Cinder Hills Off Highway Vehicle Area

Before the pandemic, I was able to travel to different areas in Arizona. Cinder Hills Off Highway Vehicle Area was one location I was excited to check out, as parts of it were once used by NASA to train astronauts for the Apollo missions (the Lowell Observatory is also relatively close by). While 13,500 acres of this area are accessible for off-roading, a further 53,000 acres are set aside to protect more sensitive parts of the ecosystem and are a nice example of providing both environmental protection and recreational opportunities. This unique recreation area is primarily ponderosa pine forest on/around cinders leftover from volcanic eruptions and the cinders are actually so deep in some areas that vehicles can get trapped, similar to what can happen when traveling across sand. If you choose to explore this area, it's best to continue to follow #LeaveNoTrace principles to best protect these resources for future visitors.

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