Trail Suggestions: Young to Globe

Hey everyone,
I picked up a new 2020 TRD OR to replace my shitty Jeep Wrangler JLU a few months ago and im planning on taking a leisurely solo offroad/overlanding trip closer to summertime. Im basically looking to keep it off the pavement and stick to mainly easy dirt trails as i wont have any recovery options other than traction boards but i am running 33" mud terrains.

My current route is Chino Valley -> Clarksdale -> Sedona/Schnelbly Hill -> i17 Mormon Lake -> Mogollon Rim -> Young as show here: (any input on this route is welcome, also looking for good camp spot suggestions)
https://www.gaiagps.com/public/onI4QoP99iBlaIJzOaAmloZw



My problem is i cant figure out the best/easiest path from Young to Globe.
I scouted three options and am wondering if anyone can provide input on which would be the best path for me to take that is mainly easy forest roads

Option 1: FR54 - FR202 https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/43b70871-9ced-424d-9ed9-98e006ad96dd/

Option 2: FR54 - FR202 https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/c3eb422a-f30c-400d-b7fe-8cb86962737d/

Option 3:FR203 https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary/track/0dcbefed-cb37-49e2-84ba-6337ce96fd2b/

 

Wrangler JLU's are shitty?

 

Mine was. I’ve had nothing but issues on all three wranglers I’ve owned.

Long story, i owned an 09' Wrangler and a 14' Wrangler both lifted with 35s so im no stranger to road wander/bump steer/poor handling.. ect. but the 18' JLUs steering was so unresponsive and loose it was dangerous. When the steering wheel was centered you could move the steering wheel back and forth a good 2-3" each way with no movement from the tires making it very difficult to compensate for road crown/slope/dodging debris. also i seriously dislike the ESS (engine start stop) due to it needing two 12v batteries making it impossible to jumpstart by yourself and at 5k miles/4 months ownership both my alternator and ESS battery died which was just one week after i completed a solo overlanding trip in Valley of the gods which would of left me stranded in the middle of nowhere

 

FR203 has a huge boulder blocking the road. My friend took the road in a taco a month ago and said it wasn’t passable.

another friend did option 1 or 2, and it’s passable. However idk if I’d say it’s easy.

 

Thanks! Ill cross that path off my list of options

 

That friend is me. I am buying new tires (due to sidewall damage) and getting a full paint correction (due to serious pinstriping) because of FR203. Definitely off of the list for anyone other than a hiker/biker.

Have fun on your trip!

 

Your links don't work on my machine. I live in Young, so I know many of the roads in the area. One possibility is to take the east turnoff on FR512 at the Red Lake intersection. It takes you through the Apache reservation. I don't know what restrictions or fees might be associated. There is a network of back roads south of Young that lead to Gisela and the Roosevelt lake area. The quickest way to Globe is via highway 288. Many interesting side roads along the way.

 

the alternator died at 5,000 miles?
welcome to TW. looks like you got some nice tires on your Taco already.

 

99% sure Schnelbly hill is still closed for the season.

 

I used to do option 1 a lot 35 years ago. Would think it's still ok to do. There's nothing too hard from what I remember. Some rocky stretches near Sombrero and hopefully Cherry Creek is passable. I used to take my 71 Blazer up there and then my little 86 Toyota 4 banger. Some cool stuff back there.

 

Thanks. Ill probably end up taking the 288 as it doesn't sound like any of the side routes i planned are 100% certain and i'd rather play it safe until i get sliders and skids. Ill start scouting out some of those side trails

 

The Cherry Creek road got flooded out some time back. I had my Tacoma there a few months ago and found the washout area (Devil's Chasm) impassible. Maybe it is doable in a Tacoma, but I wasn't about to take a chance. I got stuck twice in a wash before I got to that area, once going in and once coming out. The second time I ruined my bumper and a tail light. Went through there several years ago before the washout. Interesting trip.

 

Danny and I mentioned it already, but I'll re-emphasize it just because of the potential damage.

FR203, Cherry Creek Road, roughly two miles past the turnoff for the non-expert portion of the AZBDR, is impassable by any 4-wheeled machine at this time. I made it through Devil's Chasm, but not without costly damage to my Tacoma. I also made it through a gate, but shortly after the gate is a massive boulder that stops any 4-wheeled machine in its tracks. The road has severe and consistent flood damage for many miles.

DO NOT ATTEMPT!!

 

I started from the north end (Board Tree Saddle) and met a sand buggy that came from the other way. I thought he had come from the south end. Apparently not, from what you say.

 

I may have misspoken about Devil's Chasm if you came from the North end, as I came from the South end. I went through the gnarliest of washes, which I thought was DC based on my experience and the map.

 

Looks awesome, thanks for sharing.

 

I was just at Schnebly Hill this past weekend and it was open. A lot of Pink Jeep tours and other people going through.