4x4 Trails
At Syncro Safari, Canyon de Chelly '12 we enjoyed scenic and interesting 4WD trails on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Tuesday - Wednesday, July 10-11th: Canyon de Chelly - Navajo Guided Overnight Trip
Moderate to Moderate - Sand is the primay obstacle here. Once aired-down properly, we all stayed on top.
Friday, July 13th: Tunitcha Mountains Trail to Roof Butte
Easy trail mostly 2WD, with last 2 mile spur to peak of Roof Butte needing mild 4WD
* Note: See difficulty descriptions below.
Trail descriptions and more information can be found with these links:
Tuesday - Wednesday, July 10-11th: Canyon de Chelly - Navajo Guided Overnight Trip
Moderate to Moderate - Sand is the primay obstacle here. Once aired-down properly, we all stayed on top.
Friday, July 13th: Tunitcha Mountains Trail to Roof Butte
Easy trail mostly 2WD, with last 2 mile spur to peak of Roof Butte needing mild 4WD
* Note: See difficulty descriptions below.
Trail descriptions and more information can be found with these links:
Trail Links:
CANYON DE CHELLY OVERNIGHT TRIP ROOF BUTTE - TUNITCHA MTNS
Trails are rated here on a very simple basis and truthfully there’s much more behind describing trail difficulty than this simplification does justice to. But, for the sake of simplicity these ratings are compared to a typical Syncro’s capability. What’s a typical Syncro? Original 2.1L engine, 14” wheels with 27” LT all-terrain tires, and a rear differential lock.
Syncro Safari Ratings are:
Easy – 2WD with decent tires and maybe a little ground clearance can do this trail.
Mild – Occasional 4WD needed, obstacles are not a real challenge for a Syncro, Diff-lock not needed.
Moderate – 4WD often needed, challenging for a Syncro, Diff-lock needed at times, some obstacles
require getting out, scouting a route, stacking some rocks.
Difficult – 4WD often needed, some obstacles more than a Syncro can handle, Diff-lock often required,
significant terrain modification to make passable for a Syncro, damage likely
Extreme – Fuh-getaboudit! Serious off-road vehicles needed, not passible by a Syncro
These trails are all included in the fantastic guide book "Backcountry Adventures Arizona" by Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson. The Massey & Wilson ratings are:
Rating 1: The trail is graded dirt but suitable for a normal passenger vehicle. It usually has gentle grades, is fairly wide, and has shallow water crossings (if any).
Rating 2: High-clearance vehicles are preferred but not necessary. These trails are dirt roads, but they may have rocks grades, water crossings, or ruts that make clearance a concern in a normal passenger vehicle. The trails are fairly wide, making passing possible at almost any point along the trail. Mud is not a concern under normal weather conditions.
Rating 3: High-clearance 4WDs are preferred, but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable. Expect a rough road surface; mud and sand are possible but will be easily passable. You may encounter rocks up to 6 inches in diameter, a loose road surface, and shelf roads, though these will be wide enough for passing or will have adequate pull-offs.
Rating 4: High Clearance 4WDs are recommended, though most stock SUVs are acceptable. Expect a rough road surface with rocks over 6 inches, but there will be a reasonable driving line. Available. Patches of mud are possible but can readily be negotiated; sand may be deep and require low tire pressures. There may be stream crossings up to 12 inches deep, substantial sections of single lane shelf road, moderate grades and sections of moderately loose road surface.
Rating 5: High-clearance 4WDs are required. These trails have either a rough, rutted surface, rocks up to 9 inches, mud and deep sand may be impassable for inexperienced drivers, or stream crossings up to 18 inches deep. Certain sections may be steep enough to cause traction problems, a nd you may encounter very narrow shelf roads with steep drop-offs and tight clearance between rocks and trees.
Syncro Safari Ratings are:
Easy – 2WD with decent tires and maybe a little ground clearance can do this trail.
Mild – Occasional 4WD needed, obstacles are not a real challenge for a Syncro, Diff-lock not needed.
Moderate – 4WD often needed, challenging for a Syncro, Diff-lock needed at times, some obstacles
require getting out, scouting a route, stacking some rocks.
Difficult – 4WD often needed, some obstacles more than a Syncro can handle, Diff-lock often required,
significant terrain modification to make passable for a Syncro, damage likely
Extreme – Fuh-getaboudit! Serious off-road vehicles needed, not passible by a Syncro
These trails are all included in the fantastic guide book "Backcountry Adventures Arizona" by Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson. The Massey & Wilson ratings are:
Rating 1: The trail is graded dirt but suitable for a normal passenger vehicle. It usually has gentle grades, is fairly wide, and has shallow water crossings (if any).
Rating 2: High-clearance vehicles are preferred but not necessary. These trails are dirt roads, but they may have rocks grades, water crossings, or ruts that make clearance a concern in a normal passenger vehicle. The trails are fairly wide, making passing possible at almost any point along the trail. Mud is not a concern under normal weather conditions.
Rating 3: High-clearance 4WDs are preferred, but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable. Expect a rough road surface; mud and sand are possible but will be easily passable. You may encounter rocks up to 6 inches in diameter, a loose road surface, and shelf roads, though these will be wide enough for passing or will have adequate pull-offs.
Rating 4: High Clearance 4WDs are recommended, though most stock SUVs are acceptable. Expect a rough road surface with rocks over 6 inches, but there will be a reasonable driving line. Available. Patches of mud are possible but can readily be negotiated; sand may be deep and require low tire pressures. There may be stream crossings up to 12 inches deep, substantial sections of single lane shelf road, moderate grades and sections of moderately loose road surface.
Rating 5: High-clearance 4WDs are required. These trails have either a rough, rutted surface, rocks up to 9 inches, mud and deep sand may be impassable for inexperienced drivers, or stream crossings up to 18 inches deep. Certain sections may be steep enough to cause traction problems, a nd you may encounter very narrow shelf roads with steep drop-offs and tight clearance between rocks and trees.