| |
| Kentucky Camp to Fish Canyon, AZ | | -
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
| | Kentucky Camp to Fish Canyon, AZ | | | |
|
|
Kentucky Camp to Fish Canyon, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 5.00 Miles |
|
| | Hiking | 5.00 Miles | 3 Hrs | | 1.67 mph |
| | | |
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
[ show ]
| partners | | As the second part of our day trip to the Tucson area began, we followed Randy and Paul through some wandering gravel roads that passed through rolling grassy hills that appeared to be more like Wyoming than Arizona. The road went around several muddy stretches and remote camp grounds until we finally ended up at a closed gate somewhere along the AZT. I gotta give a big shout out to Shawn (sredfield) and the crews that installed the gates along the AZT.... that's some quality work out here in the middle of nowhere 
Kentucky Camp is a restoration project still in progress. The old mine buildings are being restored to look as they did when the area was alive with gold miners seeking their fortunes. It's impressive to tour the old adobe office building, walking down the wooden plank floors and peering into the rooms that have been fitted with furniture of the period and some pieces of gold processing equipment that has been restored. Outside the old Assay office is what appeared to be an old civil War cannon, but in reality is a high pressure water monitor used for hydraulic mining.
I would never have believed that hydraulic mining ever took place in a place as dry as Arizona, but the evidence was all around us. We hiked away from the office area into the canyons where the hydraulic mining had taken place. The hill sides, once blasted of their plants, are growing again but several large piles of bowling ball size rocks litter the basin where trace elements of gold flowed with the gravel into sluices designed to separate the gold from the gravel.
We followed the wash up through narrow canyons where we found sections of rusted 15" lengths of pipe that carried the water to the mining operations. Then it was up some steep hillsides where we found large valves on the summit used to direct the water to the various operations. We followed still visible pipeline routes, up and down ravines and through narrow washes where rock walls were built to protect the pipeline from sudden flash floods. It was an amazing hike and all the while thinking about the manual labor that was required to run such a pipeline through such forbidding country. 
We left the pipeline at a remote FWD road and followed it to an old stone miners cabin situated alongside Fish Creek. The cabin has somehow withstood the presence of man and appears to be still usable, although the doors and windows are securely locked. Behind the cabin, closer to the creek were some huge Sycamore trees, some of the largest that I have ever seen, still carrying their golden autumn colors. 
After leaving the cabin, we found the AZT and followed it through the grassland and back to the old headquarters area where we enjoyed a cool brew while packing our hiking gear back into the vehicles. Then it was back to Tucson where Randy had researched a fine Mexican restaurant that offered a HOT Salsa.... that almost brought out beads of sweat  That was a great ending to a fun filled day and Mike and I sure thank Randy and Paul for showing us all the sights in this amAZing part of Arizona.
. |
|
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Not much showing in the grassy hills. |
|
| _____________________
| On every trip into the Superstitions, I find another Gold Mine. Today the mine was filled with Memories. I can not wait for the next trip. |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
