Broadside

Broadside Trail is part of the Mount Elden Dry Lake Hills Trail System and the Schultz Tank Trail System.

The Schultz Tank system is located on the north side of Dry Lake Hills and on the southern flanks of the San Francisco Peaks. The area is bisected by the FR 420/Schultz Pass Road and can also be accessed from the FR 556/Little Elden Springs Road. The trails that start from this system provide various outdoor recreation experiences. Hikers and equestrians can use the Weatherford trail to access the Kachina Peaks Wilderness. The trails that lead south into the non-motorized Dry Lake Hills area include Sunset, Schultz Creek, and Broadside trails. E-Bikes and dirt bikers can utilize the motorized trail system of Fort Valley from the Schultz Tank trailhead. Fort Valley is located to the north and west of Schultz Pass Rd. 
Trailside vegetation changes as elevation increases, from ponderosa pine to more alpine species such as Limber pine, Aspen, White fir, and Douglas fir. At about 9,000 feet a very noisy black, gray, and white bird makes its first appearance. This is the Clarks nutcracker, a type of jay, which is more commonly thought of as a resident of the Rocky Mountains but finds this part of Arizona very much to its liking. Black bear and mountain lions frequent the area but are shy creatures and rarely seen. You may also encounter wild turkey and blue grouse that come to Schultz Tank as a water source.

Broadside Trail Statistics:

• Difficulty: Easy
• Length: 3.24 miles
• Trailhead Elevation: 8108 feet
• Elevation Gain/Loss: 692 feet
• Use: All non-motorized