routes.

Along the way are numerous abandoned mines, ghost towns and other interesting past artifacts. You can also see various plants and wildlife including deer, antelope, owls, and snakes.

Credit: John Geyer

Combine the Arizona Peace Trail with the hundreds of miles of side trails and connector trails that reach as far away as the Phoenix area, and the off-road enthusiast can explore thousands of miles of trails in Arizona: the state with the friendliest OHV laws.

Learn more and download maps on the Arizona Peace Trail website at arizonapeacetrail.org.

Learn more about off-roading in the Lake Havasu City area at golakehavasu.com/off-roading.

Buy a copy of the Search & Rescue Off-Road Map at the Lake Havasu City Visitor Information Center.

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