Arizona Peace Trail ride - Yuma to Parker 2022

[Sand Shark]

This past weekend I was part of a group of UTVs that took on the Arizona Peace Trail from Yuma to Parker.  In total it was a 3 days trip.  One day getting to Parker, second day exploring the trails around Parker, and the third day heading back to Yuma.  We cover over 420 miles in 3 days.   The ride was put together by Go Venture Offroad.  They had a chase truck, a sweeper/trail fixer, and lunch was provided on the trail on the two long days.  They provided a .gpx file to download the map of the ride on to your GPS.  Josh Harper and his crew did a great job of leading us and making sure everyone stayed on the right path. 

The pace of the ride was anywhere from fast graded roads, washes and trails, to medium paced rocky stuff, and some slow rock sections (not technical).   

Here are some pictures for day one.  

 

[Sand Shark]

Lunch break near Quartzite.  Got some fuel for the cars and the belly. 

 

[Sand Shark]

Day two was going around Parker checking our the Swansea mine and the Desert Bar.  When I was a kid my parents had a place in Parker at Branson's resort. I remember going to the Desert Bar, but it was basically a shack. Not the expansive establishment it is currently.  Super busy there, but the food is good and live music was not bad.

 

[Sand Shark]

A stop on a dune before heading back into Parker

 

[Sand Shark]

The ride back from Parker to Yuma we took a different route back for the first half.  We hit parts of the race course leaving Parker.  That was a lot of going along the road with all the rollers.  Hit one a good clip and it dropped out so I was airborne for a bit.   Car landed smoothly and kept on hauling the mail.  LOL!

The trips back always seem to have all the adventure.  There were 3 flat tires, a rollover in a gravelly wash, and my friend decided to be a tree hugger on a section called the Good, Bad, and the Ugly.  It is a slow rocky trail through a canyon.  I guess he bounced off a rock and right into the tree.   No damage from hitting the tree, but from trying to get unstuck.  He bent his bumper and managed to pull his lightbar off the bumper.  He was call Beaver for the rest of the ride.  LOL!  He ended up ripping a front CV boot and all the grease flung out.  I had an axle stub so when we stopped at a place called the Hippie Hole we removed the broken axle and put the stub in so he could continue on. 

 

[Sand Shark]

Made it back before the sun went down.

 

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Group shot in front of the Parker P before heading back to Yuma

 

[NEVERENOUGH]

We did the entire trail last March. We left from Salome and went counterclockwise. What an adventure. I am wanting to do just sections next and do more exploring. It took us 6 days to run the entire trail. 

 

[Sand Shark]

426 miles covered.  

It was a great mix of riding and I would definitely do this ride again.  I want to checkout other areas of the Peace Trail.  My friend is doing the entire loop in April over 5 days.  I think it is close to 800 miles total.  

 

[Sand Shark]

We did the entire trail last March. We left from Salome and went counterclockwise. What an adventure. I am wanting to do just sections next and do more exploring. It took us 6 days to run the entire trail. 

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Awesome.   My friend is doing the entire loop starting in Kingman.  Doing it in sections seems like a better way. You are not always trying to make the next stop and can spend more time checking stuff out.  

When you get near Quartzite you have to be on the lookout for other UTVs.  The snowbirds are all over the trails.  LOL!

 

[NIKAL]

So it looks like you started at Hidden Shores and parked outside the gate by the storage lot? 
 

what does Go Venture charge for the trip? Is it per vehicle, per person?  What’s included and what else do you pay for? Food, lodging? 
 

The axle stub you replaced on your friends X3. Why is part of the axle, boot and CV still in the stub? Assume the axle beat the crap out of his arm. 
 

Looks like a good time, I’ve wanted to do the AZPT for awhile now. I have friends in Kingman and have thought about doing a few day section out of their place. 

 

[Sand Shark]

So it looks like you started at Hidden Shores and parked outside the gate by the storage lot? 
 

what does Go Venture charge for the trip? Is it per vehicle, per person?  What’s included and what else do you pay for? Food, lodging? 
 

The axle stub you replaced on your friends X3. Why is part of the axle, boot and CV still in the stub? Assume the axle beat the crap out of his arm. 
 

Looks like a good time, I’ve wanted to do the AZPT for awhile now. I have friends in Kingman and have thought about doing a few day section out of their place. 

It was $450 per car.  Includes leading the ride with a sweeper, map to load into your GPS, chase support, and  lunch on the trail on the two long days.  Of course T- shirts and some other swag.  You make your own hotel reservations in Parker and if you need to stay in Yuma the night before or after the ride.  We stayed in Yuma the night before.  Yuma is a 320 mile drive for me.  We ended up driving home after the ride on Sunday.  

I was actually not tired after 3 days of hitting the desert.  I am way more tired after doing the Barstow to Stateline ride.  

Yeah we start at Hidden Shores and Parker in the front lot outside the guard gate. The tour people have places there.  The trails  by Hidden Shores are beat up pretty good.  So the first 8 miles and last 8 miles of the ride are brutal.  The rest of the ride was a great mix of terrain. 
 

That CV stub was like that because I never pulled it apart.  Lol!  We wrapped the end with tape and it did not hurt the a-arm.  When I get it back I will pull it apart.  
 

Go Venture does this ride once a year. They do a Mammoth Ride and Utah ride as well.  I plan on doing the Parker ride again next year.  They are a great group and keep a good pace so you can drive at a speed your comfortable with.  
 

I have a friend doing the whole loop in April.  I think doing it in sections gives you the time to explore more.