7 Kentucky Camp

When: December 12th, 2009 at 8:30 am (8:15 start time for those doing 2 laps) at Kentucky Camp, 40 miles south of Tucson. There are two options for this race, (1) a 34-mile loop or (2) two loops for a total of 68-miles. The first option has 5377 feet of climbing, while the second option has 10,754 feet of climbing! Altitude of the ride is from around 4,500 feet to nearly 6,000 feet. There will be camping available and a post-race party in the area for those that would like to camp and grill. The GPX file is available on the gmail group .

Profile view of one loop

Topo views

View of camping area from Highway 83

All maps and profile views were made available with software from Topofusion.

DIRECTIONS TO THE TRAILHEAD:
From Tucson, take I-10 East to Exit 281. This is Highway 83, the
Sonoita Exit. Follow Hwy 83 South about 21 miles to Gardner Canyon road, FS 92.
FS 92 is 4 miles north of Sonoita. Turn right onto this dirt road and
drive 3/4 mile to a fork in the road. Turn right on FS 163, following
the sign to Kentucky Camp. Drive 2 miles, entering and exiting signed
private property. There will be a large trailhead with maps on the left.

Keep going down the main road to find numerous primitive camp sites. Look for folks with bikes.
If you have any questions, please post a comment.

Route Description: The route has two different loops: (1)Kentucky Camp/Gardner Canyon and the (2) Greaterville loop. Both of these area feature singletrack and forest roads. The historical background and the views of the area are the best part about this route. Make sure to enjoy both as you do this route.

1. Kentucky Camp Loop

Continue on FR163 from camping area, heading west toward the Santa Ritas. At the Kentucky Camp sign, go left through the gate as you start to descend into the historical Kentucky Camp. As you near KC, you will see some houses, continue on the trail between the houses and trees (staying to the left of the caretaker sign). Look of the AZ Trail sign the has an arrow right, then an arrow left. Take this singletrack as it winds to a gate. Go through the gate making sure to close it if nobody is behind you. Continue on singletrack through another gate until you reach a dirt two-track road that heads east/right. Take this road (4085) past some old machinery, always staying on the most-travelled road.

At the Y, take the Gardner direction, staying on 4085. You will pass an old mine shaft on your right and later a pond on your left, stay on the major road. Eventually you will reach the 4110 junction after descending, go right. Road closed sign on your left, continue on enjoying the views of the canyon below. At 4085/4086 junction, take 4085 left/south. Cross wash, take left at Garder Canyon 1 mile sign (4084). Stay on 4084 as it does a 180 degree turn and drops down left into a rocky road with campsites past the stream, continue on until you see a very prominent T where you hit a major road with a cattle guard on the right and a road closed sign ahead. Turn right/west here. Continue on this road past another cattle guard, always staying on the most-travelled dirt road. This road will drop down into a dead end (for cars at least), you will see two metal posts, go through them and across the stream. This dirt two-track will shrink into single track, drop a small, steep embankment into the creek and up, before dropping back across the creek and up the opposite side of the mountain. Follow up the switchbacks, climbing until you reach another major road with a sign Area Closed sign. Turn left on dirt road (5928 feet, highest point of race).
Continue on this road for about 2 miles before you reach an AZ Trail sign (big one, on the right side of the road) and a barbed wire fence.

Go through the fence, carefully looking to your left about 1 mile down the road for the start of the AZ Trail (a brown, slender sign) that will lead us back to Kentucky Camp. At AZ Trail, turn left, go 300 feet to creek, noting the AZ Trail sign on either side of the creek, follow the AZ Trail sign heading south/southwest. There is Y down further on this singletrack, just take the most prominent way (right) past the rock wall. Look for more AZ Trail signs as the trail contours the ride and eventually drops into a dirt two track, turn right here following the AZ Trail signs. When you reach another brown AZ Trail sign on your left, take it. You will pass a forest road that is perpendicular to the AZ Trail. Always staying on the AZ Trail, you will eventually drop into a creek, then go up through the gate, hit another forest road. Turn right on the forest road until you see some more single track about 200 feet away. Take this singletrack as it starts to veer away from the road and up a ridge. The singletrack will continue until you reach the intersection of the AZ Trail and 4085 (this is where you turned right before). Go straight on AZ Trail toward Kentucky Camp on the same track you did previously. Go past Kentucky Camp (toilets are available if you need them) and continue back up toward the gate at the top of the hill (FR163). Go through the gate, but this time turn left to go up (west) FR163.

2. Greaterville Loop

This next section will follow AZ Trail signs. After 1.5 miles, 163 will veer off to the right and up after the Melendres Pass sign. Stay on 163 (following the AZ Trail signs). At bottom of rocky descent, take signed 165 left/west, crossing the cattle guard. After another mile, you will see a very noticeable Santa Rita Corridor sign and another AZT sign on the right side of the road, take this singletrack up. Your next right starts to switch back up the mountain (EASY TO MISS TURN. Look for cairns and/or yellow marking tape). Follow singletrack until it turns into double track at which time turn right, pass two barbed wire fences before the AZT doubletrack returns to AZT singletrack.

At large, graded road turn right and continue for 1 mile until the pavement begins. Turn right onto 229 toward Melendrez Pass, passing the cattleguard, Box Canyon Ranch, and coming to the saddle of a small hill. At the large saddle, turn left on 4060 to Fish Canyon. Stay on 4060, ignoring small turns on side of roads. Passing a pond, stay on 4060. When you start to see a wind mill in the distance and come to a T in the road, you are close to 163 and our campsite. Turn right onto 163 to complete 1st lap. If you are doing two laps, refuel and continue. The final point will be at Camp 1.

Historical Summary of the Kentucky Camp Epic

This ride is a combination of two popular rides, the “Greaterville Keyhole” and the Kentucky Camp/Gardner Canyon/Flume Trail rides. They offer a good sampling of what riding in Southern Arizona is all about. If you haven’t ridden in the Southwest desert, be prepared for a different experience. We don’t have smooth pine duff trails twisting through virgin Douglas fir forests, and many of our rides use more jeep trails and roads than in other parts of the country. But those jeep trails and roads are often technically demanding and steep; riding them can be as challenging as any singletrack. In general, riding in Southern Arizona is more challenging than most parts of the country thanks to a combination of rocky, loose soils and severe penalties for errors. Soft landings are few and far between; they are either hard ground or rocks, full of sharp, pointy things, or all of the above.

And you will find spectacular views on this ride, from the imposing Santa Rita Mountain peaks to the west to the grasslands and Whetstone and Mustang ranges on the west and further ranges north and south. It’s easy, looking off into the rugged mountains and vast open spaces, to imagine this land in the days when the Apaches roamed freely, and used their knowledge of the land, cunning, courage and tactical genius to fight off vastly larger and better-equipped armies from Mexico and the United States.

You will see a part of more recent history preserved at Kentucky Camp, an ill-fated gold mining venture just after the turn of the century. Thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Forest Service and the Friends of Kentucky Camp, the adobe structures and the fascinating story of the ascendency and sudden end to this chapter of resource extraction are being preserved for future generations.

Back on the dirt, the Epic has some technical challenging sections, but just enough to make it fun. There’s plenty of smooth riding that will allow you to look around and take in the views. It also will challenge your climbing skills. The full ride has approximately 13,220 feet of elevation gain, with several thigh-burning, lung-searing ascents. Altitude of the ride is from around 4,500 feet to nearly 6,000 feet.