To begin this ride, make your way to Schultz Tank on Schultz Pass Road, about 20 minutes from downtown Flagstaff. There are no restrooms or facilities available, so plan accordingly before you leave. The parking area can host dozens of cars and has enough space for larger vehicles, campers, or even small trailers to accommodate equestrian users. The drive there is mostly gravel once you are within the national forest, but it's well-maintained and suitable for most passenger vehicles.

According to this source, the nearby peak was named after John Elden, "an early settler who arrived in the area in 1875," just prior to the founding of Flagstaff. "In 1887, his son was shot and killed, apparently as part of a dispute over the use of water at a nearby spring," of which Elden Spring was named in his honor. His son's gravesite is not far from the spring, though the family ultimately relocated to California following the incident. For residents and visitors of Flagstaff, the namesake trail is now one of the most popular rides in the region.