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| Hiking | 6.70 Miles |
600 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.70 Miles | 4 Hrs | | 1.68 mph |
| 600 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | I don’t know if you can still take the motor route from the West. A good description of reaching the message from the East is found in Dave Wilson's Hiking Ruins Seldom Seen. Reference Trial 2: Indian Mesa. Basically follow Dave Wilson's description to get from the trailhead to Cow Creek Road. Park at N33 58.780 W112 11.519. There is a $6 park fee. Leave the parking lot and hike along the road you came in on, through the gate, across the dry Aqua Fria River, and on the obvious trail, past the White Bluffs, about 2.0-2.2 miles to Cow Creek Road. (N33 57.953 W112 13.103) Turn Right toward W/NW.
At this point, I recommend a deviation from Wilson’s description. Follow Cow Creek to about 3.0 miles from the start. You will reach a ridge where you can go down, but you will also see an obvious trail that goes up and to left. (N33 58.060 W112 13.737). Follow this track up a steep path up and to the S/SW to the Ruins. (N33 57.917 W112 13.673) Enjoy exploring this area.
I enjoyed this hike. I saw no other hikers (although I did see some riders on horseback in the distance). The ruin is on the top of the mesa and the views are pretty wonderful. The ruins are very large with many buildings and rooms. |
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Route Editor
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and is detected by carefully watching the trail for an offshoot trail to the left (West). After this, just follow the carnes to the cave. It's mostly a solid trail of increasing slope, until you cross the a large boulder covered drainage. It gets very steep but still walkable just before the cave. In the Cave, the views are very nice.
