Golden Eye Mine Trail, AZ

History
Set the mood as you take this adventure on the Golden Eye Mine Trail named after the mining claim you are crossing. Ian Fleming, a British journalist, had an estate in Jamaica he called Goldeneye. Goldeneye is where Fleming created the fictional character James Bond in 1952. Golden Eye, the movie was the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series and was named after Flemings Jamaican estate. Does any of this have anything to do with the naming of this mine? Perhaps it's just coincidence, but the history of the area and eery landscape along this trail beg for answers, and it is an ideal setting for mystery and intrigue.


Overview
The trailhead can be accessed by either the Javelina Mine Trail or the Gold Eagles Nugget Trail. Golden Eye offers excellent panoramic views of surrounding buttes and remote canyons, many of which are unnamed, stimulating thoughts of future adventures while acting as a connector trail to longer loops and outings in the Goldfields.Hike
The trail follows the hill's contour on your right thru an area of mature plants and unspoiled desert. As you round the bend, distant views are plentiful. Soon the left side of the monolith Golden Eye comes into view ahead. I'm calling the monolith Golden Eye also because it is part of the Golden Eye claim. Watch for mining claim markers. The trail crosses right at the saddle, then starts down, crossing to the monolith's right side. The trail now levels off following the contours of the monolith on your left. There is a beautiful canyon off to the right, but it looks to be chocked with vegetation. Look high up left on the monolith occasionally and watch for the golden arches. I am naming them Golden Eye Arches. The trail serpentines thru a deep wash and continues through varied terrain with assorted quartz and crystal rock samples. The trail ends at an old jeep road. This is the Willow Springs Tank Trail.

2009-12-05 AZLOT69