| |
| Oxbow Mine Old Payson Road Loop, AZ | | -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
| |  |
|
1 |
|
| | Oxbow Mine Old Payson Road Loop, AZ | | | |
|
|
Oxbow Mine Old Payson Road Loop, AZ
| | |
|
| Hiking | 6.50 Miles |
1,088 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.50 Miles | 2 Hrs 47 Mns | | 2.34 mph |
| 1,088 ft AEG | | 15 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
[ show ]
| partners | | For the 4th and last day of our Pine adventure we took a slight change of direction. We'd had enough steep climbs over the last few days so instead of an out-and-back down Pine Canyon from the rim we just packed up and figured we'd catch something on the drive home. Of course I had a thought it may come to this so I actually had a backup plan in mind.
For all the times we've driven to Payson and noted a road heading South from AZ 87 just North of the Southbound 'brake-check pull-off' near Oxbow Estates, earlier this year did a quick look at the map of the area and limited research I noted Forest Roads #535 & #537 in the area. One them turned out to be the Old Payson Road and the other ended at the long-extinct Oxbow Mine.
Since the roads ran somewhat parallel to one another I had thrown together a possible loop, Forest Road #535 out toward the old Delaware Mine before branching off to the Oxbow Mine. If there was an easy route meet Forest Road #537 (Old Payson Road) we'd follow it across Rattlesnake Canyon and back to the car.
Forest Road #535 was just a road walk at least we were avoiding fox-tail season. Since my planned route was relatively short, we pondered checking out the Delaware Mine at the end of FR #535. But after encountering a locked gate and it appeared the road now ended at a relatively new house, we decided to fall back on the original plan.
At the North end of the mine perimeter we followed a small track West a short distance before realizing there was nothing to see here and continued SW through the mine plot. Due to the lack of any obvious old workings or any old equipment it was a bit disappointing. What I thought may have been a vertical opening that may have been an old rock and mortar water tank. Next to it was a large green circular water tank with a rough painted warning of sorts, Smile for the trail cam. It made no difference to us as we didn't get anywhere close enough to be filmed.
Although the remnant of the Forest Road supposedly ended at the South end of the mine perimeter, it seemed well-traveled enough we'd follow it and hopefully it connects to Forest Road #537. Yup, it did, so no need for any cross-country hiking through foxtail territory, something I'd never hear the end of from Tracey. I did take one side-trip to check out what appeared to a deep hole but it just ended up as an open pit.
Once we were on #537 it drops down to cross Rattlesnake Canyon (I didn't tell Tracey its name until later so no worries at the time for her) and back up the other side then winds northward and back to the start.
We found nothing particularly interesting, or at least not interesting enough for further exploration, but then again who knows what we may have found.
While Old Payson Road is a bit rough and has a few tight spots passing by large boulders, it's drivable for the 4Runner so maybe sometime soon we'll follow FR #537 until it connects to FR #414 for the last bit ending at Rye. |
| _____________________
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
