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Doug, Quy, Dave, Anne, Xzavier, Danny, Margot, Barry, Sally, Alice, Corrine
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Starting from Hackamore Trailhead northeast of Apache Junction on a sunny morning,
a dozen daring Trailblazers enjoyed a mild breeze without a cloud anywhere in sight.
The Orohai Trail has been re-routed, so instead of just walking through the gate we
had to climb over a railing and through a barbed wire fence to get on the trail.
It goes north, paralleling Packsaddle Road and weaving in and out of a wash.
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Bright lichens adorn the volcanic tuff. [photo by Danny Cassidy]
This butte by FR 1356 has a window.
A prickly pear with a heart.
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We passed some mine diggings and soon climbed a scenic hillside with a
view of Blue Ridge, site of the Bulldog Mine, and the high peaks of the
Goldfields.
The Orohai Trail goes on north to meet the Blue Ridge Trail and the road
to the Rock House, but we turned northeast for a shortcut to the Keyhole
Arch overview. From there a dirt road continues on over to Packsaddle.
This region of the southern Goldfields features many unmarked trails
that have become popular with hikers and horseback riders.
Ted attempted to hike and record them all on GPS over the past
several years, but the trails remain unmarked and unnamed except in
Goldfield Mountain Hikes.
Packsaddle Road took us on up to a pass, where we have a distant panorama
of the central Goldfields and our first view of Hat Top Hill.
The scenery changes dramatically as we
turn and walk west on Forest Road 1356. First there’s a butte with a
window shaped like Texas (well, Ted seemed to think so) and then the most
gorgeous golden volcanic tuff on the sides of Hat Top Hill and Golden
Hill 2716.
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Owwww! Achooo! Teddy Bear and Sneezeweed are in season.
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Skeleton of a mighty saguaro signals our trail.
Our left turn onto an unnamed trail wasn’t easy to find, but it took us
south to two hills with panoramic viewpoints of Weaver’s Needle, the
Superstitions, and the southern Goldfields. Along the way we found
saguaro skeletons which served as trail signals, and a little horned
toad who blended in very effectively with the rocks.
Our snack break was on a windswept hillside just before the trail dips down
to cross a major wash.
There are side trails branching off, but everyone stayed together and
we soon found ourselves back on the road that we had walked eastward
this morning. The road took us up on a smooth ridgeline and then down
past the Green Thumb, an important navigation landmark. From there
it’s an easy walk back to Hackamore Trailhead — if you
can find the Orohai Trail.
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A well-camouflaged horned toad captures our imagination.
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Flatiron and peak 5024 from the ridge north of Green Thumb.
[photo by Danny Cassidy]
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All were in good spirits as we got back to the trailhead before the
weather turned hot. Ted offered everyone a drink of purified ice water, which
he brings in his car on a day like this.
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