Hiking Trails

The trails in this system are in Dead Horse Ranch State Park and in the Coconino National Forest. Trail users, the Dead Horse Ranch Trails Coalition, Arizona State Parks rangers and volunteers, and the Forest Service work together to manage and maintain the trails to provide an excellent experience in the park. Bring extra water and get an early start in the summer months. Trailheads are located north of the lagoon area or at the end of Flycatcher Road.

Dead Horse Trail System: A non-motorized 20+ mile shared-use mix of doubletrack and singletrack. Four trailheads throughout the park lead up to the high desert of Coconino National Forest. The Lime Kiln Trail leg follows a portion of the historic Lime Kiln Wagon Road. Hikers and equestrians are encouraged to travel counter-clockwise on the the basic loop — Lime Kiln and Raptor Trails. Mountain bikers usually find that starting at the Roadrunner trailhead and riding the loop clockwise is more fun. For most cyclists, the trail is rated intermediate to expert. The Lime Kiln Trail follows a portion of the historic Lime Kiln Wagon Road from Cottonwood to Sedona. Learn more about Lime Kiln Trail  and learn more about Share the Trail. Click here for a complete map of the trails at the park.

Forest Loop: A 0.5-mile loop. Shared-use. Circles around and through a diversely forested area and provides river access by way of short narrow side trails. Starts and ends in the River Day Use Area. Tour the trail.

Canopy: A 0.25 mile ADA accessible trail looping under a Freemont Cottonwood tree canopy giving park visitors with limited mobility an opportunity to get off the beaten path. Excellent for bird watching and wildlife viewing.  Starts and ends in the River Day Use Area. Tour the trail.

Mesa: A 1-mile interpretive loop trail. Circles the top of the hill west of the Red-Tail Hawk Campground and provides scenic views of Mingus Mountain, the Verde Valley, and Dead Horse Ranch. The trailhead is located on the west side of Roadrunner Road south of Red-Tail Hawk Campground loop. Tour the trail.

Tavasci Marsh: A 1-mile trail. Shared-use. The trailhead is located at the end of Flycatcher Road. Tour the trail.

Hickey Ditch: A 0.5-mile trail. Shared-use. Follow along the historic Hickey irrigation ditch through a canopy of willow, netleaf hackberry, Arizona black walnut, & mesquite trees. Intersects with Quail Wash Trail. The trailhead is located at north end of the West Lagoon parking lot. Tour the trail.

Creosote: A 0.5-mile shortcut. Shared-use. Intersects with Hickey Ditch and Quail Wash Trails. Tour the trail.

Lagoons: One accessible loop around each lagoon.  West Lagoon 0.39 miles; Middle Lagoon 0.41 miles; East Lagoon 0.72 miles. Hike, bike. Accessed from any of the lagoon parking lots, these trails allow you to stroll around the lagoons. We do request that horses not be taken around lagoon banks. 

Verde River Greenway: A 2-mile shared-use trail along the river. The trail weaves through some of the best nesting habitat in the area, a bird watchers' paradise. Intersects with Quail Wash and Lagoon Trails. The trailhead is located in the River Day Use area or can be accessed on the south side of the lagoons. Tour the trail.

River Loop: A 0.5-mile trail. Shared-use. The trail runs along the south side of the Verde River and is good for walking. Trail is accessed from either the south end of the Dead Horse Ranch State Park Bridge or from Riverfront Park. Tour the trail.

Equestrian Trails: Many of the Dead Horse Ranch trails are shared-use. The trails offer scenic views of the lagoons, the Verde River and Dead Horse Ranch. 

Lime Kiln Trail: Bike, Hike, or Horse Ride

The votes are in! The Lime Kiln Trail, connecting Dead Horse Ranch State Park and Red Rock State Park, won the 2012 Critic’s Choice Award for Best Bike Ride!

Keep AZ Beautiful—Learn about recreating responsibly.

The Lime Kiln Trail was completed in 2006, linking Dead Horse Ranch State Park (Cottonwood) with Red Rock State Park (Sedona). The Lime Kiln Trail is a 15-mile shared-use, non-motorized and permit equestrian trail.

The Lime Kiln leg follows a portion of the historic Lime Kiln Wagon Road. Originally the Lime Kiln road provided access to a Kiln that was constructed in the 1800s. The Kiln was used to burn limestone to create lime used as an ingredient of the mortar needed to construct fireplaces and chimneys. Soon after the construction of the kiln, the road was extended and used as a route between Sedona and Jerome. The remains of the kiln can still be seen beside the trail.

Learn more about Arizona's extensive hiking trail network and plan a trip to experience even more adventure wihin the Grand Canyon state! 

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