Dye Snowmobile Loop

Dye Snowmobile Loop is a 19.5-mile loop in the Black Mesa Ranger District of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests in eastern Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. It rises from a low point of about 7,022 feet to a high of about 7,845 feet, with a total elevation gain of 948 feet and a total loss of 976 feet, making it a near balance of ascent and descent. The route is rolling rather than steep, with the steepest stretch at about 8% grade around mile 10.1. It starts at roughly 7,745 feet, and the climb and drop are close to equal, so the route works well for a day on the trail rather than a single push to the top. For comfortable weather, late spring and early fall are the most pleasant times to ride. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Blue Ridge run to highs around 70°F in May and 76°F in September. That station sits about 965 feet lower than the route's high point, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. Several options lie close by. Forest Road 9354 campground is under a mile away, and the Carr Lake hike is about a mile off. The Mogollon Rim Snowmobile B mountain biking route is about 1.8 miles away, and Woods Canyon Lake Recreation Area, with fishing and boating, is about 3.4 miles away.