Buttes and Boulders Loop

The 43-mile Buttes and Boulders Loop is a backcountry experience that takes you through mountainous terrain to no frills, isolated portions of the wildlands east of the Wet Beaver Wilderness and south of Stoneman Lake. This loop requires a high-clearance 4x4 vehicle or equipped OHV/UTV. If you decide to use Lake Mary Road to complete the loop, your vehicle will need to be street legal. It is perfect for wildlife viewing and exploring, and passes by the Apache Maid Lookout Tower.

This loop is accessible from Lake Mary Road, also identified as County Road 3. It starts out on relatively flat, maintained forest roads that wind their way through the Ponderosa Pine forest into the lower elevation pinyon-juniper woodlands. The northwestern portion of the route provides sweeping views of the surrounding sea of pinyon-juniper. The western portion of the trail includes unmaintained roads through Pinyon-Juniper woodlands that are seldom visited by people, but great for viewing elk, deer, coyote, pronghorn antelope, or other wildlife. As the trail continues to the southwest toward Buckhorn Mountain, the route becomes increasingly rocky with large basalt rocks, which require slow and careful travel.

As the route turns back toward the East, the route remains unmaintained and rocky until it passes a power line and connects to Forest Road 81 and back to Lake Mary Road.

This trail ride will take all day and includes unmaintained, rocky roads that require high clearance 4x4 vehicles or OHV/UTVs. It is a great opportunity to “get lost” and enjoy the path less taken.

Download the kmz file for the Buttes and Boulders Loop on Google Earth.