1. What is the Great Western Trail (GWT)?
4. Can I drive my Ford Bronco on the trail?
6. Is help available if I break down?
7. When is the best time to travel it?
10. Are there service stations and stores along the trail?
12. What should I bring along?
13. Do I need to buy the book?
1. What is the Great Western Trail (GWT)?
The Great Western Trail was created in the 1980s to connect a network of pre-existing trails traversing a corridor through central Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and end at the Idaho-Montana border with Canada. It was designed to serve all-terrain vehicles, 4x4 enthusiasts, motorcyclists, horseback riders, hikers, and in the high country, snowmobile riders. Not all sections of the trail are open to all of these modes of travel in each state. Arizona is the only state in which you can drive GWT in its entirety by a 4-wheel drive vehicle. (top)
2. Where is the GWT in Arizona?
It starts at the Mexican border and travels through the center of the state to the Utah border. A map in the Gallery of Pictures shows the individual sections. (top)
Yes, it is free to travel, although there are restrictions in that a free pass is required to access one of the trails, and a permit is required in the Tonto National Forest if you intend to stop in the recreation areas. (top)
4. Can I drive my Ford Bronco on the trail?
Although some sections of the trail are accessible to low clearance vehicles, most aren't. We do not recommend driving the trail in anything less than a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle. (top)
Off-road driving always carries risks, and inexperienced drivers should never attempt to travel the GWT alone. (top)
6. Is help available if I break down?
Generally speaking, not immediately. You should always inform friends and family which trail you will be driving and when you intend to return home. Cellphones will rarely work on the trail, and we carry a CB radio, a hand-held Ham radio, and a Personal Locator Beacon. (top)
7. When is the best time to travel?
This depends on the trail. Those in the south are best traveled in the winter because of the extreme heat in the desert in the summer. Those in the north are best traveled in the summer since snow and monsoon rains will cause their closure in the winter. Check with the rangers before leaving home to learn if the trail you want to travel is open. (top)
Yes, but there are restrictions. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout the entire GWT, but you will need a permit to camp in recreation areas in the Tonto National Forest. (top)
There is one bathroom along the entire 360 mile trail in Arizona, however there is rarely a long wait to use it. (top)
10. Are there service stations and stores along the trail?
No. You must bring all the food, water, and supplies you will need. There are services near the beginning or ending of some of the trails, but not all. (top)
This is a question that has two answers: definitely yes!, and absolutely not! We have always traveled it alone, even though there are very remote areas that rarely see human life. If your vehicle is in excellent condition and you are prepared for most emergencies, you probably can. Those who disagree feel that those in the second vehicle can go for help in time of an emergency, or pull you out of your crashed and burning vehicle. The choice is yours. (top)
12. What should I bring along?
Good humor, food, fuel, water, water, water, emergency communication equipment, and whatever else you think you'll need on your trip. Some people carry enough spare parts to build a second Jeep if the first one breaks down, but that adds weight, takes up space, and is unnecessary. (top)
13. Do I need to buy the book?
No you don't. But it will make finding the trail much easier (it took us three months to find all the sections of the trail as there was no reliable information available). Driving the Great Western Trail in Arizona, available in paperback from Amazon and other retailers. It includes all the necessary information to travel the GWT from Mexico to Utah. (top)