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Arizona's Rim Road FR300

2K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  travellingtenor 
#1 ·
Have any of you driven the Arizona Rim Road, Forest Road 300? Not on the Wing of course, I have a 4x4 and I've been wanting to drive this for a while, hoping to get to it before snow season. Just want to know if anyone has driven it, any recommended must see areas. We won't be camping, just driving the length of it from N to S. My Arizona Backcountry guide shows it as a difficulty of 1 on a 1-10 scale so I'm not worried about any hazards. Heck, that might even be doable on a street bike. I know people have ridden the Apache trail on street bikes.
 
#4 ·
If you do it, you pick up the north end a few miles north of the 260 west turn on the Beeline and come out the south end by the ranger station just at the top of the long hill going up the 260 to Heber.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Having lived in Payson for nearly 40 years, I have numerous hundreds of miles of FR 300, along with innumerable side roads.

From Hwy 87, you'll access FR 300 near MP 281, and near MP 282 along Hwy 260.

The only really rough spot you'll encounter would be the mid-point around Knoll Lake, mainly to the east.

I've seen many grocery getters (aka vans, beemers, Audi's, etc) on this road, having no difficulty whatsoever. FR300 is well maintained throughout the summer months.

If one were careful, a person could take their Wing across this road and have a grand experience. The only pucker moments would be in the loose gravel, which is a slightly different base than the Apache Trail. But then again, in my 2WD Dodge Dakota, I have roared right along north of 45mph on a freshly graded roadbed.

In the winter months, the same truck would safely bring us in the area of Bear Canyon Lake where the family would load up on Christmas trees.

Places to see? Potato Lake (between Knoll Lake / Hwy 87, north side of road) is cool in the fall colors. White barked Aspen's with leaves ablaze with color, with a dark green Ponderosa Pine background, nestled up close to the lake front.

Kane Springs (hopefully I got the name correct, just had a post-travelling forgetful moment) in the area near Potato Lake turnoff is a cool camping area along FR 300, with colors aplenty during this time of year.

Any vista you'll pass along the Rim, with drop dead views below the Rim.

When you near Bear Canyon Lake (east entrance, MP 33), you'll pass under a USFS fire tower, north side of road. This is pretty much the high point of the Rim, as evidenced with many Blue Spruce trees growing in the area.

I hope these comments were in time for your trip, as we've been travelling the past week and just now getting reacquainted with social media.

Regardless, enjoy your trip!

- David
 
#8 ·
Well, we rode it today. Beautiful drive. The vistas looking over the rim are awesome, pictures just don't capture how amazing it is. Parts of the road are really washboard, I think next time I'll take the time to air down my tires and get a smoother ride. There were quite a lot of campers up there, easy to see why. Still a lot of fire damage in spots, I know there have been several fires up there over the last few years. Highly recommend to anyone in the area, take a trip on the Rim road. You won't be disappointed.
 
#12 ·
It's doable but I wouldn't take the Wing on it. We did encounter a lot of trucks pulling various sizes of campers and toy haulers. part of the road is narrow in spots and no room to pull off to the side if you are on two wheels. An adventure bike would be an easy trip.
 
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