Part of Things To Do, our guides to parks, lakes, trails, camping, museums and clubs in the White Mountains.
The White Mountains have dozens of official trails, from the paved 1.5-mile Meadow Trail in Show Low to the 19-mile Black River Mainstream Trail near Alpine. This page lists 27 we verified, grouped by area, each linked to its official source. Elevation gain, difficulty and dogs are shown only where a source gives them.
Checked · Edited by Sam Ridley · Sources · How we check
27verified trails listed
1.5 miMeadow Trail, paved
7.0 miCottonwood Trail #508
19 miBlack River Mainstream
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Trails by Area
Lengths come from the linked official page unless marked “map”. A cell that says “Not confirmed” means the source we read does not say. Most Forest Service trail pages do not publish elevation gain. Everything here is as of October 23, 2026.
Show Low
| Trail | Length | Trailhead or where | Elevation gain | Difficulty | Dogs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Meadow Trail | About 1.5 mi, paved | 769 S. White Mountain Rd | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | City trail along Show Low Creek; restrooms at the trailhead |
| Pintail Wetlands Nature Trail #617 | 3/8 mi, 1/4 mi paved | SR 77 north about 3.3 mi, then gravel road | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | To a covered blind and an observation deck; no restroom or water |
| Buena Vista Trail #637 | About 12 mi (City) | Forest Road 300 (Rim Road) off US 60, about 4.8 mi from downtown | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | White Mountain Trail System loop |
| Ghost of the Coyote | More than 15 mi | SR 260 west 8.1 mi, Burton Road north 1.1 mi | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Pinyon-juniper; little shade, no water |
| Juniper Ridge Trail #640 | Not confirmed | West of Show Low, SR 260 toward Heber then Old Highway 160 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Pinyon-juniper and pine-oak; Juniper Ridge Lookout staffed in fire season |
| Fool Hollow lakeside trail | 1.5 mi | Inside Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area (entry fee) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Along the south and west shores |
More detail: Show Low trails page.
Pinetop-Lakeside and Lakeside Ranger District
| Trail | Length | Trailhead or where | Elevation gain | Difficulty | Dogs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Springs Environmental Study Area #610 | About 0.5 mi | Woodland Road, 0.6 mi off SR 260 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Day use only; a clear spring that feeds Rainbow Lake |
| Woodland Lake loop #654 | About 1.06 mi (Forest Service map) | Woodland Lake Park | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | The town restricts dogs on athletic fields and near playground equipment |
| Country Club Trail #632 | 3.5-mi loop | FR 185 off FR 182 (Bucksprings Rd) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Pines, juniper and oak; no water |
| Springs Trail #633 | About 3.4 mi (map) | FR 182, 1.1 mi from Bucksprings Rd | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | An easy loop |
| Timber Mesa Trail #636 | About 7.3 mi (map) | Timber Mesa Trailhead, Porter Mountain Rd (FR 45) 2.2 mi from SR 260; elevation 6,960 ft | Not confirmed | Moderate for hiking and horses, difficult for mountain bikes | Not confirmed | Little shade; no restrooms or drinking water at the trailhead |
| Panorama Trail #635 | 8 mi | FR 206, 6 mi up Porter Mountain Rd | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Fairly level; no water or restroom |
| Blue Ridge Trail #107 | About 8.4 mi (map) | FR 187 off FR 182 | Not confirmed | Difficult for bikes | Not confirmed | Along Billy Creek to the top of Blue Ridge Mountain |
| Los Burros Trail #631 | More than 10 mi | Los Burros Campground via McNary and FR 224 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Shaded and high; side trip to Lake Mountain Lookout |
More detail: Pinetop-Lakeside trails page.
Mogollon Rim and Black Mesa Ranger District
| Trail | Length | Trailhead or where | Elevation gain | Difficulty | Dogs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rim Lake Vista Trail #622 | 4.3 mi (trail page) | Rim Top Trailhead, FR 300 just west of SR 260, about 26 mi west of Heber | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Hiking and mountain biking; about 2.5 mi paved; rim drops of 150 ft or more; a search excerpt says 3.5 mi |
| Meadow Trail at Woods Canyon Lake | About 1 mi, paved | Woods Canyon Vista on FR 300 to Woods Canyon Lake | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Leashed | Last 1/4 mi is steep and not ADA accessible; no horses or motor vehicles. Not the Show Low Meadow Trail |
| Cottonwood Trail #508 | 7.0 mi | Cottonwood Trailhead on FR 139, about 1/8 mi south of SR 260, to General Crook Connector Trailhead on FR 132 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Hiking and horseback riding |
| Three Oaks Trail #613 | 0.5 mi | Black Canyon Day Use Site to the lake shore (Black Canyon Lake) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Hiking only |
Springerville, Greer and Alpine
| Trail | Length | Trailhead or where | Elevation gain | Difficulty | Dogs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pole Knoll Recreation Area | Not confirmed | SR 260, 12 mi west of the Eagar stoplight; elevation 9,739 ft | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Mostly a cross-country ski area; day hiking, horses and mountain biking listed the rest of the year; no potable water |
| Peninsula Petroglyph Trail | 0.7-mi loop | Lyman Lake State Park, from the campground | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | More than 200 petroglyphs; daylight only; do not touch |
| Buffalo Trail | About 2 mi | Lyman Lake State Park | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Park page |
| Escudilla National Recreation Trail #308 | 3 mi one way | Terry Flat, off FR 56 (also written FR 8056), 5.5 mi north of Alpine on US 191 (the Forest Service pages differ on the distance; verify) | Not confirmed | The page calls it “comparatively easy, considering the heights,” not a rating | Not confirmed | Hiking and horses; Wallow Fire area; the lookout is closed to the public |
| Terry Flat Trail #5 | Not confirmed | Terry Flat, shared parking with the Escudilla trailhead | About 1,400 ft climb riding FR 8056 from the highway (page) | Suited to all levels (page) | Not confirmed | Mountain bike loop on forest road |
| Aker Lake Trail #17 | 3.5 mi one way | Just south of Hannagan Meadow Campground on US 191 | Drops about 400 ft going out (page) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Hiking, biking, horses; Wallow Fire area |
| Clell Lee Loop #24 | 4.2-mi loop | Hannagan Trailhead, 23 mi south of Alpine on US 191 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Hiking and mountain biking; groomed for cross-country skiing when conditions allow |
| Steeple Trail #73 | 13 mi | Steeple/Foote Creek Trailhead, FR 29A at the south end of Hannagan Meadow, to Lower Steeple Trailhead on FR 281 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Blue Range Primitive Area; no bikes; water usually at Willow Springs and Mud Springs |
| Black River Mainstream Trail #61 | About 19.0 mi | Across from Buffalo Crossing Campground; from Alpine 14.5 mi south on US 191, then FR 26 and FR 24 | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Backpacking, day hiking, horses; Wallow Fire hazards |
More detail: Springerville-Eagar-Greer area guide.
Area Trail Guides
- Trails in and around Show Low
- Trails near Pinetop-Lakeside
- Fool Hollow Lake
- Lyman Lake State Park
- Alpine and Luna Lake
- ATV and overland trails (motorized routes are on their own page)
Good to Know
- Forest Service alerts as of October 23, 2026: no fire restrictions, a 14-day camping limit order (14 consecutive days in any 30), and closures at Scott Reservoir and at Benny Creek Campground and Southfork Day Use Area. These change, so check the alerts page first.
- Trails in the Alpine area, including Escudilla, Aker Lake, Clell Lee, Steeple and Black River, carry Forest Service Wallow Fire (June 2011) hazard warnings.
- Rim Lake Vista Trail’s page says the rim is among the most lightning-struck areas, most often in July and August.
- The Forest Service hiking list has 269 items over 27 pages; we read only the first page, so this page is not complete.
What We Could Not Verify
- Elevation gain for every trail except Aker Lake (about 400 ft drop) and the Terry Flat road climb (about 1,400 ft); difficulty for most trails; dogs rules for most trails (leash rules were found only for Woods Canyon sites and the Woods Canyon Meadow Trail).
- Rim Lake Vista Trail length: the trail page says 4.3 miles and a search excerpt of the Rim Lakes page says 3.5 miles. We show 4.3 from the trail page.
- White Mountain Trail System size: Arizona State Parks says more than 103 miles and eleven loops, the town of Pinetop-Lakeside says about 200 miles, and airline marketing says more than 120. These conflict; use “more than 100 miles”.
- Escudilla trailhead distance: two Forest Service pages give different distances on FR 8056; verify before you drive.
- Lengths for Juniper Ridge #640, Pole Knoll and Terry Flat #5; Pole Knoll summer difficulty and dogs.
- Trailhead coordinates for nearly every trail (only the Woods Canyon Meadow Trail and Woods Canyon Lake Trailhead publish them).
- About 240 more trails on pages 2 to 27 of the Forest Service hiking list, which we have not read.
More Guides
Questions People Ask
What is the easiest hike near Show Low?
The Meadow Trail in town is about 1.5 miles and paved, with restrooms at the trailhead, according to the City of Show Low.
How long is the longest trail listed?
The Black River Mainstream Trail #61 is about 19.0 miles from Buffalo Crossing to the San Carlos Apache Reservation boundary, per the Forest Service trail log.
Do trails here list elevation gain?
Rarely. The Forest Service pages we read mostly omit it, so those cells say Not confirmed.
Can I take my dog on the trails?
Dog rules were published for only two places we read: dogs must be leashed at the Woods Canyon Lake Trailhead and on the Woods Canyon Meadow Trail. Ask the ranger district for the rest.
Sources
- USDA Forest Service: Apache-Sitgreaves hiking list
- USDA Forest Service: Apache-Sitgreaves maps and guides
- USDA Forest Service: Apache-Sitgreaves alerts and notices
- USDA Forest Service: Woods Canyon Lake Trailhead
- USDA Forest Service: Timber Mesa Trailhead
- Arizona State Parks: Fool Hollow trails (White Mountain Trail System figure)
- Town of Pinetop-Lakeside: Community profile
- City of Show Low: Trails
- Trail source: Pintail Wetlands Nature Trail #617
- Trail source: Buena Vista Trail #637
- Trail source: Ghost of the Coyote
- Trail source: Juniper Ridge Trail #640
- Trail source: Big Springs Environmental Study Area #610
- Trail source: Woodland Lake loop #654
- Trail source: Country Club Trail #632
- Trail source: Springs Trail #633
- Trail source: Timber Mesa Trail #636
- Trail source: Panorama Trail #635
- Trail source: Blue Ridge Trail #107
- Trail source: Los Burros Trail #631
- Trail source: Rim Lake Vista Trail #622
- Trail source: Meadow Trail at Woods Canyon Lake
- Trail source: Cottonwood Trail #508
- Trail source: Three Oaks Trail #613
- Trail source: Pole Knoll Recreation Area
- Trail source: Peninsula Petroglyph Trail
- Trail source: Escudilla National Recreation Trail #308
- Trail source: Terry Flat Trail #5
- Trail source: Aker Lake Trail #17
- Trail source: Clell Lee Loop #24
- Trail source: Steeple Trail #73
- Trail source: Black River Mainstream Trail #61
Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s Show Low. Cite this page: It’s Show Low (itsshowlow.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.