Cactus to Pines 2024

FRIDAY, APRIL 26. 2024

Event Sponsors

Location

  • Apache Junction Rodeo Grounds

1590 E Lost Dutchman Blvd Apache Junction, AZ 85119

Event Details

This year, Adventus Rentals is providing the offroad (UTV) fleet and guided tours from AJ to Forest Lakes. This is an all inclusive event, finally accessible to friends and families with or without a vehicle. More importantly, our guests will have the option to choose between our rugged off-road route or more scenic on-road tour along the Beeline HWY.
 
Our mission is to honor our Veterans while providing trail and vehicle education through a safe, fun and interactive environment perfect for all skill levels. We encourage you to invite your friends and families that could benefit from our cause on an unforgettable adventure.

This event has no actual card stops, the prizes will be awarded at the final stop in Forest Lakes in the lot next to the Forest Lakes Lodge on HWY 260.
You are welcome to travel with the four groups the entire trip or you can continue on your own at your own pace. This means after the initial start at the rodeo grounds you do not have to continue and stop with the groups if you wish not. You can go on by yourself or with others that are with you.
We have moved the registrations and start times up to help beat the desert heat. The gate to the rodeo grounds will be opened at 1pm on Thursday if you are dropping a truck and trailer please park throught the gate north of the restrooms. Friday Morning the gate will open at 4:30AM. The AJ parks department will open and close the grounds daily.

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION START TIMES NOTES

Due to excessive heat we are starting registration at 5:00am and plan to have all groups on their way by 6:15 am. There is more info below in the 4 ride classifications.

The person who paid and registered your group online is the person who will sign in for your group and get your T shirts, wristbands for the ride, lunch, dinner and the card draw in Forest Lakes. This will eliminate any confusion and delay at sign in as not everyone that is signed up used individual names.

OUR 4 RIDE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE

Group 1 – Fast & Furious – (This group is for the Modified SXS’s with EXPERT speed and agility skills) All Fast & Furious should be on their way by 6:15AM.

Group 2 -The NASHTY NATION – Skill level ADVANCED/MODERATE Immediatly follows group 1 by 6:20

Group 3 – No Hurries No Worries – Skill Levels All – Begginer to expert, This group has 5 ten minute stops + Lunch and Antlers pit stop in Young. Departs immediatly after group 2 by 6:25

Group 4 – The Jeep Peeps & 4wd crew. Follows group 3 by 6:30
JUST LINE UP WITH THE GROUP YOU WISH TO START WITH WE WILL BE 2 WIDE FOR EACH GROUP

LAST DEPARTURE

6:30 AM sharp. If you are not here by 6:30am, unfortunately we cannot wait for you. The registration table will close @ 6am.

SIGN IN & TRUCK AND TRAILER APACHE JUNCTION DROP OFF AREA:

Apache Junction Rodeo Grounds

1590 E Lost Dutchman Blvd

Apache Junction AZ 85129

BULLDOG PERMIT

Please make sure each vehicle has a Tonto Bulldog Pass https://www.recreation.gov/vehiclepermits/3332401

Access Point: Wolverine. PLEASE NOTE: Travel time from Apache Junction Rodeo Grounds to the Wolverine pass gate is less than 5 minutes.

PATRIOTISM

Please fly an American Flag on your unit, if possible. You can have more than one if you’d like. We would like this to be a great show of patriotism as this group rolls through the desert and mountains.

SAFETY

  1. First and foremost; if you do not feel well or have a temperature please stay home!
  2. We need to continue the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines while on the ride and at all stops.
  3. Please make sure you wear your mask (It will also help with the dust).
  4. Wear sunscreen, it will be sunny and warm.
  5. Dress in layers will be cool in the am, warm/hot during the day and possible freezing temperatures at night. It snowed this past weekend in Forest Lakes. In Forest Lakes expect overnight low 40’s daytime high 72.
  6. Hydrate. It is recommended that you drink plenty of water on Thursday and continue into Friday.
  7. Alcohol consumption – Please don’t drink and drive. Remember, we will be traveling on paved roads and highways, not just the dirt roads where AZGFD OHV enforcement patrol.

MEALS

Lunch will be provided in Tonto Basin across the street from our fueling station, we are grateful to Traeger for making our pulled pork sandwiches, you are responsible for your beverage.
THANK YOU TRAEGER ONCE AGAIN FOR PROVIDING LUNCH SERVICE!!!!

Dinner on Friday night is provided for the Cactus to Pines event, you are responsible for your own drinks. The location is on the east side of the Forest Lakes Lodge 2823 HWY 260 Forest Lakes.

We have your lunch and dinner on Friday and Saturday’s lunch if you are joining us for the cornhole tournament. You are responsible the rest of your meals during your stay. The food Truck on Saturday will be in the same location as the Friday evening dinner from 9am to 4pm.
Participants must have their wristband to collect their meals and poker hand.
Unfortunately the New 260 Roadhouse bar and grill & Rim Resort Cafe will NOT be open

THINGS TO BRING: Fire Extinguisher – Fire danger is very high
– Lawn Chair – especially for dinner and the cornhole tournament on Saturday.
– Warm clothing – It can typically drop into the 30’s to 40’s in the evening and it snowed this past week.
– Spare tire, tow strap, extra fuel if you get poor mileage.

– Two-way radios if you have them. *Channel 7 will be the PPO main channel*

FUEL STOP TONTO BASIN

There are only 3 fuel islands so 6 can pump at one time. Do not leave your vehicle at the pump and go into the store. Fuel up and move your ride out of the way. We have lots of vehicles that need fuel, plus this store gets lots of business from others going to the lake.
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Pull in get your fuel and then come get your lunch, if there is a big line at the pumps come get your lunch as lunch will be served from 9am to 12pm.

The average UTV fuel consumption from AJ to Tonto Basin is 4-6 gallons) If you get bad mileage or you always have your foot in it, you might consider packing some fuel.

SATURDAY CORNHOLE

2282 Daisy Trail, Forest Lakes AZ 85931

Saturday we will have two cornhole tournaments: Team tournament warmup 10am and 11am start – player lunch burger served between 12pm and 1pm additional lunches for guest are available for a donation – Blind draw tournament registration-warmup 1pm and 2pm start – each tournament is $20 per person – payout for top 3 teams and Patriot Pines Outdoors. 50% goes to the foundation and the other 50% is split between the top 3 teams. Registration will open Friday Morning @ Registration & again Friday night at the dinner event for both the team and individual tournaments.

CAMPING-VRBO- HOTEL- FOOD- FUEL

Forest Lakes is surrounded by national forest and lots of great camping spots. People plan on camping off the FS 179, the FS 170, FS 237 at the power-lines before you get to Forest Lakes.
Canyon Point campground just before Forest Lakes opens April 29th and they have showers for a small fee.
MEALS unfortunately the 2 places for hot meals in Forest Lakes are closed, the new 260 Roadhouse and the Rim Resort “Cafe” are not open yet for 2023.

Stores – We do have two places of convenience goods, the General Store on 260 and Sheep Springs Rd and also the Rim Resort store with Fuel on 260 heading towards Heber.

IN CASE OF BREAK DOWN

With a ride of this size, if your unit breaks down, we will do what we can to help, but we cannot stop the ride.
We have a couple options in this case:
1. If your unit is towable, someone will strap and tow you to the next possible spot where you can arrange for someone to come get you with a trailer.
2. If your unit is not towable you can leave your unit and hitch a ride with someone else to the next area where you can get someone to help.
3. If you have more than one unit with you on the ride, you can drop out of the main group and work on it.
Again, as much as we would love to help, we have to stay on schedule to make sure we get to Forest Lakes before 6pm for our dinner, poker draw and music entertainment.

THE RIDE

This is not a race! We recommend everyone drive as safely as possible and obey all laws. It’s ok to stop and enjoy the beauty that Arizona has to offer. For those who have not attended before, this is some of the most beautiful scenery in Arizona.

POKER HANDS

We run the “poker ride” a little differently than others. Our poker hands will be drawn at the final stop during dinner in Forest Lakes. This allows people to stop where they want and helps eliminate congestion at the card stops.
We have some great prizes. Again, participants must have their wristbands to collect their poker hands.

Additional Raffle Tickets can be purchased for family and friends at the dinner event.

MAP OF THE ROUTE

REGISTRATION IS @ APACHE JUNCTION RODEO GROUNDS 1590 E LOST DUTCHMAN APACHE JUNCTION 85219

Bulldog Map

Canyon OHV

Enter from Wolverine Pass Gate

Everyone will exit Bulldog OHV at the Blue Point Gate then take a right and head past Butcher Jones to Pobrecito OHV entrance.

Exit Bulldog OHV area river gate, take right on Bush Highway just past Butcher Jones to the Pobrecito OHV entrance.

Once in Pobrecito OHV take the FS 13 over to the FS 1343. When you get to the FS 143 take a right on the Four Peaks Rd. and go all the way over Four Peaks.

When you get to State Route 188 take a left, when you arrive at Tonto Basin ACE-IGA gas station get your fuel and then lunch is served across the street.
LUNCH – Enter the empty storage yard from one street to the south, the gate will be open @ 216 East Canterbury. If there is a line at the fuel station please come get your lunch as it will be served from 9am-11:30am, you can get lunch then go back and get fuel or the other way around if there is a long line at the pumps.

TONTO BASIN TO YOUNG AZ

Leaving lunch and fuel station head north towards Payson.

Take a right turn @ pumkincenter as the Old State Route 188 is currently closed for construction, just past the Pumkin center bar take a left on Greenback Valley RD (FS 71).

This route has 2 options:

Route 1 (Easy route) take the FS 71 Rd to the FS 609 RD to the State Route 288 (Dirt) take a left and continue into Young AZ . Continue north through Young to State Route 260, take right and in a few minutes you will arrive in Forest Lakes.

Route 2 (Greenbacks and Dupont Cabin) This is the route our groups will take. Continue past the FS 609 Rd turn off and stay on FS 71 take a left on FR 236, if you get to a ranch you went too far. Take the left on FR 236 and before too long you will come to a gate, go through it and before you know it you will be at another gate. Now you are starting to climb the switchbacks and take a break and enjoy this view. After the switchbacks your next stop will be Dupont cabin.(feel free to leave a can of food) you will see what I’m talking about when you go in the cabin. Continue on past Dupont cabin and soon you will meet up with the FS 609 Rd take a right and continue on the FS 609 to State Route 288 (Dirt) take a left turn and soon you will be in Young AZ.

Continue north through Young to State Route 260, take right and in a few minutes you will arrive in Forest Lakes.

YOUNG AZ

NEW SPONSOR ANTLERS CAFE & BAR:This is a great establishment(CASH ONLY) with awesome decor, they have a big bar and patio area setup for for C2P riders and their restrooms at Antlers are the cleanest on the mountain. They are having specials for our C2P riders and you can reserve your brunch for the ride back on Sunday.

You get a special raffle ticket when you stop in, they will give that prize away at our dinner event. This establishment is on the left before the curve in Young on the left side of the road, a true AZ scratch kitchen. There are fuel pumps as you are leaving Young on the left side of the road if you need more fuel.

FINAL STOP CHECK IN

Our last stop with dinner is at 6pm to 9pm @ Forest Lakes Lodge Forest Lakes 85931. If you arrive at Forest Lakes prior to that time please use that time to get cleaned up for dinner at your camp, VRBO, hotel or friends place. Please do not arrive at the final stop before 5:30pm, if you do you will be put to work…….Parking

GOOD NEIGHBOR POLICY

Please be respectful of the Forest Lakes Community. They are great partners with Patriot Pines Outdoors and they mean the world to us!

Please watch your speed, we suggest 15mph in the neighborhood to decrease the amount of dust. Dust from our roads is a big problem in Forest Lakes.

Please No Loud Music.