Goldfield Fever

The Goldfield Mountains, while across the street from the Superstition Wilderness, is an entirely different area and one I had not previously visited.  I parked at the Bulldog parking lot off Apache Trail at mile 204.  I was unable to down load a route from "Hikeaz", the premier source for hiking routes in Arizona.  So.....

…..I just headed on a trail, no map, no idea of the area.  Reaching a ridge, I looked back and could see from where I came.  Beautiful.  I had walked by a couple of trail forks and just stayed on the one most heavily trafficked. 

The trail wound around beautiful rock formations and I met two hikers coming the other way.  I asked them for route options and one of them grabbed a stick and began tracing a route in the dirt.  Turn here, look for a water tank there, don't miss a trail that forks out of a wash, etc...  I was skeptical I could find all that they described but the first landmark.....

...was obvious.  A series of pools, the look for the "tin man"....

…..and I found it although the point at which I took the image did not maximize why the grey rock formation was known as the tin man.  It was the color and the shape that gave it its name.

A funny thing happened.  I kept finding and remembering the route description as traced in the dirt.  I emerged around a rock formation and saw bright green moss growing on the north side.

Flowers are beginning to bloom and always....

….watch not to brush against plants that had a cactus growing on the inside.

After 6 miles, I found the original trail at which I entered the Goldfields, moved aside to allow a couple of horses to pass and hopped into my car.  Fun area and there are many arches that I'll find on future hikes.