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I've done a few hikes from the AZ88 milepost 204 trailhead, but can't figure out the names of some of the trails I've hiked. There is what I consider the main trail which starts from the wash below the parking lot and is closed to ORVs. It is about three miles long and ends in a wash. There are some trails which branch off as well - one at about mile 1.3 to the south and one at mile 1.8 to the northwest. Anyone know of names for these trails?

I don't know if any have official names (or were built or maintained by the FS). Tenney has a book that a lot of people use.

Some names used on HAZ can be found on this map: [ Area Completed Map: Goldfield Mountains - Trails ]

@chumley
I'm probably a bit dense, but neither has been helpful. It's just that when my wife wants to know where I'm hiking, it's nice to put a name on a trail rather than "on some trail in the Willow Spring area".

Based on maps from the managing agency, Tonto National Forest, the Goldfields are not an area with designated trails.

@joebartels
I kinda figured that due to a lack of signage, etc. I was hoping to find some common local names applied to the various trails. Also, while I have you on the line, I am unable to find "Golden Dome" when I search locations. I stumbled across the Golden Dome Loop as an alternative route to something a while back and downloaded the track and hiked the route, but now I cannot find it again on the site.

@Mr_Squishy
Since there are tons of trails in the Goldfields going every which way, and none ever specifically sanctioned or 'officially' named, Willow Springs Canyon area is probably as good as it gets.
If you are following the main wash or where it leaves the wash to go to Bagley Tank, 'along Forest Road 12' would be known by all the appropriate agencies... Forest Service, Maricopa County Sheriff, SAR.

While cell service obviously isn't everywhere in the Goldfields, you have a reasonable chance for a signal along most of the hills/ridges in that area.

My experience with cell service in the Goldfields? Wouldn't you know it, almost every time my phone was NOT in airplane mode my hike was spoiled by a spam call or text. Yup, even the nth appointment reminders from the VA or dentist, etc. were unwelcome.

@Mr_Squishy
You won't find 'Golden Dome' because is NOT an official name, just what many of the long-time locals have named it.
Although it may be referred to as 'Peak 3220' even the 3220 elevation is not shown on most maps.
Here's the location of Golden Dome: 33.5284 -111.5241

Another example is 'Panorama Peak'... "the best 'Panorama' in the Goldfields" doesn't have an elevation either.

CannondaleKid wrote:Willow Springs Canyon area is probably as good as it gets

this

also check out some exploratory gps tracks from @hikerdw, @dixieflyer, @cannondalekid, @azlot69
post a route and a triplog when you're done, to contribute to the database
part of the fun of the goldfields is that it's not officially mapped

How about you just give your wife a link to the gps track you're following so she can send it to SAR when you don't come home on time? It doesn’t have to have names. It’s probably the most helpful info you could share.

chumley wrote:How about you just give your wife a link to the gps track you're following so she can send it to SAR when you don't come home on time? It doesn’t have to have names. It’s probably the most helpful info you could share.
3 likes like it

Actually I do that already. She just likes for trails to have names which can help local SAR groups not have to depend on just a GPS track.

Mr_Squishy wrote: ↑Nov 26 2019 12:47 pm Actually I do that already. She just likes for trails to have names which can help local SAR groups not have to depend on just a GPS track.

If the names aren't known, why would SAR know what the names are?

@rcorfman
You seem to be missing my point; I am simply asking if there are informal or common names for the trails that don't appear on maps. I live in Kodiak, Alaska, and almost all of our trails are social trails that have developed over time and do not appear on topo maps, etc. However, they all have names known locally to hikers and our SAR group, of which I am a member. So, if someone says they were heading out on the Heitman Trail even though it's not on the map, we would know where the trail begins, etc. It's not that hard of a concept - trails that are not named on maps often have names known to local users.

@chumley
As a longtime SAR person, I know that a known local name for a trail that does not appear on a map can simplify things for SAR searches as opposed to having to having only a gpx track to follow. As I explained earlier, I live in an area where there are numerous social trails that all have local names and do not appear on topos. I had hoped the same might be true for the network of trails near the MP 204 trailhead. It's not that hard of a concept - trails that are not named on maps often have names known to local users.

The Trailforks app has some names on the trails, I'd guess this is what the MTB community calls them. They look like mountain bike trail names for sure:

The main trail out of the wash says "Willow Springs Trail Access".
The continuation of that trail to Cottonwood Wash and back to the Willow Canyon road is labeled "Slice O' Heaven".
The trail from the road down past the tank, and all the way to the south (the easternmost north/south trail) is labeled "Willow Springs Tank Trail".
The loop that goes by the arch a couple miles from Willow Springs access is labeled "Anniversary Arch Loop".
They have another one in that area labeled "Over the Hill and Down the Hatch".
The big loop that starts in Cottonwood Wash and goes a mile or two west before returning further up north in the wash is labeled "Horse With No Name".

They have a ton of trails mapped south of FR1356 as well.