Turkey Creek Trail to Cleator: Canyons, Water Crossings, and Old Mining Roads

Turkey Creek Trail is one of those routes that sits close to Phoenix but still feels removed once you commit to it. Running north from Black Canyon City toward Cleator, the trail follows the base of the Bradshaw Mountains and cuts through a series of narrow canyons shaped by water, mining, and time. It is technical enough to demand attention, but scenic enough to slow you down.

A full run of Turkey Creek Trail, including canyon sections, water crossings, and the drive into Cleator, is available on YouTube.

Dropping Into Turkey Creek

The trail starts quietly, easing away from pavement and into broken desert terrain. Before long, it begins to dip and climb through Black Canyon and Dead Cow Gulch, with rocky shelves and uneven surfaces setting the tone early. This is not a trail you rush. Line choice matters, and momentum needs to be controlled, especially where loose rock gathers in the bottoms of washes.

Crossing Black Canyon Creek

As the route works deeper into the terrain, Turkey Creek Canyon becomes the focus. The canyon walls tighten and the trail threads along the drainage, crossing water multiple times. Depending on recent rain, these crossings can be shallow and straightforward or surprisingly deep. The water adds contrast to the otherwise dry landscape, but it is something to approach carefully. Depth and current are not always obvious from the bank.

Jeeps crossing Turkey Creek

Mining History Along the Bradshaws

Much of Turkey Creek Trail passes through areas that were worked heavily in the early 1900s, when silver and gold mining drove settlement across the Bradshaw range. Old roads branch off into the hills, some barely visible now, others still clearly cut into the slopes. Rusted metal, disturbed ground, and collapsed structures are easy to miss if you are focused on driving, but they are constant reminders that this country was once busy with people trying to make a living out of hard rock.

Offroad trail through the Bradshaw Mountains near Black Canyon City

The trail itself likely exists because of that era. What began as access routes for mining claims now serves as a challenging way to move through the canyons, linking pieces of Arizona history that most drivers never see.

Terrain That Demands Patience

Turkey Creek is rated difficult for good reason. Mandatory obstacles include rocky climbs, off-camber sections, and tight canyon turns that leave little room for error. Optional lines exist in places, but they often trade one challenge for another. Clearance matters here, as does keeping a steady pace and staying deliberate with each move.

Rocky canyon section on Turkey Creek Trail in Arizona

The payoff comes in the views. As the trail climbs out of the canyons, it opens up to wide looks across the desert floor and back toward Black Canyon City. The Bradshaws rise just enough to give you perspective without feeling alpine. It is a reminder that elevation does not have to be extreme to change the landscape.

The Expansive Bradshaw Mountains, Creek Confluence

Rolling Into Cleator

The trail eventually drops toward Cleator, a small former mining town that has managed to hang on in its own way. The Cleator Bar and Yacht Club marks the end of the route for many drivers, and it feels earned after several hours of technical canyon travel. It is a strange and fitting finish, equal parts humor, history, and desert improvisation.

Cleator is not polished, and neither is the trail that leads to it

Cleator is not polished, and neither is the trail that leads to it. That is part of the appeal.

Trail Details

• Trail Name: Turkey Creek Trail (Cleator)

• Official Designations: 684, 101

• Distance: 10.59 miles (straight through)

• Duration: About 4 hours one way

• Difficulty (Mandatory): 5, Difficult

• Difficulty (Optional): 5, Difficult

• Highest Elevation: 3,492 ft

• Best Direction: North

• Typically Open: Year round

• Nearest Town: Cleator

• Nearest Services: Black Canyon City

Trail Guide

Hardline readers looking for detailed GPS tracks, current conditions, and obstacle walkthroughs can check out the official TrailsOffroad write-up for this route:

👉 TrailsOffroad – Backway to Crown King - Detailed technical guide, difficulty ratings, and current conditions.

👉 TrailsOffroad – Turkey Creek Cleator Trail- Detailed technical guide, difficulty ratings, and current conditions.

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Next Steps

From Cleator, several routes through the Bradshaw foothills offer options to continue north or loop back toward Black Canyon City. Turkey Creek Trail works well as a standalone challenge or as part of a longer day exploring central Arizona’s desert backcountry.