Trails

Our Trails

The Buena Vista Trailsystem's trailhead is located about two miles south of Show Low on Highway 60, and is part of the TRACKS White Mountain Trailsystem.  Many of the trails have existed, in some form, since at least the early 1990's.   In May of 2026, the Buena Vista trailsystem was formally approved by the National Forest service and this has allowed us to begin expanding upon the trailsystem and improving the existing trails.

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The "stacked-loop" trail system allows the trail user to put together a loop of their own liking in terms of both distance and difficulty.   It is the first of its kind in the White Mountains.

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Below you will find each of the trails within the system, a map thereof including the elevation profile.  If you click on the map, it will take you directly to the Trailforks website.

Angry Bears:  A little more than a half-mile in length, Angry Bears is for advanced mountain bikers and hikers.  We recommend this trail going north to south.  The grade is steep from either direction, but is a little more manageable when approached from the north side.  Either way, there is a great view at the top that makes the effort worthwhile.  Horses are not recommended.

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Bat Soup:   Barely longer than 1/4 of a mile, what Bat Soup lacks in length it makes up for with intensity.  This is one-way downhill only trail that must be ridden south to north, and connects to the Hole-In-The-Rock trail at both ends.    Featuring drops, jumps and doubles, this trail is solely for those with the special skill set to handle it.    Look before you leap kids.

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Buena Vista #637:  The 7.5 mile Buena Vista Trail is the heart of the stacked loop system.   It is an intermediate level trail with moderate elevation gain.   There are commanding views in the area of BV14 and BV15 that earn the trail its name.  The loop is good either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

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Chihuahua Pines Connector:  This mile long trail to the highway connects the Buena Vista Trail System to the Los Caballos trail to the west.   The trail will soon re-worked on the Buena Vista side (eastern side) of U.S. 60 and will take trail users down to a tunnel that passes under the highway and then on to the west.  This connector, at present, gets very difficult after crossing U.S. 60.   Be advised.  It about 3.5 miles to Los Caballos after crossing the highway.

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Differential:   Differential is a 1.3 mile trail that connects Angry Bears to Buena Vista, coming out at about BV10.    Differential is so-named for an old differential that probably came out of someone's pickup truck around fifty years ago when they were having a really bad day.  You will find it propped up against a tree if you look for it near the connection to Buena Vista.  The trail is an intermediate trail.  If on a mountain bike, we'd recommend riding it west to east for better flow. 

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Flintstone:  This is a 2-mile loop trail in the northwest corner of the BV trailsystem.  It offers incredible views to the north and northwest at the top.   If cycling, we recommend riding it counter-clockwise in order to get the longest downhill run available, as it offers one of the most fun and flowy downhills in the system.

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Grindstone:   A little more than a half-mile long, the Grindstone trail allows trail users hiking the Buena Vista loop to shorten their trip by about a mile and half as it is a shortcut between two different parts of the larger Buena Vista loop.    Using Grindstone avoids a significant climb up Buena Vista . . . however, that decision also comes at a cost of enjoying the views at the top of the climb.   Grindstone is a very easy mostly flat trail and is rated with a green circle.

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Hole-In-the-Rock:  This 2-mile long trail that allows trail users to extend their hike or ride on the main Buena Vista trail.    The trail is rated as black-diamond difficulty due to narrow technical rock features in several spots as well as a few short but very punchy climbs.   For mountain bikers, the trail is best ridden counter-clockwise, as there area couple of features uphill rock features that are almost impossible to clear unless you sport expert level technical climbing skills.  Due to the narrow and rock features, this trail is not recommended for horses.

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Jackrabbit:  This is a short little connector trail that allows trail users to connect between the Buena Vista and Differential trails.  It exists to help trail users create their own interesting loops to hike or ride.

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Petrified:  Petrified is a 2.2 mile loop trail that begins and ends at two different points along the Buena Vista trail on the east side of the system.    Petrified is another loop option that allows the trail user to extend their day on the BV area.    The trail offers substantial elevation gain and loss from either direction, along with a fun some exposure, a log roll and bermed corners.  So-named because of the substantial amounts of petrified wood that can be found in various places along the trail, Petrified is one of the gems of our system.  The trail is rated blue.

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Rainbows:  This is a beginner green rated trail that can easily be found near the Buena Vista trailhead.  It has no substantial elevation gain or technical features.  Specifically designed for those wanting a shorter and easier route, this trail can be combined with BV0-BV3 to create a very easy and manageable trail experience.   

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Rattler: Just a 1/4 of a mile long, Rattler is for committed downhill riders only.   It features a very signficant six-foot drop, and includes multiple other drops and doubles until it drops steeply into a wash and comes back up the other side.  Like Bat Soup, Rattler is a unidirectional trail that should only be used from north to south.  It is rated as a black diamond trail, and is not recommended for horses.

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Sunshine: Sunshine is a 1.1 mile trail that was designed to compliment Rainbows.   This trail allows trail users seeking an easy but little longer route to break off from Rainbows and combine it with BV5-BV0 for another great trail experience.

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