Four Peaks (Brown's Trail)

Directions: Take Highway 87 to Four Peaks Rd which is about 4.5 miles from Bush Highway. Keep on this road until you reach you reach Pigeon Springs Rd on your right. You will stay on this until the road ends at the trail head.

Dog Friendly: So-so but know your dog and know the weather. I didn't take mine because even though it was in the upper 70s, I knew this would be a tough hike for me and didn't want to pack that much water. These are popular trails and I'd keep them leashed. Besides other trail users, this is a rugged wilderness with predators that would love an easy snack.

The Peaks shrouded in clouds

This isn't really the type trail I'd normally include in by blog but it's an Arizona Icon. I have so may shots of the Goldfields or Superstitions with this mountain looming in the background. I've been up there a couple of times but only had one really short hike. It's an awesome place with plenty or trails and the views are stellar. On Brown's Trail you get alternating views of the Valley and Roosevelt Lake to the Sierra Anchas. It's all single trek through a variety of vegetation. The area suffered a wild fire a few years ago but there are still some of the original pines in some areas. At the end of the trail it becomes more difficult and you have to scramble over some rocks if you want to keep going.

If this trail doesn't interest you or don't really like hiking it's worth the drive. A two wheel drive with decent clearance can make it up from highway 87. If you want an easier road but a longer drive, take Highway 188 to El Oso Rd on the East side of Four Peaks.

The view looking toward the Valley

Richmond Basin, Another Arizona Ghost Town

Directions: From Mesa we traveled US 60 into Globe to turn North on Highway 188.  From there you're going to turn on Wheatfields Rd after about 4.5 miles. After another 1.8 miles turn right on North Hicks Rd. Travel about 2.4 miles and make a left hand turn onto FR 219. This traverses private property but the owner is allowing access at this time. There's some sign in scrapes of paper at the gate. After approximately 1.8 miles make a right onto Richmond Basin Rd which is FR220. You'll hit the ruins and mine after about 6.5 miles.

Dog Friendly: Normally I would never suggest taking dogs around mines but this area was fairly safe. I would still keep them leashed. There maybe water in the winter and spring but there was no water in July.

Richmond Basin was a small town established in 1890 to support the silver mine. I've seen information that the mine and town we're active until as late as 1930, there are many shafts in the area and based on tailings this was an extensively mined area. That said, this is an area where history has been almost completely sanitized for the sake of public safety.

Thank Goodness all the shafts had cages on them!

I worked for the Arizona State Mine Inspector as college intern in an abandoned mine safety program. I understand the danger that mines pose to the public but it's still sad to see the structures and mine workings that are a century old completely eliminated or barred off with doors, caps, foam, etc. Richmond Basin was made safe by placing futuristic space "cages" over the top of the mine opening. I've never seen anything like it. All the head frames are gone and really all that's left is the pile of debris from one of the old house, some rock walls and foundations.

Looking down in one of the shafts

Overall this trip was a major disappointment. Richmond Basin is almost an invisible ghost town but the landscape made the trip worthwhile, kind of.  There were some stellar views of Roosevelt Lake, Four Peaks and Globe-Miami. The FR 220 was in really good shape and a high clearance vehicle could probably make it. FR 219 is in wash and depending on the weather a 2wd could have trouble in deep sand or gravel. FR 220 is very narrow and really exposed in places, so if you have a fear of heights...don't look over the edge.

Magma Mine Building

I've been on Highway 60 through Queen Creek Canyon more times than I can count since I was kid. It's always been a fascinating place with the steep rock walls, hoodoos and remnants of the one of the most productive mining areas in the country. One thing in particular always caught my eye, high on top of a ridge right before the Queen Creek Tunnel. It was just an old metal building with what looked like an old head frame next to it. Still, for years I wondered what that building held and what the view was like from up there. The climb looked steep but no more steep than what I usually hike. I think part of it was I knew I'd hike up there and it would be an empty warehouse filled with graffiti and junk.

Yesterday, I got out of work early and decided it was day to get up that ridge. The hike up was easier than I expected, there was an old, weathered road that led to the top. The building itself was bigger than looked from below and it was not disappointing. Far from empty, it was filled with machinery from the mining boom that ran from the late 1800s to 1890. This building housed motors for either the aerial tram or the hoist house for Magma Mine. The machinery was excellent condition and the smell of grease permeated air. The structure that looked like a head frame was part of the tram or hoist system. It was impressive.

The road kept going to the west side of the ridge to another old building that may have been a transformer house and excellent views of the rest of the Magma Mine workings, such as the cooling tower and smelter. This property is now part of the Resolution Copper Mine.

Note: I did not give exact directions for this hike because there are dangers to being around mines and abandoned buildings. I also know this blog is for hikes that are dog friendly (this one is not) or mountain biking but I also have interest in Arizona mining history and the Superior/Oak Flat Area. I admire the hard work and ingenuity of the early miners. I still hate to think about losing Oak Flat to another copper mine.