| | -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
| |  |
|
1 |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 7.00 Miles |
1,096 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.00 Miles | 2 Hrs 41 Mns | | 2.61 mph |
| 1,096 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Started at Black Canyon City TH around 9:15. Had ulterior post-hike motives (more later). Comfortable and breezy to start, probably in the mid-50s. Had the fleece and jogging pants on. Probably about 10-12 cars in the parking lot. One hiker passed me shortly after I started, plus there was a group of mountain bikers. Didn't really see them since they must've taken the Horseshoe Bend trail, while I took K-Mine.
The K-mine/Horseshoe Bend junction is about 0.9 miles along the trail. Go left for Horseshoe Bend, right for K-Mine. K-Mine goes another .25 mile before beginning a gradual downhill switchback for about .75 mile. There's gates at 1.25, 2.25 and 3 miles...remember to close them after going through. At about 3.25 miles there's some kind of mineral exploration going on, and there's a detour along the Kay Mine road. Nice views of the surrounding hills and Black Canyon City area at the 3.5 mile mark.
Highlight of the trip was about 2 miles in where I saw a cardinal. Wish I could get better photos, but you can only get so close and a camera phone doesn't take tremendous pics from a distance, even with zoom. I tried to take two photos, and one turned out. Lots of saguaros and staghorn cholla at the start, along with berry bushes.
At about 2.4 miles you cross Slate Creek. There was actually water running in the creek, had to cross stepping from stone to stone. Nice area to take a brief break.
I passed about 5-6 people the entire route. One hiker at the start, absolutely no one on K-Mine. I'm thinking this would be a wonderful place to turn an ankle or something. At least I could get reception on my phone. Passed a couple hikers, a mountain biker and a jogger on the way back after getting off the K-Mine trail. The beauty of getting away from everything and everyone!
Oh, yeah, the ulterior motive. Rock Springs Cafe is just down the road. Since I can't get to Mom's Pies in Julian, CA, and get punches on my frequent flyer card, I had to settle for lunch and picking up a lemon meringue pie at the cafe. Not to worry, I'll find another hike to work off the pie. :-) |
|
Wildflowers Observation Light
Cholla, saguaro |
|
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
