Grand Gulch Mine - Upper Pigeon Canyon - Snap Point

This page describes the roads in the south central area of the monument along the Grand Wash Cliffs from Hudson Point south to Snap Point with its stunning views into the Grand Canyon and Pakoon Basin. Mt. Charleston west of Las Vegas can be seen from Snap Point. Roads are listed in numerical order, not by routes. Use this guide with the BLM Arizona Strip Visitor Map.

This is not a complete guide to all roads in this area. This area has several roads shown as dashed lines on the BLM map without a number at this time. Since they are frequently used by the recreating public they are included here. For all other roads not described here, assume they are for UTVs or specially modified short wheelbase 4x4s. Always turn around if it gets too rough for your vehicle.

 

• BLM1002 - Usually appropriate for all high clearance 4x4s to the Grand Gulch Mine. However, in Upper Pigeon Canyon if the canyon has flooded up to 6 foot high cut banks in gravel may make the road impassible until repaired. Bring a shovel if it has rained recently to knock the edge off smaller cut banks so they are passable. At the mine the only part of the site that is private where the public cannot visit is the actual mine shaft and a small ring of land on the surface right around the shaft. This is marked by No Trespassing signs. The road to the historic buildings and the one that rings the private section, as well as the historic buildings, air strip, and dump trucks are on public land and open. Be aware that a large amount of metal mining debris is right off the road in this area and it will flatten tires.
• BLM1012 - Recommended for UTVs and heavily modified short wheelbase 4x4s only. The road up Snap Canyon to the Snap Point mesa is narrow and has very tight turns as well as narrow steep sections due to rock slides.
• BLM1050 - This road is once again passable after repair work was done in 2020. However, it is only passably by UTVs and short-wheelbase 4x4s that are properly equipped. Stock pickups and SUVS will not make it through several sections of boulders where slow crawling required. This road is also steep, climbing 1,300 feet in a mile and a half.
• BLM1640 to Lower Pigeon Canyon/Savannic Mine - UTVs only from BLM1012 to the top of the Mine. There is a sheer dropoff on the road at the mine that is not recommended for UTVs. Only professional offroad drivers with rock crawler 4x4s may be able to navigate the dangerous dropoff. The BLM1640 roadbed from BLM1012 to the mine is almost entirely made of small boulders and is severely rough. Note: This road number is not currently shown on the BLM map but is included here because of its popularity with the extreme 4x4 community.
• BLM1680 to Snap Point - Recommended for UTVs only due to long stretches of travel over small boulders.
• BLM1681 below Snap Point - Recommended for UTVs only. Rough and seldom traveled. The road is closed at the Grand Canyon National Park boundary to motorized vehicles. Foot traffic only to the Fort Garrett site.