This National Recreation Trail is 138 miles long, but only 57 miles of the route is on the Sitgreaves National Forest. This moderate rated trail sees light to moderate traffic from spring through fall.

Elevation: 6,500' to 7,900'

General George Crook, Commander of the Military Department of Arizona in 1871, had the trail built to connect Fort Whipple (the Arizona military headquarters near Prescott) with Fort Apache. Supplies and troops were moved back and forth on this trail for 22 years, to subdue the Apaches and to patrol the northern boundary of the Apache Reservation.

The General Crook Trail was originally 200 miles long but only 138 miles are still maintained today. The maintained trail begins in Dewey, near Prescott, and proceeds east through Camp Verde, up along the Mogollon Rim and ends near Pinedale at Cottonwood Wash, after crossing parts of the Prescott, Coconino and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

Access: In the Chevelon/Heber area, the trail can be accessed by means of Forest Road 300 south of Knolls Lake. An easier way to access the trail is to visit the Rim Visitor Information Station on State Road 260. The trail passes just east of the Station and is well marked. There are also several roads south of SR 260 that cross the trail. Major trailheads are at Al Fulton Point and Military Sinkhole.

USGS Maps: Woods Canyon, Clay Springs, Heber, Day Spring, O W Point, Brookbank Point, and Outlaw Draw