Hualapai Mountains Back Country Byway is located in western Arizona, near Kingman. The byway’s northern access is at the corner of Stockton Hill Road and Andy Devine Avenue in Kingman. The byway can also be accessed from the south off I-40 near Yucca.
Travelling from the northern access point, the byway is divided into four road type segments. The first segment is Hualapai Mountain Road, 13 miles of paved two-lane road suitable for passenger cars. The next segment of road is mostly one-lane with an unpaved surface that can be negotiated by passenger cars when the road is dry and free of ice. This segment is approximately four miles in length. The third segment is 21 miles of unpaved single-lane road that requires a high-clearance or four-wheel-drive vehicle. The final segment is 12 miles of unimproved two-lane dirt road that is suitable for passenger cars from Boriana Mine to its terminus at I-40. Hualapai Mountains Back Country Byway is 50 miles long. You may want to inquire locally about the current road conditions before traveling the byway.
Hualapai Mountains Back Country Byway crosses a diverse landscape, from the open Mojave Desert near Kingman, up through foothills covered in pinyon pine and juniper, to an oak and ponderosa pine forest. Travelers begin at an elevation of 3,500 feet and climb to 6,500 feet in the Hualapai Mountains. Descending from the crest, travelers are given breathtaking views of pinyon and juniper woodland extending into the desert vegetation below.
Wildlife observation opportunities are plentiful, as the area is home to more than 80 species of birds, including hawks, owls, whippoorwills, and hummingbirds. Mule deer and elk also inhabit the area and share the region with coyotes and bobcats, among other wildlife.
Recreation along the byway is in the form of hiking, backpacking, off-road vehicle pursuits, and camping. The very popular 2,320-acre Hualapai Mountain County Park offers emergency first aid, campgrounds, water, hiking trails, rental cabins, and picnicking facilities. A smaller, less developed recreation site is managed by the BLM, the Wild Cow Springs Campground. The recreation area is only partially developed but provides camping and restroom facilities, grills, fire pits, and picnic tables. No potable water is available. The campground has 20 RV and tent sites. There is an RV length limit of 20 feet. The campground is generally open May through October.