Crew Driving Directions
The Mogollon Rim itself poses a large obstacle for crewing this race. We have learned over the years that it does not make sense or is actually close to impossible to drive between some aid stations in time to see a runner since you must drive all the way around the rim to go up or down it. While most are easily accessible, they often require a great deal of driving to get to each. We ask that you please abide by our crew locations so that we can all have a safe and enjoyable race experience.
Important! Some crew information has changed from past year’s editions- specifically within the Tonto National Forest which covers Geronimo and Washington Park. Here is the most updated information as of 4.18.19:
NOTE: You are allowed ONE (1) crew vehicle per runner. When you pick up your bib, you will be supplied with a crew pass with your bib number on it that must be present on the dash for the entire race. If we see additional crew vehicles on course for a single runner OR find that a runner is receiving aid from their crew outside the designated aid stations we have the right to disqualify you.
NEW in 2019: There are a handful of new crew instructions moving forward. Please fully read.
1. There will be NO crew access at Geronimo (mile 10, mile 90 for 100M). After the start, head into town and grab some breakfast, a cup of coffee, or the market for supplies and get ready for your big day/night at the Mogollon Rim.
2. While we've used Washington Park as the bottom of the rim "hub" in the past, we are no longer allowed to offer crew vehicle access here per the national forest. We understand that this can (and will) alter crewing plans and we are actively working on a solution to streamline this new restriction. We will do our best to keep you updated on this new change but as of now, the only vehicle access we'll be offering here is for staff and volunteers. We will come up with a plan for pacing logistics as well and post it well in advance of race weekend.
3. The top of the rim aid stations are all open for crews now. That includes Houston Brothers, Pinchot Cabin and Buck Springs. Directions are listed below, but it is imperative that crews access these aid stations via FS-95 and not FS-300/ Rim Road. This allows additional options for a pacer to join their runner as well.
4. 35 Km Runners will have no crew access for their race.
Start at Pine Trailhead – Pine Trailhead is just before reaching the town of Pine as you come north from Payson. There is a sign for the turnoff and the right turn takes you to a dead end where the race starts and then later passes through 98 miles later. There is a non-flushing bathroom available here and camping is allowed over night if you choose. To reach the Pine TH from Payson, travel 15 miles north on state route 87.
Pine TH: Reached by traveling 15 miles north of Payson on SR 87, turn right onto FR 298. Facilities include toilet, corrals, and large parking area.
Dickerson Flat AS – NO CREW - Head north on the 87 through Pine and Strawberry towns up to the top of the Rim. Look for the signed junction for the “Rim Road” (Forest Road #300) just after mile marker 280. Take a right and go straight at the first intersections on Milk Ranch Point road. You access Rim Road #300 here (would be left turn and takes you to Buck Springs/Houston Brothers/Pinchot Cabn AS) but for Dickerson Flat AS you want to go straight on Milk Ranch Point Road. This will meet a three way intersection after about a mile and take the right turn following Milk Ranch Point Road. After about 3.3 miles you will reach Dickerson Flat, a large pasture on the right with a row of ponderosas. The aid station is set up on the left by the metal gate leading to Turkey Springs Trail.
Geronimo AS - NO CREW ACCESS! - To reach Geronimo head South on the 87 from the starting line at the Pine Trailhead turnoff you will look for a left turn for “Control Road” #64. This left turn off the 87 is the Control Road that accesses all of the Rim’s lower trailhead’s (Geronimo, Washington Park, and Hells’ Gate.) This road has many mile markers for Camp Geronimo (same as our AS) and Washington Park that allows for easy navigation along this road. This road is improved dirt but windy and often has elk on it. Should you be traveling early morning or evening please be on the lookout for elk near or on the road. For Geronimo you’ll follow the Control Road 6 miles and take a left at the signed marker. The AS is 1.8 miles up the road at the Geronimo Trailhead parking area. We likely won’t run out of parking but should we do, park along the road allowing plenty of space for emergency vehicle traffic to pass.
Geronimo TH: Reached by taking SR 87 to FR 64, turn right on FR 64 and travel 6 miles to FR 440, turn north (left) on FR 440 and travel 2 miles.
Washington Park AS - NO VEHICLE CREW ACCESS! - To reach race headquarters return to the Control Road and turn left to continue back east. This road will take you east to another signed turnoff (left) which says 4 miles for Washington Park and then 30 feet later says 5 miles. Either way, continue north towards the Rim itself, the road brings you to a junction with mailboxes along the road. Merge to the left side and go past the mailboxes. Shortly thereafter the turn for Washington Park points you right and then immediately to the left. This short section is bumpy for cars so take it easy. This last mile passes several great camping spots and dead ends at Washington Park Trailhead. Camping is NO LONGER allowed at Washington Park due to some absolute scumbags who have ruined it for everyone with their total disregard for the area and leaving copious amounts of litter after camping. We have to now get an exception from the NFS just to have an aid station there all night. So no camping any longer, you’ll get a ticket.
If you are visiting your runner or coming to pace and leaving a car be sure to leave it along the road where there is PLENTY of space for an emergency vehicle to get through. This is very important. You cannot park at the trailhead where the aid station is. Please park along the right hand side (and only the right hand side) as it leads to the aid station and walk up. You may have to walk 1/2 a mile or more to reach your runner here. One car per runner allowed here with crew pass visible.
Washington Park TH
SR 87 to FR 199, 10.3 miles to FR 64, and .7 mile to FR 32 and 3.3 miles to FR 32A (FR 32A is a high clearance road).
FR 199 AKA, Houston Mesa Road begins 2 miles north of Payson on SR 87.
Hell’s Gate AS – NO CREW - Please do not visit this location unless you are the volunteer or are running through in the race. The access road is washed out and not accessible, very small and cannot accommodate additional traffic.
Houston Brothers AS - NO CREW - To get to the Cabin Loop Aid Stations (Pinchot Cabin, Houston Brothers, Buck Springs) you have to drive ALL the way back around the control road to the 87, up the 87 to the Rim Road turnoff, 15 miles along the winding dirt road on the Rim Road #300 just to get to the top of the power lines above Washington Park. From there its 4.5 miles to Houston Brothers which is a left turn about 200 meters past the runners turnoff into the forest. We are asking crews not visit Houston Brothers Aid Station this year.
Pinchot Cabin AS – NO CREW - NOT ACCESSIBLE BY CREWS. DO NOT VISIT THIS AID STATION.
Buck Springs AS - To get to Buck Springs you head east from Houston Brothers on the Rim Road #300, to the #321 Forest Road. Go left and follow 3.3 miles to the Buck Springs AS which is visible from the road on your right.
We are only allowing Buck Springs as the sole aid station above the rim for crews as it is relatively easier to get to and it sufficiently far enough on the loop where it is POSSIBLE to drive up from Washington Park to see your runner in time and then get back to Washington Park before they get there again. Just know, this involves A LOT of driving and you will be cutting it close in all likelihood. The Rim Road #300 is winding, sharp turns and slow going because of the course it takes along the Rim. It’s incredibly beautiful but as a fair warning, it’s probably best to skip a station either above or below to cut out some driving time.
Important! Some crew information has changed from past year’s editions- specifically within the Tonto National Forest which covers Geronimo and Washington Park. Here is the most updated information as of 4.18.19:
NOTE: You are allowed ONE (1) crew vehicle per runner. When you pick up your bib, you will be supplied with a crew pass with your bib number on it that must be present on the dash for the entire race. If we see additional crew vehicles on course for a single runner OR find that a runner is receiving aid from their crew outside the designated aid stations we have the right to disqualify you.
NEW in 2019: There are a handful of new crew instructions moving forward. Please fully read.
1. There will be NO crew access at Geronimo (mile 10, mile 90 for 100M). After the start, head into town and grab some breakfast, a cup of coffee, or the market for supplies and get ready for your big day/night at the Mogollon Rim.
2. While we've used Washington Park as the bottom of the rim "hub" in the past, we are no longer allowed to offer crew vehicle access here per the national forest. We understand that this can (and will) alter crewing plans and we are actively working on a solution to streamline this new restriction. We will do our best to keep you updated on this new change but as of now, the only vehicle access we'll be offering here is for staff and volunteers. We will come up with a plan for pacing logistics as well and post it well in advance of race weekend.
3. The top of the rim aid stations are all open for crews now. That includes Houston Brothers, Pinchot Cabin and Buck Springs. Directions are listed below, but it is imperative that crews access these aid stations via FS-95 and not FS-300/ Rim Road. This allows additional options for a pacer to join their runner as well.
4. 35 Km Runners will have no crew access for their race.
Start at Pine Trailhead – Pine Trailhead is just before reaching the town of Pine as you come north from Payson. There is a sign for the turnoff and the right turn takes you to a dead end where the race starts and then later passes through 98 miles later. There is a non-flushing bathroom available here and camping is allowed over night if you choose. To reach the Pine TH from Payson, travel 15 miles north on state route 87.
Pine TH: Reached by traveling 15 miles north of Payson on SR 87, turn right onto FR 298. Facilities include toilet, corrals, and large parking area.
Dickerson Flat AS – NO CREW - Head north on the 87 through Pine and Strawberry towns up to the top of the Rim. Look for the signed junction for the “Rim Road” (Forest Road #300) just after mile marker 280. Take a right and go straight at the first intersections on Milk Ranch Point road. You access Rim Road #300 here (would be left turn and takes you to Buck Springs/Houston Brothers/Pinchot Cabn AS) but for Dickerson Flat AS you want to go straight on Milk Ranch Point Road. This will meet a three way intersection after about a mile and take the right turn following Milk Ranch Point Road. After about 3.3 miles you will reach Dickerson Flat, a large pasture on the right with a row of ponderosas. The aid station is set up on the left by the metal gate leading to Turkey Springs Trail.
Geronimo AS - NO CREW ACCESS! - To reach Geronimo head South on the 87 from the starting line at the Pine Trailhead turnoff you will look for a left turn for “Control Road” #64. This left turn off the 87 is the Control Road that accesses all of the Rim’s lower trailhead’s (Geronimo, Washington Park, and Hells’ Gate.) This road has many mile markers for Camp Geronimo (same as our AS) and Washington Park that allows for easy navigation along this road. This road is improved dirt but windy and often has elk on it. Should you be traveling early morning or evening please be on the lookout for elk near or on the road. For Geronimo you’ll follow the Control Road 6 miles and take a left at the signed marker. The AS is 1.8 miles up the road at the Geronimo Trailhead parking area. We likely won’t run out of parking but should we do, park along the road allowing plenty of space for emergency vehicle traffic to pass.
Geronimo TH: Reached by taking SR 87 to FR 64, turn right on FR 64 and travel 6 miles to FR 440, turn north (left) on FR 440 and travel 2 miles.
Washington Park AS - NO VEHICLE CREW ACCESS! - To reach race headquarters return to the Control Road and turn left to continue back east. This road will take you east to another signed turnoff (left) which says 4 miles for Washington Park and then 30 feet later says 5 miles. Either way, continue north towards the Rim itself, the road brings you to a junction with mailboxes along the road. Merge to the left side and go past the mailboxes. Shortly thereafter the turn for Washington Park points you right and then immediately to the left. This short section is bumpy for cars so take it easy. This last mile passes several great camping spots and dead ends at Washington Park Trailhead. Camping is NO LONGER allowed at Washington Park due to some absolute scumbags who have ruined it for everyone with their total disregard for the area and leaving copious amounts of litter after camping. We have to now get an exception from the NFS just to have an aid station there all night. So no camping any longer, you’ll get a ticket.
If you are visiting your runner or coming to pace and leaving a car be sure to leave it along the road where there is PLENTY of space for an emergency vehicle to get through. This is very important. You cannot park at the trailhead where the aid station is. Please park along the right hand side (and only the right hand side) as it leads to the aid station and walk up. You may have to walk 1/2 a mile or more to reach your runner here. One car per runner allowed here with crew pass visible.
Washington Park TH
SR 87 to FR 199, 10.3 miles to FR 64, and .7 mile to FR 32 and 3.3 miles to FR 32A (FR 32A is a high clearance road).
FR 199 AKA, Houston Mesa Road begins 2 miles north of Payson on SR 87.
Hell’s Gate AS – NO CREW - Please do not visit this location unless you are the volunteer or are running through in the race. The access road is washed out and not accessible, very small and cannot accommodate additional traffic.
Houston Brothers AS - NO CREW - To get to the Cabin Loop Aid Stations (Pinchot Cabin, Houston Brothers, Buck Springs) you have to drive ALL the way back around the control road to the 87, up the 87 to the Rim Road turnoff, 15 miles along the winding dirt road on the Rim Road #300 just to get to the top of the power lines above Washington Park. From there its 4.5 miles to Houston Brothers which is a left turn about 200 meters past the runners turnoff into the forest. We are asking crews not visit Houston Brothers Aid Station this year.
Pinchot Cabin AS – NO CREW - NOT ACCESSIBLE BY CREWS. DO NOT VISIT THIS AID STATION.
Buck Springs AS - To get to Buck Springs you head east from Houston Brothers on the Rim Road #300, to the #321 Forest Road. Go left and follow 3.3 miles to the Buck Springs AS which is visible from the road on your right.
We are only allowing Buck Springs as the sole aid station above the rim for crews as it is relatively easier to get to and it sufficiently far enough on the loop where it is POSSIBLE to drive up from Washington Park to see your runner in time and then get back to Washington Park before they get there again. Just know, this involves A LOT of driving and you will be cutting it close in all likelihood. The Rim Road #300 is winding, sharp turns and slow going because of the course it takes along the Rim. It’s incredibly beautiful but as a fair warning, it’s probably best to skip a station either above or below to cut out some driving time.
