December 23, 2016 - Picketpost South, a section of the Arizona Trail

Hike Description from Peter's notes from prior hikes

The hike starts from the east side of the parking area to the left of the large Arizona Trail sign. This trail climbs to the east towards the base of Picketpost Mountain and then heads in a southerly direction and winds around the top of numerous draws before dropping down into a wash. We reach this point after a one hour hike.

There is another route to get to this point. By going directly south from the large Arizona Trail sign and following first the jeep road and then when that ends, into the wash. You can walk the wash until the higher trail descends and parallels the wash, after about a half hour of hiking. At this point leave the wash and use the trail. The wash segment is not as scenic as the higher trail and is harder to walk. You can go out one way and back another to add some variety to the hike.

The trail climbs again steadily and crosses or goes around a series of low hills and heads toward a higher hill to the south. You come to the summit of the climb after about another hour of hiking. The trail crosses the face of the high hill and then goes up a draw between two more high hills and into a canyon area where three canyons meet. This is a very scenic stretch of trail and there is a natural lookout point on a portion of the trail that juts out over the canyons, before going around the canyon area. We stopped here, although the trail continues on. You return by the same route. We took the wash section up but returned via the higher trail, staying on the trail where the wash and the trail meet.

Interesting History in the area we hike in. See the website below.

http://www.zybtarizona.com/suhist.htm

  

  

 

  

  

Directions

From Florence go north to the junction with Hwy 60.  Go right on Highway 60 toward Superior for  9 miles to milepost 221.5 and turn right at the brown Picketpost Trailhead sign onto FS Road 231.  Drive  .4 miles and then turn left at the brown sign onto FS Road 310. Proceed for .6 miles into the parking area.

Coordinates: 33°16’21.63”N   111°10’37.21”W

Facilities:  Pit toilets, ample parking.

December 16, 2016 - Go John/Overton trails, Cave Creek Regional Park

   

Cancelled due to Weather conditions  😞

Go John Loop

Go to website below for pictures and map of Go John/Overton Trail

https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/845918

Directions to the park for another day:

Go John/Overton trails,  Cave Creek Regional Park

Take I-10 north. In 33 mi. take exit 161, 202 loop east, then 4.1 mi. to exit 50A 101 north. Continue north for  27.3 mi. to exit 34, Scottsdale Rd. Continue north on Scottsdale Rd. 9.8 mi, then go left onto Carefree Highway.  Follow this Hwy 4.9 mi. to 32nd street and turn right. Proceed on this road to the Cave Creek Regional Park entrance and pay the $6.00 per vehicle entrance fee. Proceed to the visitor’s center and park in the SW corner of the lot. We start the hike from the back of the visitor’s center.      74 miles.

Longer hike:  Go John & Overton trails loop,  C+,  6.1 mi.

Short hike:  Shortcut Go John & Overton trails lollypop loop,   C-,  5 mi.

December 9, 2016 - Wishbone Trail Hike, Goldfield Mountains

Wishbone Trail Hike, Goldfield Mountain December 9, 2016

The Bulldog Canyon off-highway area is found off Apache Trail just east of the Goldfield Mine and the signs to the riding stables. The Willow Canyon Trailhead starts on a rocky trail that winds down into a wide wash where we turn left. We walk along the wash until we see a signpost just up a bank to the right; here we turn right onto a trail where land reclamation is taking place. Branches to cover newly planted trees line this trail along with jugs of water left under trees to provide water. This trail meets a road where we walk for a short time before turning down into a rocky path that leads to a gate on a saddle area called Prevention Gap. From the gate, the trail turns into a very smooth path of Slickrock leading down to the creek bed. There we found water in little pools and an area called the tanks (water lying in elongated rock formations).

The long hiking group veered to left onto Cottonwood Springs Loop that leads us over up and over smooth rock trails and down into a wash by following a narrow and winding rocky path. A sandy horse path links these narrow rocky downward trails that finally lead to a wash with flat smooth rock and sand. The path is a nice leisurely walk down the wash until the trail ends for this group at a large mountain cliff. We turned back on the same trail where there are views of Weaver's Needle. We met two horseback riders from the stables that are accessed off Apache trail, past Goldfield Mine. After stopping for lunch on a viewpoint we returned to Prevention Gap, which is 1 mile from the trailhead. The hike was 6.6 miles in total.

The short hiking group hiked a portion of Wishbone Junction Loop. The hike started the same as the long hike until the Tank then hiked the Wishbone Junction trail until they turned back and on the same trail. This hike also had views of Weaver’s Needle.

  

 

 

 Pictures from the Short Hike

 

 

 Pictures from the Long Hike

                                  

 

   

   

      

                                                                                                                    

   

  

Wishbone Trail, Goldfield Mts.

 From the Jct. of Hunt Hwy. & Hwy 79 N. of Florence go north on Hwy79 13 mi. to Hwy 60, Turn left on Highway 60 and go three miles past King’s Ranch. Just past Mountain View road bear right on E Old West Hwy. Turn right at the stop sign, then bear left continuing on Old West Hwy. to the first traffic light on Tomahawk. Turn right going northward, past two stop signs, until you come to the junction of Hwy 88. Turn right. Proceed to the Museum for a potty stop. Then east about 10 miles on Hwy 88 to the trailhead on the left. (across the road from the “25 MPH” sign)  

 33°30’03.88N   111º27’45.90”W