Monsoon's Over. Your Favorite Trail Didn't Get the Memo.

Every year around this time, the same thing happens. The storms back off, the temps finally drop below triple digits, and the whole crew starts itching to get back out. Then you roll up to a trail you've run a dozen times and it looks like somebody rearranged the furniture.

Welcome to post-monsoon wheeling in Southern Arizona. It's the best time of year to be out here, as long as you respect what the summer left behind.

What the Monsoon Does to Our Trails

Monsoon season officially runs June 15 through September 30, and a single afternoon storm can dump enough water to completely reshape a wash. By fall, you can expect:

• Fresh washouts and ruts. Redington Pass already has deep ruts and wash crossings on a good day, and the storms only make them deeper.

• New ledges and rock gardens. Water scours dirt away and exposes rock. Italian Trap Road northeast of Tucson already throws rocky ledges and a tricky rocky descent at you, and after a wet summer those lines can look completely different.

• Sand and silt in the washes. Rosemont Trail runs mostly through dry washes, and that's exactly the kind of route where storms pile up soft sand that can swallow a rig that's aired up too high.

• Mud where there wasn't any. East Cochie Spring Trail off East Edwin Road is known for tight spots and mud holes after rain.

• Overgrown brush. Mesquite and cat's claw grow like crazy after the rains, and they will pinstripe your paint.

The takeaway is simple. Don't drive a trail from memory. Drive what's in front of you.

Post-Monsoon Rig Check

Summer in Southern Arizona is brutal on a rig even if it sat in the driveway. Before your first big fall run, give it a once-over:

• Diff and transfer case fluid. If you crossed any water this summer, pull the fill plugs. Milky fluid means water got in, and it needs to be changed before it eats your gears.

• Air filter. Dust season doesn't care what month it is. Check it and knock it out or replace it.

• Breathers. Make sure your axle and transmission breathers are clear and extended high enough.

• Tires. Triple-digit heat is hard on rubber. Look for cracking, cuts and weathering, and check your beadlocks.

• Cooling system. Hoses and belts take a beating all summer. Better to find a soft hose in the driveway than on the trail.

• Recovery gear. Straps and soft shackles that baked in a hot rig all summer deserve a close look.

Storm Season Isn't Totally Done

Just because the calendar says monsoon is over doesn't mean the rain got the memo either. Early fall can still bring storms, especially when remnants of Pacific hurricanes push moisture up into Southern Arizona.

Water crossings are where this really matters. Charouleau Gap, one of the toughest runs around Tucson, crosses the Cañada del Oro Wash, which can run heavy after monsoon storms. The Ascent from Peppersauce Canyon in the Catalinas has stream crossings too. Scout every crossing before you commit.

If there's water running across a wash, wait it out. Flash floods move fast, carry debris, and it takes a lot less moving water than you'd think to float a vehicle, even a big one on 40s. Arizona also has what everyone calls the "Stupid Motorist Law." If you drive around barricades into a flooded wash and need rescuing, you can get billed for it. Nobody wants that story told around the campfire.

Tread Lightly, Stay on the Trail

When a trail gets washed out, it's tempting to go around the damage. Don't. Driving around washouts is how trails get wider, how new scars get made, and eventually how trails get closed. Pick a line through it, stack rocks if you need to, or turn around and come back with a better plan.

Also keep in mind that a lot of what we run around here crosses BLM, National Forest and State Trust land, and each has its own rules. East Edwin Road, for example, runs through State Trust land, and State Trust land requires a recreational permit, so make sure you've got one. Gas Line Road runs through Ironwood Forest National Monument, so stay on the route and respect the protected landscape.

Why Fall Is the Best Season Out Here

Honestly, this is what we wait all summer for. Cooler mornings, clear skies, green desert from the rains, and trails that feel brand new again. A few worth putting on the list this fall:

• Chiva Loop (Forest Road 4417). An easy, scenic Sonoran desert run out to Chiva Falls, and fall is the best time to go. Pair it with Park Tank Road to connect over to Italian Trap.

• Continental Copper Access. A long descent down the mountainside through saguaro forest. It's a great cruise for the whole family.

• Italian Trap Road. Rock gardens, ledges and ranch gates. It's a good step up if you want something with more bite.

• Charouleau Gap. The big one. It's rated difficult, with steep climbs, shelf roads and an off-camber ledge called The Step. Bring lockers, at least 33s, skid plates, a group, and a satellite communicator, because cell service out there is spotty.

So check your rig, drive what's in front of you, and leave the trail better than you found it.

See you out there. Adventure awaits.