Arizona Trails

FR 3345 is a very short loop trail off Edward's Park, FR 422. FR 3345 provides access to an Arizona Game and Fish wildlife water catchment, a good place to pull off the main trail to take a break. Due to its proximity to the water catchment, it cannot be utilized for camping.

Table Mesa 9952 connects Table Mesa Road to 9954 and forms the first half of a route locally referred to as "Crapshoot". It would be an easy trail but for two obstacles that merit a difficult rating.

Running the trail north to south, the first obstacle is a steep, uneven loose dirt climb. The second obstacle is a steep, loose rock descent with a potentially belly-dragging drop-off in the middle part of the hill. Between the two, steady throttle and steady braking are highly useful.

While anytime is a good time for photography along this route, springtime can be an especially great opportunity to capture iconic Arizona desert photography with the post-monsoon season flower bloom.

Old Rye Creek connects the tiny hamlets of Rye and Jakes Corner. The northwestern half of the trail parallels the often dry Rye Creek with various private ranches set in the creek's wide canyon. After crossing Rye Creek, the southeastern half of trail winds across a hillside via shelf roads and switchbacks.

The most interesting part of this road lies in the middle. A steel pony bridge with a history straddles Rye Creek. Built in 1900, the bridge predates welding, so it's bolted and riveted together. The bridge was one of six spans of a bridge across the Gila River in Winkleman, AZ. That bridge was damaged in a 1909 flood. The Winkleman bridge was wholly replaced, and one of the six spans was repurposed to cross Rye Creek. Two other segments are still used to cross the Verde River near Perkinsville on the Jerome-Perkinsville Road.

There are a few small dispersed campsites on the southeastern end of the trail with level ground and stone fire rings.

Barnhardt is an easy track crossing the Barnhardt Mesa from the Beeline Highway to a hiking trailhead leading to the eastern base of the rugged and austere Mazatzal Mountains. There are numerous campsites along the road, the best being closer to the mountains and offering better views. Most of the dispersed campsites have stone fire rings and ample level ground for any type of camping setup. Camping at the hiking trailhead is possible.

Cow Camp runs between the Wickenburg and Bradshaw Mountain ranges, connecting Backway to Crown King and Walker Gulch. The easy 5.8-mile scenic trail parallels and crosses French Creek as it alternates between BLM, Arizona State Trust, and private lands. While Arizona doesn't require a permit for you to drive the road, any other recreational activity on State Trust Land does require a permit. Use a good land use map to determine the ownership since boundaries are not well marked. There is one cattle gate along the trail. Please close it after passing through.

Several dispersed campsites near the trail's western end are suitable for several vehicles and tent camping. Additional campsites are near the busy intersection with Backway to Crown King.

The Black Pearl was a group of prospects and adits worked in the mid-1900s producing manganese. Today little remains but the foundation and ruins of a small cabin guarded by two concrete gateposts.

The trail to the Black Pearl is relatively easy, crossing Coyote Wash and several more minor drainages. A cattle corral and windmill sit at Tiger Well. The trail can be run as a lollipop. The southern leg of the lollipop is seldom used, rougher than the rest of the trail, but scenic.

A few small campsites are scattered along the trail. Excellent campsites for any size group are scattered along the northern portion of Vulture Mine Road near the trailhead for Black Pearl.

While the actual Vulture Mine is well north, the unpaved remainder of that road runs through the heart of the ruggedly beautiful Belmont Mountains, a seldom visited portion of south-central Arizona. The trail starts in the north as a nicely maintained dirt road that services the Belmont Pit, a rock quarry. Between the quarry and the intersection with Belmont Mine Road, the road is easily traveled rough dirt, crossing numerous sandy washes. The northern trailhead has two large staging areas.

The road deteriorates south of the intersection with Belmont Mine Road as it crosses a rough pass through the mountains. There are several steep climbs with loose rock and a narrow off-camber shelf road obstacle. The trail precariously tilts 28 degrees down the side slope crossing the obstacle. This section of trail is not suitable for full-width vehicles. Use Belmont Mine Road and W. W. Enterprize Mine to bypass this challenging section of trail. Vulture Mine ends in the south at Canal Road.

Abundant spring rains bring colorful wildflowers to the austere Belmonts. Look for the rock window on the west side of the trail just south of the intersection with Belmont Mine Road.

The northern 6 miles of the trail host abundant large flat campsites suitable for groups, large rigs, and toy haulers.

W. W. Enterprize Mine runs north from Canal Road into the southern Belmont Mountains to the small mine of the same name. The approach to the mine crosses a deep sandy wash followed by a steep climb. The mine tailings have been leveled and used as a small campsite with a great view.

Canal Road begins off the paved Aguila Road. It runs parallel to a major powerline and the Central Arizona Project Canal, which moves water from the Colorado River to Arizona's major cities. Canal Road is a convenient entry point for exploring the ruggedly scenic Belmont Mountains. Canal Road connects with Vulture Mine Road and W. W. Enterprize Mine. The trail is relatively easy, with one hill climb with an 18-degree maximum grade.

Several large flat campsites near the east end of the trail are suitable for large groups and toy haulers.

Running through the ruggedly scenic Belmont Mountains, the trail's highlight is the Tonopah-Belmont Mine. The large mine operated around the turn of the 20th century, mainly producing silver and lead and employing approximately 50 men. Today there are numerous mine ruins still at the site. Explore with caution.

A tragic mine fire in 1911 resulted in 17 deaths, including William A. "Big Bill" Murphy. The 28-year-old operated the cage elevator that took men up and down the mine's vertical shaft. Murphy successfully took the cage down twice to rescue miners. He did not return from his third try. Nearby Tonopah erected a monument to honor the hero.

The trail is relatively easy, with a few off-camber spots and wash crossings. The northern half of the trail is on Arizona State Trust Land. A permit is required to camp. The southern half of the trail is BLM land. There's limited camping along the trail but abundant campsites north along Vulture Mine Road.