I am not sure how many people use the Massey et al. print offroad guides but I thought I would post an update. I have completed 110 of his trails in AZ, UT, and CO (and 1 in California!), so I think I am familiar with the entire series.

The Massey guides for California, Arizona, and Colorado used to be available in two versions: a big, thick comprehensive book, and a series of smaller, regional guides. Nowadays, only the regional guides remain in print. The Utah and Nevada guides were always regional (unless I am missing something).

The guides are great as they focus on offroadiang as getting out and seeing things. They do not focus on offroading as "let's beat up on a truck." This means that there are plenty of dirt roads, many easy, quite a few moderate, and only a few difficult 4x4 trails per guide. There are zero very difficult or hardcore trails per guide.

So why this post?

1/ These guides are great but now OLD. The California ones seem to be up to 20 years old. The AZ and CO guides seem to be 13-15 yo. While they remain in print, there are no new editions. There are new reprints. While the reprints may seem somewhat recent (like 2014), the information is not (like 2006-7). This example is from the SW Colorado guide.

2a/ Dirt roads (trails rated 1-2 in the guides) and easy trails (rated 3) remain generally the same as described as they tend to be decently maintained with some regularity. However, some can be closed or altered.

3/ Moderate trails (4-5) and difficult trails (6-7) can change dramatically year-to-year and definitely so over a decade or more. There are many 4-5 Massey trails that would now be rated 6-7. On a rare occasion, you can find a 6 that has been graded to a 2, such as Edwards Peak near Phoenix. The exceptions are the few trails found in national parks and monuments as they are maintained to the same standard over time, so Elephant Hill or the White Rim Road can change seasonally but are then returned to the usual standard (7 and 4, respectively). Similarly, trails maintained by other entities, like Broken Arrow can be very consistent over time. Others are maintained once in a blue moon.

In sum, I love the Peter Massey guides and continue to use them. But they are no longer reliable guides. Just yesterday we found that one trail has been closed, the second was rerouted and not nearly as smooth as the guide suggests, and we never found the third. I am not sure if it was closed or the entry area completely altered.

I find it best to combine the Massey guides with the Charlie Wells guides, which are updated about every 5 years. The former have a lot more dirt roads and easy trails while the latter offer a lot better selection and much more reliable information about the moderate and difficult ones.

Here are some specific updates concerning the Massey Arizona guides, mostly from personal experience, but some via Charlie Wells' books and website.

Significant changes from description:

--O'Leary Peak Trail: both sections are permanently closed;
--Cinder Hills Loop Trail: while both the eastern and the western legs are open, the connection is not, so is no longer a single loop trail. Many legal alternatives within the OHV area.
--O'Leary Basin Trail: the short tilted shelf section can have nasty spots increasing the tilt to about 30 deg.
--Mingus Mountain Loop Trail: the leg that went into Jerome no longer connects to town; the Charlie Wells version of the trail is the only one now.
--Dry Creek Rd and Schnebly Hill: no longer suitable for Camries.
--Soldier Pass Rd: requires a permit, only 10 per day available.
--Home Tank Draw: not a 4 rated trail anymore, more like a 6. There was a fire in the area recently so not sure about its status.
--Mullican Canyon Trail: no longer a continuous trail. Private property in the middle. Both ends are accessible. Campsites on the northern end, mosquitoes on the southern end.
--Bighorn Pass Trail: very brushy. Most is mild but some is nasty.
--Mazatzal Wilderness Trail: paved! Except the far end.
--Edwards Park Trail: was graded to a 2-rated dirt road when we were there in 2014. No idea what it is now.
--Butterfield Pass Trail: indefinitely closed.
--Red Mountain Trail: per Wells, this has become a pretty hard trail.
--Coke Ovens: closed.
--Telegraph Canyon: I read about access issues that can make for a nasty surprise if coming from the south. Haven't been there.

Your analysis is pretty accurate, I think. For reasonably up-to-date info, I think the online resources like TrailsOffroad.com and Traildamage.com are better, although Traildamage can be pretty outdated as well.

In general, here in Colorado I'm seeing the moderate trails getting tougher as erosion continues to take its toll and the Forest Service has essentially zero money (or desire) to do any repairs. Once a trail gets closed due to severe erosion or an avalanche, it's pretty much gone forever. The exception is in SW Colorado in the Ouray/Silverton/Telluride area. Backcountry driving is an essential part of their economy so they jump right on the road repairs.

I still like the Massey and Wells books for winter reading and dreaming by the fire. I then go online when I'm actually planning a trip.