Horse with No Name Trail • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

[ checklist ] Painted Lady Butterfly Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

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Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

With the dip in temperatures, I figured I had to take advantage and visit the low desert before the heat returns. Initially, I had planned to head down to Tucson and visit Bear Canyon, but I could not summon the enthusiasm for the drive. After pondering closer options, I settled on re-visiting the Goldfields. Had hiked this clockwise the last time I did it - decided to give it a go counter clockwise this time, hoping to get most of the sandy/gravelly wash walking done earlier rather than later...that worked out marginally well, though there were still sections of sand and gravel in the latter part of my loop. Since I couldn't remember what the drive in to where we parked previously was like, I took a cue from the recent visit by @LindaAnn and @trekkin_gecko and parked at the horse lot near milepost 203. I arrived to an empty lot, with some fairly regular traffic headed out on 88.

With the light sprinkles from the night before, it didn't look like there had been any early morning visitors that were out on the trail ahead of me. Temps were comfortable to start with a light breeze kicking up now and again. Not sure if I simply wasn't very observant or if many of the rocks that had been spray painted with arrows got tumbled / sandblasted by flooding last fall, but I didn't catch sight of any of them.

Popped up and into Anniversary Arch to check the views before carrying on. There were a couple areas where I was kicking myself for forgetting to download my other map set that had more of the trails in the region marked - I had loaded a reference track in RouteScout, but hadn't included nearby tracks...oops. The views along the way were as beautiful as I remembered. The tread is clear and minimally overgrown, and seems to see regular traffic, either by folks on horses or even fat-tire bikes. While I was in the vicinity of Overlook Arch, I didn't opt to revisit it.

The day warmed up, and even though temps were only in the mid 70's, it felt plenty warm, with no shade to be had along the way. I was glad for the breeze that kicked up occasionally. When I got back to my car, it had been joined by a truck with a trailer, but I didn't see anyone while out rambling.

Wildlife: one small snek that objected to my presence, numerous birds, butterflies, grasshoppers, several ground squirrels, and many lizards, none of which were content to sit still long enough for a photo. The palo verde and catclaw are blooming and the flower-covered trees/shrubs were humming with bee activity.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Four Peaks Little Four Peaks Superstition Mountains - Ridgeline Weavers Needle

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Tis cactus bloom season. Saguaro, cholla, and prickly pear - was disappointed none of the hedgehogs seemed to have any blooms though. Also, managed to find a blooming poppy so Kelly can be absolved of trodding upon the last one.

_____________________

Happier when hiking....I may not move fast (and I'm often distracted by wildflowers), but I'll get there eventually

1 archive

230642

Apr 12 2026

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 718
Photos 7,657
Triplogs 4,890

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Goldfields Figure 8, AZ

Hiking		Apr 12 2026
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,890

Hiking	13.14 Miles	1,921 AEG

Hiking	13.14 Miles	6 Hrs 17 Mns	2.27 mph
	1,921 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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LindaAnn

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

linda and i have looked at a few options in the goldfields
originally got this idea from @hikerdw, and did a variation of it with @tibber and again with @johnlp
it's very scenic and starts from a different trailhead than our last foray into the goldfields
we met up at the horse trails trailhead near milepost 203
we took willow connector, frankie goes to hollywood and cottonwood wash to horse with no name
we were on this going the opposite direction on our last hike
it's one of the prettiest trails in the goldfields
saw our first snake along here, a very small diamondback curled up on the trail
continued until it looped back east and took a short break on a rock outcropping
saw a good sized gopher snake and a smaller patchnose snake
followed the trail east past the cracked rock, the rock tunnel and a beautiful stand of saguaros
back to cottonwood wash, linda showed me a rock alcove that sometimes has a waterfall
picked up the anniversary arch loop, dropped into rough n ready canyon and returned to the trailhead
saw no one all day
could see several other trails that looked interesting
it's been fun to revisit some of my earlier hikes and actually know what trails we were on
would like to know my way around better out there
temps were fine with a good breeze and some high clouds
fun, scenic hike
thanks linda

_____________________

hazhole

230579

Apr 12 2026

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Goldfields Meander, AZ

Hiking		Apr 12 2026
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	13.15 Miles	1,683 AEG

Hiking	13.15 Miles	6 Hrs 20 Mns	2.25 mph
	1,683 ft AEG	29 Mns Break

Linked

[ checklist ] Gopher Snake Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Western Patch-nosed snake

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partners

trekkin_gecko

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Kelly suggested some Goldfields trails and I was game. Got started at 0530, which was just light enough. West on Willow Connector, then north on Frankie Goes to
Hollywood. South for a short distance in Cottonwood Wash, then west on Horse with no Name. I like several sections along that trail. Saw one tiny rattler curled up on the trail. We both jumped past it as there was no other detour available.

The far west part of Horse with no Name had a ton of foxtails. We made several stops to clear the worst of them out of our socks. Saw a large gopher snake, then what I think was a patchnose? Or something similar looking. I was glad Kelly was in the lead.

Once back in Cottonwood Wash, we headed south, then up towards Anniversary Arch. After that, we finished up in Rough N Ready Canyon.

We spotted some other trails for future loop possibilities. Will have to pull together some reasonable tracks. We were a bit concerned about the weather, but a good breeze and high clouds kept things reasonable. Saw zero other people, it was hard to believe we were hiking so close to civilization. Fun hike!

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Saw a few flowers here and there, but wildflower season is done in the Goldfields. Kelly destroyed the last remaining poppy.

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

230572

Feb 24 2026

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 718
Photos 7,657
Triplogs 4,890

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Twin Arches

Twin Arches

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Feb 24 2026
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,890

Hiking	12.82 Miles	2,160 AEG

Hiking	12.82 Miles	6 Hrs 34 Mns	2.20 mph
	2,160 ft AEG	44 Mns Break

Linked

Rock House Trail

Blue Ridge - Goldfield Mtns

Top Hat Loop

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partners

LindaAnn

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

linda and i have been talking about doing some hiking in the goldfields
she put together a track that included twin arches, palo verde arch and top hat
we set out from wolverine around 0630 or so
road walk for a couple miles, then off trail to the south approach for twin arches
@johnlp and i did this route ten years ago, and didn't care for the loose rock and scree
we didn't like it any better today
made our way up to both arches and found a much better descent to the east, eventually joining the road
linda should have a waypoint for the cairned use trail
took the road to the base of top hat and found a use trail up
each time i've taken a different ascent
slickrock with @tibber and @rayhuston, a use trail to palo verde arch with john, then up the ridgeline
this time we started up the west side on a steep trail
just below the summit block the footing became very loose
linda opted for going back down the use trail
i didn't want to go back down, so continued around the summit rock and eventually hooked up with the ridgeline trail at a small saddle
easy ascent from there and was able to spot linda just below
i don't recommend going up that way

we probably should have stayed together
met back up at the arch, dropping north to the wash
headed back on horse with no name, which is a very scenic trail
checked out the views from a fin ridge, then down to cottonwood wash
found the spring, then took the road back and finished with the blue ridge option
good hike aside from making things harder than necessary
fun to be back out in the goldfields and revisit some landmarks and trails
it's been awhile
thanks, linda

_____________________

hazhole

229621

Feb 24 2026

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Twin Arches

Twin Arches

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Feb 24 2026
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	12.80 Miles	2,263 AEG

Hiking	12.80 Miles	6 Hrs 35 Mns	2.13 mph
	2,263 ft AEG	34 Mns Break

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linked

Rock House Trail

Blue Ridge - Goldfield Mtns

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partners

trekkin_gecko

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Kelly and I pulled together some old tracks we’d each done over the years and decided to hit a few destinations in the Goldfields. Then, for unknown reasons, we decided to do it the dumbest way possible.

Met at the Wolverine gate at 0630 and walked in. First was Twin Arches. Our ascent route was awful, but we finally made it to the arches. Took a few pics up there, then headed down a much better route. Much much better. As soon as we got back to the road, I tripped over absolutely nothing and fell kind of hard. Despite my watch being convinced I was dead, I did survive.

We headed over towards Top Hat. On the way up, we both commented we didn’t remember the route looking like this. Sure enough, the correct route to Palo Verde Arch was below us to our left. Undeterred, we continued uphill on the west side of the summit. Very steep. At the base of the final cliff band, just below the summit, I decided any further ascending was a no from me. Kelly continued ahead to see if the route got any better. The last words I head from her were “this is bad” as she crawled uphill and around a corner disappearing from view. Five minutes later, she hadn’t reappeared. A couple minutes after that, I was starting to get concerned and took my phone out of airplane mode and started rehearsing what to tell rescuers if she didn’t make an appearance soon. Just as I was deciding whether to continue uphill into the unknown, or make a phone call, Kelly appeared above me at the summit. She said the route was bad, but doable. Nope. I told her I was heading back downhill to circle around to the correct trail to the arch and to meet me there.

We met at the arch, then continued on the rest of our planned hike. East on Horse with no Name, and explored around that area a bit—fun walking through the rocks and formations. Saw a turtle, or tortoise, I don’t know the difference. After that, we dropped down to Cottonwood Wash. We opted to skip Anniversary Arch and headed south on Cottonwood. Quick stop at the spring, which had plenty of water, but a little murky.

Some road walking over to Blue Ridge to finish out the hike. Good breeze most of the morning, but a little warm for the last mile. Not too bad though. Fun hike, and it was kind of entertaining to laugh at our mistakes as we reacted on the fly.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Tortoise

Wildflowers Observation Light

	Cottonwood Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Pool and springbox were full.

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

1 archive

229609

Apr 05 2025

John10s

Guides 31
Routes 440
Photos 6,880
Triplogs 404

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Golden Arches, AZ

Hiking		Apr 05 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 404

Hiking	14.84 Miles	3,774 AEG

Hiking	14.84 Miles	7 Hrs 13 Mns	2.36 mph
	3,774 ft AEG	56 Mns Break

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11 linked trail guides

Triple Arch via Black Glass Canyon

Golden Dome 3185

Willow Springs Basin Trail

Quartz Crystal Arroyo

[ checklist ] Golden Dome- 3185ft Lion Mountain Pedestal Arch - Stewart Mtn Quad Saguaro Lake Triple Arch - Goldfield Mtns

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chumley

It had been ~2 years since my last hike in the Goldfields, and I'd had Golden Dome on my list for years but had yet to go up there. Cool April weather made this a great weekend to change that. We started from Willow Trailhead on a clockwise lasso-loop based on Chumley's previous Golden Dome hike, with some adjustments to minimize wash/road walking.

Seeing the colorful Goldfield geology again made me question why I'd stayed away for so long. We made quick work of the early "trail" miles and took a short break at a tunnel with some grinding holes that I'd visited on a previous hike, not realizing when we started that it was along today's route. Then we improvised on the route a little as we started the climb up to Pedestal Arch and beyond, with Golden Dome coming back into view as we gained elevation.

Fun scrambling and some steep, loose side-hilling as we worked our way around and up to the west side of Golden Dome. We looked at the chute that Chumley went up last time but tried a spot just to the right that worked great. Based on some of the previous triplogs, I wasn't sure how climby it would be going up, but it wasn't bad at all, and I never even had to tell my frightened inner child with a fear of heights to shut up and keep going. My shorts were less fortunate--on the first big step on the scramble up, I heard the loud sound of ripping fabric and spent the rest of the day hiking with some "unintended ventilation" that was disappointing but surprisingly refreshing.

We didn't find a register on top, but the views were fantastic with a not-too-hazy day--lots of Superstion and Mazatzal landmarks, Etrellas, Four Peaks, etc. [ youtube video ] We ate lunch on top and checked out the northeast end where Chumley went down last time, but we returned the same way we'd come up, then worked our way over to Peak 3141. The register I placed a few years ago was still there, though the old entry was faded to the point that it was virtually unreadable.

Next stop was Triple Arch, where we saw our first other people of the day, then we headed into Black Glass Canyon. It was drier in there than either of us had ever seen it, and the few pools we saw were stagnant and full of algae. But the dry conditions allowed us to go down through the canyon via a route I'd never taken before.

Some darker clouds gathered as we closed out the loop, but it didn't amount to anything more than virga. We were back at the parking lot just after 2PM, wrapping up a great loop--two peaks, a couple arches, three wildflowers, some caves, not too many people, great weather and scenery, and, surprisingly, zero soiled mattresses...can't complain about a day like that.

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Summit Register Log Trash Hauled Out

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

	Willow Springs Basin Tank	Dry	Dry

222537

Apr 05 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 851
Photos 22,827
Triplogs 2,045

53 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Golden Arches, AZ

Hiking		Apr 05 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,045

Hiking	14.59 Miles	3,346 AEG

Hiking	14.59 Miles	7 Hrs 13 Mns	2.32 mph
	3,346 ft AEG	56 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

11 linked trail guides

Triple Arch via Black Glass Canyon

Willow Springs Basin Trail

Quartz Crystal Arroyo

Golden Dome 3185

Partners

partners

John10s

An April Saturday in the 70s made a revisit to golden dome a good choice. I mapped out a loop with as much singletrack as possible and with minimal sandy wash slogging. Along the way we visited or at least got a view of a few of the arches that this range has to offer.

There was a surprising amount of cloud cover, and toward the end of the day we thought some of the nearby rain showers might sprinkle over us, but that wasn't to be.

I picked a different route to the summit than last time. Instead of the protected chute, we went straight up from the little saddle just to the west of the chute. Three really big steps (the kind that will rip your pants) and juggy holds made it a fairly easy ascent. We descended the same route. There really are several options for gaining the peak, choosing which one depends on your comfort with scrambling and exposure.

From the summit we headed over to 3141 before dropping down and heading down Black Glass, where we saw our first 3 others on the day (one of which informed us we were "almost there" despite having no idea where we'd been or were going -- this frequent occurrence tends to amuse me). We saw two more hikers near the end which completed the crowd out there today.

Fun to do this one again!

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
A globemallow!

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

1 archive

222521

Jan 26 2025

00blackout

Routes 60
Photos 6,136
Triplogs 228

51 male

Joined Mar 14 2016
Gold Canyon, AZ

Goldfield Meandering, AZ

Hiking		Jan 26 2025
		00blackout • Triplogs 228

Hiking	12.62 Miles	1,523 AEG

Hiking	12.62 Miles	7 Hrs 50 Mns	1.61 mph
	1,523 ft AEG

no routes

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linked

Willow Connector Trail #346

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DesertNymph

Vashti

Was able to lock down plans with S & B to hike a loop with some arches in the Goldfields. I've done a couple of hikes in the Goldfields but most of this route was new to me. Parked at the designated parking area off 1356. I saw their vehicle coming towards the parking area and 10 minutes later I was wondering where they went after they didn't show up. I drove a short distance up 1356 and they were hiking down the road, parking further up. After that minor snafu and introductions, we were off. Started on 1356 then cut over to the Willow Connector. We then jumped on the Frankie Goes to Hollywood trail (no clue how it got its name), then over to my favorite trail of the day Horse with No Name. After a couple of miles on Horse with No Name, we boulder-hopped up a wash then bushwhacked up the side of a cliff to check out the Overlook Arch. While the view was nice, the arch was not worth the effort to get there. We had lunch there before climbing back down into the wash and continuing on Horse with No Name. Spent a little bit of time in Cottonwood Wash before connecting with the Rough and Ready Canyon Trail. We got to the turn for Anniversary Arch and with my tendinitis flaring up in my ankle I sat and relaxed with Richard while the girls hit up the HUGE arch. I saw them up on the ridge and heard them about 15 minutes later. A bit later there was still no sign of them and after calling out to them and no response, we wrote a note in the sand and started back to the truck. No wildlife sightings, but we did come across 2 different groups in Rough and Ready Canyon going to Triple Arch. Temps were great with a nice breeze, racking up some miles on a couple of new trails while meeting some new hiking peeps. Thanks to S & B for the invite, looking forward to another one.

_____________________

Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee.

220920

Jan 26 2025

DesertNymph

Routes 97
Photos 6,112
Triplogs 150

female

Joined Dec 09 2024

Goldfield Canyons and Arches, AZ

Hiking		Jan 26 2025
		DesertNymph • Triplogs 150

Hiking	14.09 Miles	1,907 AEG

Hiking	14.09 Miles	8 Hrs 35 Mns	1.73 mph
	1,907 ft AEG	26 Mns Break

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00blackout

Vashti

A wander into the Goldfields - I've spent a lot of time in the Superstitions, but always drove right past the goldfields. Figured it was time to check them out closer - I've always found the heavily lichened rock faces in the area absolutely enchanting.

Had heard there were arches to be spotted in the region, so we decided to have a look around while hitting a few of the more scenic canyons. Given the canyons of interest, we decided to try for Overlook and Anniversary Arches. Since it's been seemingly forever since we've had any rain, there was no water observed anywhere along the route - all of the potholes and pourovers were completely dry.

The road in from the staging area at Dutchman Gate was a little rough, but nothing too awful. We parked near Tomahawk Mine, and after quick greetings and introductions, we headed down the road a bit to pick up Frankie goes to Hollywood to start our adventure.

A large portion of the loop follows various drainages, and thankfully there were often packed dirt trails to walk on either side of the canyon bottom. There were some stretches fully in the washes which made for loose footing on deep sand/gravel mixed in with some rock hopping. The side trip up to Overlook Arch was entirely off trail and involved finding our way up a drainage before popping out to climb the ridge steeply to the arch.

The views certainly did not disappoint, with Horse with No Name being especially beautiful. While we did indeed see both arches, they were quite tiny....think window sized. The views encountered en route though, were spectacular.

In addition to the arches, there were a several notable saguaro spied along the way, including one with a crested arm (no photo or waypoint, sorry!). Sadly, there was a very large freshly sprayed panel of graffiti commemorating the short lived relationship of Mimi and I don't remember who (and I failed to grab a photo - perhaps one of my hiking partners will oblige)...my admittedly porous memory suspects that was in Cottonwood Wash shortly before heading off onto Horse with No Name. Rough n Ready also sported some unnecessary markings - a fair number of arrows in pink flagging paint to mark the route.

We didn't see very many folk out - one group of 3 with their pups, one couple, and another group of 3 - we crossed paths with all three groups in fairly quick succession, all in Rough n Ready Canyon. While we didn't see any horses, there was fresh evidence of their passing along the trail.

Am now eyeballing routes for my next foray into the area...preferably to see some people-sized arches

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Chuparosa Sweetbush

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Natural Arch

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Fewer than a handful of flowers spotted...a sweetbush bebbia/bebbia juncea and a few chuparosa.

_____________________

Happier when hiking....I may not move fast (and I'm often distracted by wildflowers), but I'll get there eventually

2 archives

220904

Jan 26 2025

Vashti

Guides 19
Routes 317
Photos 2,018
Triplogs 296

female

Joined Mar 11 2002
Gilbert, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Jan 26 2025
		Vashti • Triplogs 296

Hiking	14.59 Miles	1,834 AEG

Hiking	14.59 Miles	8 Hrs 37 Mns	1.87 mph
	1,834 ft AEG	50 Mns Break

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Rough N Ready - Willow Springs Crossover

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00blackout

DesertNymph

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Beautiful day for a hike!

Purchased my 3 day permit for Tonto NF OHV area and headed through the Dutchman gate. We parked at the Tomahawk mine. We should have parked before that on the north side, but oh well!

We met up with Jason (best license plate EVER!!

) and were off! I haven't been in the Goldfields in forever. The only trail I did previously was really a route with zero trail, so I wasn't sure what to expect on the loop we picked. However, this loop is frequently used by horses, so it is a well-trodden trail that is easy to find 99% of the time.

The Goldfields are so beautiful! I especially liked the Horse with no name area. The different color rocks and the majestic saguaros make it so scenic! We also had the entire area to ourselves for quite a few hours. We did our loop clockwise, and we didn't see a soul until the junction with Rough and Ready canyon! Then we saw 3 groups in quick succession, plus another group a bit later.

At the far end of the horse with no name trail, we opted to see Overlook Arch. This was the only off trail of the day. It wasn't bad, really, it is just we went partway up the ridge for... A tiny window!

Jason nailed it when he said low ROI. We almost didn't see the arch at all!

Alas. I guess we should have paid attention to the previous triplogs that said the arch was meh.

At the least the views were spectacular from up high!!

After bushwhacking back down the ridge and wash, we were back on horse with no name (love the routescout way point commentary in this area!!

). After heading through a delightful saguaro forest, we were in the washes for a while which isn't my favorite. I was happy when we connected to rough and ready canyon. This area is also very scenic. We plodded along and missed a turn before realizing that Oops we were not going the right way. We headed back and before too long we were at the start of the anniversary arch loop which started at a large flat camping area with fire ring. There is actually a trail that goes off to the west earlier that goes up high that may connect to the anniversary arch loop, but we stuck with our route.

The anniversary arch itself is underwhelming, but the views from the back of the loop are stunning. We were able to see the area that we had just hiked through.

After finishing the mini loop, we were in the home stretch towards the car.

It was a great day to be out hiking, as always!

I look forward to exploring more of the Goldfields soon! Maybe see larger arches!

One low point of the hike - recent grafitti of Bob and Mimi, whose love requires spray paint on canyon walls.

_____________________

220944

Mar 27 2024

johnlp

Guides 1
Routes 15
Photos 7,300
Triplogs 5,268

68 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
chandler,az

Goldfields figure 8, AZ

Hiking		Mar 27 2024
		johnlp • Triplogs 5,268

Hiking	13.20 Miles	1,418 AEG

Hiking	13.20 Miles	5 Hrs 7 Mns	2.67 mph
	1,418 ft AEG	10 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

linked

Partners

partners

trekkin_gecko

Goldfields hike. Kelly had a track we followed. Had to keep checking it as the trails aren't signed and there are lots of intersections.
Trails were moist, even muddy in places. Foxtail is abundant.
Good wildflowers. Nothing extreme. Owl Clover is booming.
Fun hike. Thanks Kelly.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Owl Clover

_____________________

“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson

214295

Mar 27 2024

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 718
Photos 7,657
Triplogs 4,890

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Goldfields figure 8, AZ

Hiking		Mar 27 2024
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,890

Hiking	13.20 Miles	1,418 AEG

Hiking	13.20 Miles	5 Hrs 7 Mns	2.67 mph
	1,418 ft AEG	10 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Razorback - Goldfield Mountains

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partners

johnlp

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

john and i wanted to do something we haven't done lately
we chose @hikerdw's figure 8 loop in the goldfields
angela and i did a version of this a few years ago
not sure i have the right trails, and if someone wants to add or subtract, speak up
we got going around 0615
the area must have got quite a bit of rain last night because the trails were muddy in places
plenty of moist vegetation to get shoes wet
some very scenic areas, especially the slick rock on horse with no name (i think)
good views of snow on four peaks and fog along the salt river
it would be nice to have a good map of the goldfields

enjoyable hike - thanks john!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Owl Clover

_____________________

hazhole

214228

Feb 15 2024

The_Eagle

Guides 42
Routes 1,805
Photos 15,483
Triplogs 2,930

70 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Overlook Arch - Goldfields, AZ

Hiking		Feb 15 2024
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,930

Hiking	15.18 Miles	2,079 AEG

Hiking	15.18 Miles	7 Hrs 34 Mns		2.29 mph
	2,079 ft AEG	56 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

Linked

15 linked trail guides

Rough Eye Javelina Loop

Willow Springs Canyon Upper

Golden Eye Mine Trail

Willow Connector Trail #346

Partners

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joebartels

LindaAnn

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

My week to pick, I threw out four different possibilities, and both of my co-hikers chose this option.

It was chilly for the first hundred yards, perfect on the way to the target, and then warmed up with no clouds and little breeze on the return. There was a little mud here and there, which was easily skirted by two of us.

I enjoy the geology out here; I find it different from most of that in the Supes, right across the street. We made our way out and up to the Overlook Arch. Joe took the direct route up the ridgeline, while Linda and I traversed the north slope before climbing up to the ridgeline. There were, in fact, two different arches up here, both large (not) and spectacular (not), but the geology in the area was grand.

After an early lunch up there, we made our way back, hitting different trails. I don't know how anyone keeps track of all the different trails out here. Once again, we passed through quite a few areas of interesting geology.

We arrived at a packed trailhead of ATVs, Jeeps, and horses. Luckily, I think we only passed two horses while on our loop.

Good times out there!

Two of us enjoyed this hike; one... not so much. I'll let you guess based on their triplog. If you were with us, the *itchin would have given it away five minutes into the hike (and maybe on the ride in).

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

2 archives

213169

Feb 15 2024

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,902
Photos 14,821
Triplogs 6,003

56 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Overlook Arch - Goldfields, AZ

Hiking		Feb 15 2024
		joebartels • Triplogs 6,003

Hiking	14.34 Miles	2,023 AEG

Hiking	14.34 Miles	7 Hrs 34 Mns	2.23 mph
	2,023 ft AEG	1 Hour 8 Mns Break

Linked

13 linked trail guides

Willow Springs Canyon Upper

Golden Eye Mine Trail

Partners

partners

LindaAnn

The_Eagle

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Two National Park nice areas wrapped with a maze of trails like a bogus preserve with ankle busters that put Y Bar to shame.

Synopsis
Some enjoy this mountain range. I was fortunate to experience a fourth Goldfield hike.

_____________________

- joe

213167

Feb 15 2024

Willow Springs Canyon Upper

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Overlook Arch - Goldfields, AZ

Hiking		Feb 15 2024
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	14.26 Miles	2,085 AEG

Hiking	14.26 Miles	7 Hrs 33 Mns	2.13 mph
	2,085 ft AEG	51 Mns Break

Linked

13 linked trail guides

Golden Eye Mine Trail

Partners

partners

joebartels

The_Eagle

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Bruce wanted to see the most obscure arch in the Goldfields. I’m just making that up, but it was certainly off the beaten path. Cool temps to start as we headed west from the parking area. I was warm within about five minutes, and varied between warm and hot the rest of the day.

Saw a group of at least a dozen hikers ahead of us, but they turned north before we reached them. Most of the wash walking was reasonably easy. No problems avoiding any water, of which there was plenty. Trail hiking tended to be rougher—plenty of mud, lots of rocks and gravel. I wore an old pair of shoes with grip equivalent to ice, so that added to the fun.

Turned off Horse with No Name and headed up towards Overlook Arch. Brushy, steep, no trail. Joe took a more direct route up the ridge, while Bruce and I curved around the north side. Joe found the arches first, and seemed to be underwhelmed. The geology in the area was neat, with some good views.

After a lunch break, we carefully made our way back down to the trail, now headed east for the second half of our loop. The eastern climb on Horse with No Name was probably the best part of the return. More neat geology in that area. Eventually, we left the most scenic parts and were hiking through regular desert, before closing the loop and making our way back to the trailhead.

No clouds made for a warm day. Other than the group in the morning, we saw no other hikers. Saw several horseback riders, and a truck giving some sort of desert tour. Fun day! And good to cover some new ground.

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

1 archive

213159

May 07 2023

DarthStiller

Guides 27
Routes 726
Photos 12,867
Triplogs 910

56 male

Joined Jul 05 2006
Mesa, AZ

Tomahawk Mine Trail

Tomahawk Mine Trail

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		May 07 2023
		DarthStiller • Triplogs 910

Hiking	8.16 Miles	1,132 AEG

Hiking	8.16 Miles	4 Hrs 21 Mns	1.88 mph
	1,132 ft AEG	1 Min Break

Linked

linked

Partners

none

no partners

Started out by the Tomahawk TH and hiked the road in. My intent on this was to try to get to the top of the Top Hat. Andy assured me that there is an actual trail that goes up there. I started up along a track that he had but I didn't see any trail. I got away from the track and followed what looked like the path of least resistance from the vegetation. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for that to get close to a ravine with some exposure, as well as a steep incline covered with scree. I headed back down and saw where the route was saying to go, which looked doable, but by no means a trail. I decided to bail on this and hike Horse With No Name and loop back to Tomahawk Mine Road and head back. I saw the back end of the loop on the Top Hat as I made my way around. That looked easier to hike, but again no sign of even a faint trail. Horse with No Name I think is the best trail out here and easily has the most fantastic views. Saw a bees nest along that trail under a rock overhang.

Temperature was actually a bit chilly when I started, but warmed up within 10 minutes. Only saw one snake, and it wasn't a rattler, probably a gopher snake. It took off before I could get a pic. No other hikers all day, just a few 4wds. The solitude out here is just a nice as the scenery getting away from the crowds.

_____________________

206295

Mar 19 2023

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Arch Madness - Goldfields, AZ

Hiking		Mar 19 2023
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	13.29 Miles	1,913 AEG

Hiking	13.29 Miles	7 Hrs 40 Mns	2.04 mph
	1,913 ft AEG	1 Hour 10 Mns Break

Linked

7 linked trail guides

Triple Arch via Black Glass Canyon

Partners

partners

RedChrisB

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Met Chris at the Wolverine gate, then drove in and parked near the tank on the sw side of Top Hat. Headed north on Hope is Lost Trail, making a side trip to Palo Verde Arch. Continued north in the wash, staying in the wash all the way to the northern turn to Triple Arch, I guess that’s Black Glass Canyon? The wash walk itself was impressive—excellent scenery, plenty of water, a cave to walk through. Largely free of vegetation. Waterproof socks were helpful.

Heading to Triple Arch was really the only difficult part of the entire day. That canyon was a little more involved, especially with the water and vegetation. Found some bypasses on the left side. Once below the arch, we took the use trail up to it, and had a snack while sitting on the west side of the arch.

Continuing south past the arch was much easier. No use of hands was needed, and no vegetation. Doing the south side of Triple Arch as an out and back is probably what most people opt for? I liked the route we took, but the southern half went by a lot faster.

Headed back south, then south on Rough N Ready Canyon. Scenic, easy. Turned up towards Anniversary Arch. Kind of a meh arch, but great scenery and fairly easy hiking. Took a connector over to Cottonwood Wash, great flowers along that connector. Once in Cottonwood Wash, headed south, then west on Horse With No Name, then south on Hope is Lost to get back to the Jeep.

Great day, certainly an excellent hike. Nice weather with high clouds and a cool breeze. All the water was a bonus. Good to see Chris again.

Wildflowers Observation Substantial
Huge variety and abundance of flowers.

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

204889

Mar 11 2023

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 11 2023
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	6.59 Miles	1,008 AEG

Hiking	6.59 Miles	3 Hrs 50 Mns	1.84 mph
	1,008 ft AEG	15 Mns Break

Linked

linked

Top Hat Loop

Partners

none

no partners

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Jill was interested in some of the trails I had hiked last weekend, so she and I, plus our friend Janelle headed out for a short loop. We drove in and parked on the southwest side of Top Hat, starting our hike around 0700. Headed north, then east up to Palo Verde Arch, then up to the summit of Top Hat. Distinct trail to the arch, then essentially off trail to the summit. Found a good ramp to head up, then picked our way around vegetation the rest of the way. Nice views with the clouds.

Headed down after a short break, then continued north in the wash. East on Horse With No Name, which was Jill’s favorite section. Once over the ridge, north in Cottonwood Wash on Packsaddle. Quick stop to look at some feature marked on a map as Hole in the Rock or Hole in the Wall or something like that. Then headed west in the intersecting wash. Then headed back south in our original wash to finish out the loop. Great geology and scenery the entire morning.

I had promised Jill we’d be done by 1100, and that is exactly when we finished. Didn’t see anyone while we hiked, and only a few vehicles on our drive out.

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

204634

Mar 05 2023

Dome Mountain 3381 - Goldfield Mtns

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Goldfields sampler, AZ

Hiking		Mar 05 2023
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	12.46 Miles	3,009 AEG

Hiking	12.46 Miles	9 Hrs 2 Mns	1.76 mph
	3,009 ft AEG	1 Hour 57 Mns Break

Linked

7 linked trail guides

Peak 3134 - Apache Junction Quad

Blue Ridge - Goldfield Mtns

Rock House Trail

Partners

partners

00blackout

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Put together sort of a random loop for today, with options to make adjustments. Jason and I got started from the Wolverine Gate at 0600. Cool to start, but no breeze made it nice. Lights for the first 20 minutes or so. The road walk is boring, but went by quickly. The sun rose as we left the road and took the trail up to the saddle.

From there, we headed over to Dome Mountain first, getting the highest peak of the day out of the way. Careful descent, the over to Peak 3134 on the Three Lesser Peaks route. After a break up there, we dropped off the south-southeast side of the peak and steeply descended to the southeast. Once over to a rocky ridge, the footing got much better, and we made our way to 3089. Great views from up there. Another descent, off the northeast side this time, and ascent up to 3047.

Came off the east side of that peak, to the saddle, then north down the drainage, which had some water. We stayed just on the east bank as we made our way down, then traversed east over towards the next big wash. The offtrail was slow, but not terrible. Original plan was to take the wash south, but we switched gears and headed southeast on Horse With No Name. This was a good choice, as the section we took was a lot of fun and had great views.

Dropped down into Cottonwood Wash, then south. Headed west on the road (Rock House trail), then south to Blue Ridge. Looked around there, then walked back to the parking lot. Great day & weather. Not too much traffic on the roads out there, and only saw a few hikers in the final mile or so. Good to hike with Jason again.

Wildflowers Observation Substantial
Lots of flowers along nearly the entire route.

	Cottonwood Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Spring and springbox were full of water.

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

204482

Oct 24 2022

Yoder

Guides 8
Routes 70
Photos 3,208
Triplogs 273

60 male

Joined Oct 07 2017
Chandler, AZ