'Sassafras Pass', Ras El Ma, near the Gouraud Cedar, 'Rocky Flats' and back

'Sassafras Pass'

Because of the large sassafras tree near the top, I call this "Sassafras Pass." When approached from Arz Village, it makes a great, unpaved, short-cut to Ras El Ma. This photo is looking SE towards Ras El Ma.

The un-paved fork before the Gouraud Cedar

Be sure to take to the (un-paved) left fork, a few hundred meters before the Cedar Gouraud.

This trail is almost invisible in places.

Fish Hatchery

Make sure to take the road through the Fish Hatchery.

Don't miss this left, at the top of a short climb.

Take the left fork. There's a herder village and red-tile roofed wellhouse off to the left a few hundred meters further along

This well house is to the west of the track

There are quite a few woven tracks here. Stay east of the herder village and wellhouse, heading north into the flats.

The route marked here is approximate!

The track is sometimes, braided, and my route marking is approximate. It can often get quite rocky in these flats.

This road dead ends in a herder village.

Past this herder village (with many dogs) and isolated wellhouse, all tracks and trails vanish.

isolated wellhouse

Nothing much here to see. Just an old wellhouse with a diesel pump and some water troughs. I could find no roads connecting this place to anywhere--it's a dead-end.

Often very muddy in winter!

This can be a three-season ride if it's a wet winter, because this road gets almost impassably muddy.

There's no real landmark where this indistinct trail meets the track.

Arz Village

Riding on the Ifrane-Azrou highway is unpleasant and often dangerous. I try to avoid it when possible by taking this short-cut through the Arz Village.

The Annex

AUI Faculty Housing.