Tweeds Point

Looking south from Tweeds Point. Hudson Point is in the near distance. Snap Point is behind it in the haze. Hidden Canyon and the Grand Wash Cliffs are below.

NPS - J. Axel

 

Tweeds Point (also known as Tweedie Point) sits on the rim of the northern Grand Wash Cliffs and provides a thrilling view across the Pakoon Basin over 2,000 feet below as well as the colorful Hidden Canyon and the Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness. Mt. Charleston, west of Las Vegas about 100 miles away, can be seen on clear days. It also provides a view north to the Pine Valley Mountains and Zion National Park.

Geologically, the Grand Wash Cliffs mark the boundary between the Basin and Range to the west and the Colorado Plateau to the east. As you stand on the rim looking down into the Pakoon Basin, you are looking at a valley on the move. Laser surveys have determined that the Pakoon Basin is widening by a centimeter every year. The rim itself is a geologic curiosity, made of erosion resistant Kaibab limestone. Fossil Permian creatures like sponges, bryozoans, shellfish, and crinoids can be seen in the rocks at Tweeds Point.

Most high clearance 4x4s should be able to reach Tweeds Point. The only exception is long wheelbase pickups. There is one wash crossing that is deep and short. Longer pickups may get hung up and risk ripping either their front or rear bumper off or get high centered entering or departing the wash.

Vehicle Recommendations:
• High Clearance Trucks or SUVs (long bed/crew cab pickups will have trouble)
• Four Wheel Drive
• Rugged All-Terrain Tires

Directions
From Interstate 15, take Exit 2 east onto the Southern Parkway (Hwy 7) toward the airport. Take Exit 3 (River Road) and turn south. Set your vehicle trip odometer to 0 where the pavement ends at the state line.

BLM Road 1069
You have now crossed into Arizona and are on BLM Road 1069. The road is well maintained gravel. For the first 4 miles you will be on Arizona State Trust Land. At mile 4.4 you will pass the BLM Arizona Strip sign. You are now on BLM land. BLM1069 winds its way up to Quail Hill Pass. At mile 20.6 you will reach the BLM1004 junction in Wolf Hole Valley. Turn right onto BLM1004.

 

Screenshot from the 2016 BLM Arizona Strip Visitor Map. BLM1616 to Tweeds Point and BLM1034F roads superimposed as the road lines do not have road numbers on the BLM map.

In about a tenth of a mile turn left on CR101. If it has rained hard, CR101 can be impassible in this area due to deep mud and clay. Travel 7 miles on CR101 until you reach BLM1032. Take BLM1032 9.3 miles to the intersection with BLM1034. Turn right and continue on BLM1032 for a short distance. You will see a turn to BLM1616 on west side of the road. BLM1616 is shown but not numbered on the 2016 BLM Arizona Strip Visitor Map. Take BLM1616 about a mile to a wash crossing. If your vehicle is able to get across the short but deep wash crossing, the rest of the road should present no problems. A short distance past the wash crossing BLM1616 splits into BLM1616 and 1616A. You can take either route as they meet at a wildlife water feature. At the wildlife water cachtment, BLM1616 climbs up the hill to Tweedie Point.

If you would like to explore Hidden Canyon and travel to Hudson Point, the next high country view along the Grand Wash Cliffs, return down BLM1616 to BLM1032. At this point you have two options. To reach upper Hidden Canyon more quickly, take BLM1034 southeast to reach BLM1003. However, you will miss some of the scenery of lower Hidden Canyon. Adventurous drivers prefer to take in more of the colorful scenery from the mouth of Hidden Canyon. Take BLM1032 west to BLM1033 and head south into Jump Canyon. BLM1033 descends under Tweeds Point and meets BLM1003 just above the switchbacks. Now turn east on BLM1003. This road can be challenging after monsoon storms with mutiple wash crossings that can have cut banks that may need to be smoothed off with a shovel.

See the Hudson Point Scenic Viewpoint Description for additional instructions.