Lime Kiln Trail No. 82

Lime Kiln Trail No. 82 is a 15.3-mile point-to-point walk from the USFS trailhead on Red Rock Loop Road, just north of Red Rock State Park’s gate, to Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood. It crosses high desert and follows part of the old wagon road that served the lime kiln along the route. Coconino National Forest estimates 5–8 hours one way and rates it strenuous. Arrange a pickup at the far end; walking back makes this roughly a 30-mile day. For a shorter sample of the same corridor, Deer Pass gives a 5-mile out-and-back to the creek.

This is a long crossing, not a climb to one summit. The route moves between dirt path and road-like track. The Forest Service divides it into about nine nonmotorized miles and six miles open to motorized use, so expect some shared sections. Deer Pass is a useful intermediate access; its trailhead has restrooms but no water. I found no food or reliable water stop along the through-route.

The surviving lime kiln is the route’s standout historic stop. Built in the mid-1880s, it burned limestone into lime mortar for the Willard and Strahan houses in Cottonwood. It was cut into a limestone ledge in the White Hills; about six feet of the kiln remains, though it once stood as high as 20 feet. The wagon road first carried lime to those building sites, then continued toward Oak Creek Road as the Lime Kiln Cut-Off, a favored shortcut before automobiles. The modern shared-use trail was completed in 2006. At the kiln, frame its dark opening inside the pale ledge so the built-in shape is clear.

There’s very little shade, and the Forest Service warns that summer heat builds along the route. No water source is identified along the through-hike. Leashed dogs are allowed on the Forest Service section, but pets aren’t allowed inside Red Rock State Park; this trail’s starting access is outside its gate. The official map marks the roadside trailhead, but I couldn’t verify a dedicated parking lot there. Confirm legal parking and your end pickup before setting out.