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Dune weather summary: Aden Hills Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 54°, 3 mph. Alkali Lake OHV Area, 64°, 8 mph. Amargosa Big Dune, 57°, 5 mph. Aurora Open OHV Area, 39°, 3 mph. Bangs Canyon OHV Trails, 45°, 3 mph. Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area, 57°, 0 mph. Blue Creek OHV Area, 61°, 14 mph. Boulders OHV Staging Area, 63°, 0 mph. Buttercup Valley, 70°, 9 mph. Cameo Cliffs/Hook and OHV Ladder Trail System, 54°, 6 mph. Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, 55°, 0 mph. Cinder Hills OHV Area, 42°, 20 mph. Copper Basin Dunes OHV Area, 64°, 6 mph. Coral Pink Sand Dunes, 54°, 5 mph. Crescent Sand Dunes, 37°, 5 mph. Cross Bar Ranch Off-Road Park, 58°, 0 mph. Crossroads OHV Area, 73°, 6 mph. Dove Springs OHV Area, 53°, 0 mph. Dumont Dunes, 64°, 2 mph. Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 37°, 5 mph. El Mirage OHV Area, 40°, 3 mph. Escondido Draw Recreational Area, 64°, 17 mph. Fort Sage Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 46°, 1 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Fossil Creek OHV Trail, 45°, 3 mph. Gemini Bridges, 45°, 0 mph. Glamis / Imperial Sand Dunes, 64°, 8 mph. Glenwood Open OHV Area, 39°, 3 mph. Gordon's Well, 70°, 9 mph. Grand Valley Open OHV Area, 46°, 0 mph. Greater Sand Dunes SRMA, 36°, 6 mph, active alert: High Wind Watch. Hackberry Lake Off-Highway Vehicle Use Area, 64°, 8 mph. Hayfield Draw OHV Area, 63°, 0 mph. Haystack Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 53°, 7 mph, active alert: Flood Watch. Head Canyon OHV Recreation Area, 37°, 5 mph. Hog Canyon OHV Trail System, 55°, 9 mph. Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area, 72°, 5 mph. Hungry Valley SVRA, 44°, 4 mph. Jawbone Canyon OHV Area, 53°, 0 mph. Johnson Valley OHV Area, 59°, 7 mph. Killpecker Sand Dunes Open Play Area, 36°, 6 mph, active alert: High Wind Watch. Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), 43°, 3 mph. Little Sahara Recreation Area, 45°, 0 mph. Little Sahara State Park, 61°, 8 mph. McCullough Peaks OHV Area, 48°, 0 mph. Mescalero Sands North Dune Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 63°, 11 mph, active alert: Flood Watch. Millican Valley OHV Trail System, 45°, 6 mph. Moon Rocks OHV Area, 47°, 1 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Nellis Dunes OHV Area, 59°, 5 mph. North Sand Hills OHV Area, 37°, 8 mph. Northwest OHV Park, 64°, 0 mph. Oceano Dunes / Pismo Beach, 55°, 0 mph, active alert: Coastal Flood Advisory. Ocotillo Wells SVRA, 72°, 12 mph. Pipestone OHV Area, 36°, 1 mph, active alert: Dense Fog Advisory. Poison Spider / Gold Bar, 45°, 0 mph. Rabbit Creek OHV Trail, 52°, 9 mph. Radar Hill OHV Area, 36°, 0 mph. Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 57°, 7 mph. Red Sands Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 63°, 5 mph. Rice Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 46°, 2 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Robledo Mountains OHV Trail System, 63°, 5 mph. Rosita Flats OHV Area, 61°, 14 mph. Samoa Dunes, 55°, 9 mph, active alert: Coastal Flood Advisory. Sand Flats Recreation Area, 45°, 0 mph. Sand Mountain Open Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 39°, 0 mph. Sand Mountain Pipeline Designated Dispersed Camping Area, 54°, 5 mph. Sand Mountain Recreation Area, 50°, 4 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Seep Springs OHV Area, 46°, 3 mph. Shoshone OHV Trail System, 39°, 0 mph. Shotgun Creek OHV Staging Area, 39°, 0 mph. Silver Lake ORV Area, 55°, 3 mph. South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area, 46°, 0 mph, active alert: Frost Advisory. St. Anthony Sand Dunes, 36°, 3 mph. St. Helen Motorsport Area, 48°, 6 mph. Standard Wash OHV Area, 64°, 6 mph. Stoddard Valley OHV Area, 53°, 5 mph. Table Mesa Recreation Area, 63°, 0 mph. Virtue Flat Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 45°, 6 mph. Weiser Dunes, 45°, 3 mph. Whitewash Sand Dunes Open OHV Area and Trail System, 45°, 0 mph. Winnemucca Sand Dunes, 37°, 7 mph.

ⓘ
Aden Hills Off-Highway… 54° 3 mph Alkali Lake OHV Area 64° 8 mph Amargosa Big Dune 57° 5 mph Aurora Open OHV Area 39° 3 mph Bangs Canyon OHV Trails 45° 3 mph Barnwell Mountain… 57° 0 mph Blue Creek OHV Area 61° 14 mph Boulders OHV Staging Area 63° 0 mph Buttercup Valley 70° 9 mph Cameo Cliffs/Hook and OHV… 54° 6 mph Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway… 55° 0 mph Cinder Hills OHV Area 42° 20 mph Copper Basin Dunes OHV Area 64° 6 mph Coral Pink Sand Dunes 54° 5 mph Crescent Sand Dunes 37° 5 mph Cross Bar Ranch Off-Road Park 58° 0 mph Crossroads OHV Area 73° 6 mph Dove Springs OHV Area 53° 0 mph Dumont Dunes 64° 2 mph Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area 37° 5 mph El Mirage OHV Area 40° 3 mph Escondido Draw Recreational… 64° 17 mph Fort Sage Off-Highway… 46° 1 mph Fossil Creek OHV Trail 45° 3 mph Gemini Bridges 45° 0 mph Glamis / Imperial Sand Dunes 64° 8 mph Glenwood Open OHV Area 39° 3 mph Gordon's Well 70° 9 mph Grand Valley Open OHV Area 46° 0 mph Greater Sand Dunes SRMA 36° 6 mph Hackberry Lake Off-Highway… 64° 8 mph Hayfield Draw OHV Area 63° 0 mph Haystack Mountain… 53° 7 mph Head Canyon OHV Recreation… 37° 5 mph Hog Canyon OHV Trail System 55° 9 mph Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area 72° 5 mph Hungry Valley SVRA 44° 4 mph Jawbone Canyon OHV Area 53° 0 mph Johnson Valley OHV Area 59° 7 mph Killpecker Sand Dunes Open… 36° 6 mph Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle… 43° 3 mph Little Sahara Recreation Area 45° 0 mph Little Sahara State Park 61° 8 mph McCullough Peaks OHV Area 48° 0 mph Mescalero Sands North Dune… 63° 11 mph Millican Valley OHV Trail… 45° 6 mph Moon Rocks OHV Area 47° 1 mph Nellis Dunes OHV Area 59° 5 mph North Sand Hills OHV Area 37° 8 mph Northwest OHV Park 64° 0 mph Oceano Dunes / Pismo Beach 55° 0 mph Ocotillo Wells SVRA 72° 12 mph Pipestone OHV Area 36° 1 mph Poison Spider / Gold Bar 45° 0 mph Rabbit Creek OHV Trail 52° 9 mph Radar Hill OHV Area 36° 0 mph Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area 57° 7 mph Red Sands Off-Highway… 63° 5 mph Rice Canyon Off-Highway… 46° 2 mph Robledo Mountains OHV Trail… 63° 5 mph Rosita Flats OHV Area 61° 14 mph Samoa Dunes 55° 9 mph Sand Flats Recreation Area 45° 0 mph Sand Mountain Open… 39° 0 mph Sand Mountain Pipeline… 54° 5 mph Sand Mountain Recreation Area 50° 4 mph Seep Springs OHV Area 46° 3 mph Shoshone OHV Trail System 39° 0 mph Shotgun Creek OHV Staging Area 39° 0 mph Silver Lake ORV Area 55° 3 mph South Cow Mountain OHV… 46° 0 mph St. Anthony Sand Dunes 36° 3 mph St. Helen Motorsport Area 48° 6 mph Standard Wash OHV Area 64° 6 mph Stoddard Valley OHV Area 53° 5 mph Table Mesa Recreation Area 63° 0 mph Virtue Flat Off-Highway… 45° 6 mph Weiser Dunes 45° 3 mph Whitewash Sand Dunes Open… 45° 0 mph Winnemucca Sand Dunes 37° 7 mph

Halloween

Happy Halloween from Full Throttle Trader

Cinder Hills OHV Area

Volcanic cinder at 7,000 feet

LocationCoconino County, Arizona — north-east of Flagstaff near Sunset Crater
Entry points1 verified
SizeAbout 19 miles of trails
Conditions42° · 20 mph

Trip check

Before you go

  • No permit required.
  • Cinder is sharp: it chews tires, so carry a spare and check your air filter.

Guide

About this area

Roughly 19 miles of trail through deep volcanic cinder and ponderosa pine north-east of Flagstaff, beside Sunset Crater. Black cinder instead of sand, and at 7,000 feet it rides through the summer when the rest of Arizona is unbearable.

At a glance

Quick facts

Best season
Open year-round — unusually, summer is the best time here because of the elevation
Managing agency
Coconino National Forest
Permit status
No permit required

Rules

Rules

Specific to Cinder Hills OHV Area

  • This is volcanic cinder, not sand: it rides differently and is harder on tires.
  • Source: Arizona Game and Fish — www.azgfd.com
  • Arizona: an OHV decal is required for off-highway use on public land.
Standard OHV rules (3)

Common equipment, registration and trail-use rules still apply.

  • Ride to the highest safety standard, not the legal minimum.
  • 🪖 Arizona: DOT helmet required for any operator or passenger under 18.
  • Stay on designated routes: this sits beside Sunset Crater National Monument and protected ground is closed.

Permits

Permits & registration

No permit required

Confirm current requirements with the Coconino National Forest before you ride.

Permit rules change. Confirm with the managing agency before you ride.

Trip support

Fuel, food & local help

Pump gas & diesel

  • Services can be found in Flagstaff, AZfuel

    THE BASE TOWN · Everything you need. There is no fuel out in the cinder fields.

Marketplace

Rigs and vehicles

For sale nearby

Show more
$1

PRICE DESIGNS

PRICE DESIGNS · SXS/SAND CAR/TRUCKGilbert, AZ142 miles away
StandardNew
SaleParts — Wheels & Tires

We lead the industry in style, customizability, and innovation. Our wheels are designed, manufactured, and finished in-house, utilizing qual...

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2018 Polaris RZR xpt 4seater

2018Goodyear, AZ145 miles away
StandardUsed
SaleSXS / UTV

2018 Polaris RZR xpt 4seater Fox Edition w/ Electric Power Steering Shock Therapy Stage 3 Suspension MTX Stereo with Subwoofer Car to ca...

SXS / UTV1 week ago
$270,000

FUNCO

2026Queen Creek, AZ146 miles away
StandardUsed
SaleDune Buggy / Sand Car

2026 Funco GTU Two Seater Redline Performance 436cui RHS with 3.8 whipple on E85 made 1015 hp to the hub @16psi Albins Transmission with t...

$22,000

2018 Can Am Maverick X

2018Boulder City, NV198 miles away
StandardUsed
SaleSXS / UTV

2018 Can Am Maverick X Lonestar race kit, fully prepped, ready to rip. Shock therapy steering, full car to car, all headsets included and h...

SXS / UTV1 week ago
$21,000

2008 Weekend Warrior cl4005

2008Henderson, NV204 miles away
StandardUsed
SaleToy Hauler

2008 Weekend Warrior cl4005 Fully Renovated Toy Hauler. New tires, new vinyl flooring, updated LED lighting, new bulldog landing gear, fresh...

Toy Hauler1 week ago

Elsewhere

These listings are not nearby and their sellers have not said they ride here.

$9,000

2013 Polaris Razor

2013Norwalk, CA
StandardUsed
SaleSXS / UTV

2013 Polaris Razor. Over $8k in aftermarket accessories. everything works as it should. located in Norwalk ca looking to get $9,000 t...

SXS / UTV16 hours ago
$35,000

2022 Polaris rzr Pro R Premium

2022Yuma, AZ
StandardUsed
SaleSXS / UTV

Selling our 2022 Pro R Rzr in excellent condition. Garage kept, really low hours/miles (1,188 miles/103 hrs). Selling it with all accessorie...

SXS / UTV1 week ago
Show more
$40,500

2025 Polaris Pro R 4 Ultimate

2025Norco, CA
StandardUsed
SaleSXS / UTV

2025 Polaris RZR Pro R4 Ultimate. Black on black Fox Live valve Dynamix suspension Ride Command with stage 4 audio & sub Heated & Coole...

SXS / UTV1 week ago
$16,000

2020 Polaris Rzr TurboS

2020Riverton, UT
StandardUsed
SaleSXS / UTV

Upgraded 2020 Polaris Rzr TurboS has 3,773 miles. This white and blue side-by-side vehicle has an RSK cage and RSK doors. The transmission h...

SXS / UTV1 week ago
List a vehicle that rides here

Agency & verification

Managing agency

Coconino National Forest

Area information is informational only and may be inaccurate or out of date. Verify access, weather, closures, permits and hazards before and during any trip. See Terms.