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If anybody likes Indian ruins - I live in New River about 1/2 mile from the Tonto Nat'l Forrest. (Circle Mtn. Rd. and 18th st. There is an 'official' entrance at the end of 20th st.) There is a tall peak straight back from here, about 1.5 -2.0 miles. I just bushwack the whole way. You go accross several washes. It's a pretty easy hike, except for the climb up the peak. I went up the south side. At the top are some remains of Indian ruins. Kinda cool. You're not likely to meet anybody out there, either, so it's a pretty quite hike as well.

I posted some pics here:
http://www.shadowlakes.com/Tonto/

KH, nice find there, and close to the house too. I'd like to come out sometime and check that out. The size of the area is just amazing from the photos.

GTG
The boy from Rocket City USA

I'd like to see that too.

Welcome to HAZ, KH.
I've always wanted to check out those ruins, too. You'll find a small write-up about them in the book "Discover Arizona" by Rick Harris. In the book they're referred to as the "Goodson Ruin".

Yeah, very cool - thanks for sharing

If anybody wants to get there, you can enter off of the end of 20th st north of circle mtn road. There is an old gate that goes into the forrest. The peak is pretty much straight ahead. While there are some forrest service roads in the area, the easist way to get there is just 'straight ahead'. You'll go through a couple cholla forrests, so if you bring dogs, booties can be helpful.

If anyone wants more detailed info, you can send me a PM.

In response to KH's reply:
Hi KH,

Thanks for the info about the New river Indian ruins. I'd love to see the one you mentioned, and I'll try to get up there as soon as the the rains have stopped. I have also heard about a ruin in the "Fig springs" area near your site, and others somewhere on top of New River Mesa. I'd like to try to find those also. I couldn't access your pictures on the web site that you listed.

Regards, Dennis

deaglestone@nextstudent.com

I don't have my copy with me right now to verify, but I am pretty sure the book Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen describes a few hikes in the New River area- as well as some others close to the valley, including Black Mesa and Perry Tank. Don't know 100% for sure, but the book is certainly worth picking up!


Mike

Some very close friends of mine just moved to New River and we're planning two hikes up there this fall.......one to some of the ruins (near their house) and the other is just going to be an off-trail adventure near Table Top Mesa.

Anyone interested just PM or email me and I'll be sure to keep you in the loop.

:mrgreen:

Trishness wrote: Anyone interested just PM or email me and I'll be sure to keep you in the loop.

:mrgreen:

You already know Im in on this one, so we maybe we can pick some dates when I see you.

KH wrote:I just bushwack the whole way. You go accross several washes. It's a pretty easy hike, except for the climb up the peak.

What's up with THAT, Karl, the KIA wouldn't make it ??

I am reviving this thread because it is adding to my confusion. I thought I remembered researching the New River Mesa Indian Ruins starting where the red hike marker is in this link: http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=1696. The track as I remembered it headed due south zig-zagging it's way up New River Mesa, I am pretty sure I corroborated it on an online posting of Dave Wilson's "Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen". But the route plotted here goes to a small mountain just west of the mesa which this thread seems to possibly indicate is the "Goodson Ruins". I can't seem to get access to the book again but maybe someone else has access.

That ruins book should be available at most outdoor stores, you could just look at it there. I have a copy, but it's 3,012.5 miles from where I am right now, (according to Google Maps function "distance between any two points on earth.") That is a nifty book, but it may bring too many people to some very fragile ruins, and people who don't understand that you are not supposed to collect pottery shards, etc, or they don't care. I used the book to get to one in New Mexico.

WilliamnWendi wrote:........ I am pretty sure I corroborated it on an online posting of Dave Wilson's "Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen". But the route plotted here goes to a small mountain just west of the mesa which this thread seems to possibly indicate is the "Goodson Ruins". I can't seem to get access to the book again but maybe someone else has access.

Starting at page 20....
http://books.google.com/books?id=QS0RY0 ... &q&f=false

Interesting read. Thanks for posting.

@hikeaz
Thanks! I am so glad I decided to go back over the details before attempting my Ruin site from Spur Cross via Black Mesa experiment. I guess I made some presumptions with it's "New River" nomination, the placement of the "Hike" marker and the mountains elevation being a little off. It looks like Dave Wilson made a typo because the topos have the elevation at 2391 and his book has it at 3291. Thanks for the link, Wendi would have left me if we went through all that and didn't see any ruins.

Oh, and thanks Oregon Hiker for helping to set me straight, too.