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.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Archives
April 2023
|