Directions to Orienteering Locations

NOTE: These directions are particularly susceptible to change for individual events. The directions are included here for reference only. Starting sites for individual meets may be changed slightly from the instructions listed below. Please see the individual event instructions for directions to the individual event.

Lake Pleasant

Directions

From Phoenix take I-17 north to State Route 74/Carefree Highway - exit 223. Turn west (left) on to State Route 74 and proceed 13.2 miles. Turn right on an unnamed road .6 miles west of milepost 18 (It's 1.5 miles west of the Lake Pleasant visitor center turnoff). There is a prominent thumb butte on the south side of the highway at the turn off. Look for orange/white O-Bags or O-Cones marking the turn off from SR74 and at the meet site . [Home]

Bomboy Mine

Directions

Take the Superstition Freeway east through Apache Junction, towards Globe. About .4 miles past milepost 222 and immediately after crossing the Queen Creek bridge, turn left onto Hewitt Station Rd (Forest Road 357). If you reach the Boyce Thompson Arboretum you have gone a half mile too far! Cross the cattle guard and continue straight ahead. After about 1.5 miles on FR357, you will cross a wash with two 15 foot high drainage pipes under the railroad tracks on the right. Turn right on to FR 252, which is .2 mile after the wash. Our site is about ¾ mile down the road, at a road junction. Look for an orange and white orienteering bag or orange cone at the last turnoff and at our site. [Home]

First Water

Directions

From Phoenix take US 60 Superstition Freeway to the Idaho Rd. exit and turn left (north). Drive to the intersection of Hwy 88 and turn right. At about 5.2 miles there will be the intersection with the road to the First Water Trailhead. DON’T TURN THERE even though there will be an orienteering sign. This sign is for the JROTC “O” meet parking area. Continue another 1.4 miles on Hwy 88 and turn right at the PHXO “O” sign and enter the large dirt parking area. If you get to the Needle Vista Lookout parking area you have gone too far. There is no Forest Service parking fee for this area. [Home]

Needle Vista

Directions

From Phoenix, take US 60 (Superstition Freeway) east to Apache Junction, exit at Idaho Road and turn left (north). When you reach the Apache Trail (Hwy 88), turn right. Drive about 7.2 miles NE along Hwy 88 to the signed Needle Vista turnoff. It is about 1/2 a mile past milepost 203. Park in the parking lot and look for an orange/white orienteering bag at the registration table. [Home]

Coon Bluff

Directions

From Phoenix, take US 60 (Superstition Freeway) east to Power Road, exit #188. Turn north onto Power Road. At about 9 miles from US60, the road will make a sharp bend to the east. About 3.75 miles more is the turnoff to Coon Bluff on the north side of the road. Look for an orange/white orienteering bag on the south side (about 1 mile past the Phon D. Sutton Recreation Area turnoff). Turn left and drive about 1.25 miles to the parking area. Look for an orange/white O bag at the registration table. If you get to Usery Pass Road, turn around and go back about 1.25 miles and turn right. [Home]

Happy Camp

Directions

From Phoenix, take US60 (Superstition Freeway) east through Apache Junction, past Florence Junction, over Gonzales pass where you will drop down and cross Queen Creek. At 0.4 miles east of mile post 222 turn left onto Forest Road 357. Immediately after turning onto FR 357 turn east (right) onto FR 8 and proceed about 1.8 miles to FR 650, turn north (left) and proceed about 1.1 miles to Happy Camp on the west side (left).

Note: FR 8 is an all-weather dirt Road. FR 650 follows an intermittent streambed. Drive with care. If the streambed is not safely passable due to flooding, the meet site will be at the FR 8/650 junction [Home]

Palisades Ridge

Directions

Drive up Catalina Highway about 20 miles to Organization Ridge Road. Turn left and, bearing right, go about 0.4 miles to the gate for Showers Point.

Get to the Catalina Highway by exiting I-10 at Grant, driving east to Tanque Verde, turn left and watch for the light at Catalina Highway where you can only go left. [Home]

Bear Wallow

Directions

Take Catalina Highway approximately 21 miles to Mt. Bigelow Road, about a mile past Palisades Ranger Station. Turn right on Mt. Bigelow Road and look for orienteering signs. You will go approximately 1/4 mile to the first junction, near the observatory entrance. Park along the road. [Home]

Thumb Butte

Directions

From Phoenix take the Black Canyon Freeway (I-17) to the Prescott exit. Proceed along Highway 69 to Prescott. Highway 69 and 89 will merge just before Prescott. Stay in the left lane as you approach the intersection with Highway 89. The road turns into East Gurley Street and goes by Courthouse Square and Whiskey Row (Mile 0). Follow straight through on this road (which turns into Thumb Butte Road). At 3.5 miles, you will pass through Thumb Butte Park and the road will turn to dirt. At mile 5.0, take a left onto Forest Road 373. Follow this road for 1.8 miles; it will cross a small creek (usually flowing) and climb up a hill. After the terrain levels, look for the orienteering sign and take a left onto FR 51. This road is rough (high ground clearance preferred), but can be driven with care in a passanger car. The registration area is at camp site 100, about 350 yards in on FR 51. Parking is along the side of FR 51 in the camp site (please keep the road clear and leave space for other vehicles to park). Allow 2-1/4 hours travel time from downtown Phoenix. [Home]

Saguaro Lake

Directions

There are two routes; the Beeline Hwy (87) is 4 lanes, direct but not very scenic and the Bush Hwy is 2 lanes and winding, but the scenery is great once you get past north Mesa.

For the Beeline (87): from Loop 202 and Country Club (the Beeline), go northeast on the Beeline (past Fountain Hills) 22 miles and turn right at the Saguaro Lake/Bush Hwy turnoff. Our site is 0.2 miles on the right. Look for an orange and white orienteering “sandwich board” at the turnoff to our site.

For the Bush Hwy: From Power road and the Superstition (US60), go northeast 22 miles (Power turns into the Bush Hwy). You’ll pass the Usery Pass turnoff in 13.5 miles, but stay on the Bush Hwy. When you see the sign that says “Junction 87 - 1/2 mile”, turn left into the big open area about 0.3 miles after the sign. Look for an orange and white orienteering “sandwich board”.

Go slow, it’s just a short dirt entrance into the area.

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