LetterBox- Geo-cache: Birds Eye View

GPS: N34.04.634 W122.34.239

Distance: About 36 miles round trip.
Time: About 3-4 hours, including time to explore.
Features: Great desert scenery along the way, three separate mine ruins.
Driving Conditions: First (and last) 3 miles of trip is on paved road from
Wickenburg. Remainder of trip on maintained and unmaintained unpaved roads.
High clearance vehicle required; 4WD useful in some steep places. Not
recommended during rainy weather.
Equipment: Bring water, good hiking shoes (if you plan to go exploring), and
your camera. It's a good idea to wear long pants, socks, and shoes when
exploring the ruins.
Warning: This destination includes many open vertical mine shafts and
building ruins. Exploring mines and old buildings is dangerous. Digging or
taking rocks away from mining claims is illegal.
***Pay extra attention around the buildings for snakes, scorpions and Bees.***
The Drive
Leaving Wickenburg going toward Phoenix on East Wickenburg Way, cross the
bridge over the Hassayampa and turn left at Constellation Road. Continue on
past the rodeo grounds and beyond. The pavement ends after a few miles and
becomes maintained unpaved road. It continued to be an easy drive, one that
any car could handle.
The first major turn was for Blue Tank Road. We knew from experience that
making a left at this fork would eventually take us back to Rincon Road and
the Hassayampa River.
The road continues on relatively flat terrain for a while, with glimpses of
bright yellow poppies and blue lupines along the way. There were plenty of
turnoffs, on the left and right sides of the road. One led to a ranch.
Others led to who knows where. The road gets hilly and winds through the
hills for a while. You will come down a steep road to King Solomon Wash. The
road ran in the wash for a short distance, past Sayer Spring, where some
people had set up an impressive camp at Sayer or Gilbert, which was a half
way house for the miners and travelers. The road seemed to fork after that,
but keep to the left, and climb out of the wash to stay on Constellation
Road. A BLM mile marker and a sign to the Williams family Ranch is at the
start of the road. As you climb the hill, you can see that many people set
up camps in a flat area near the wash.
At the top of the hill in a saddle-like area climb out for a look. Behind
you, back the way you come, is Wickenburg, barely visible as white dots
nestled in a valley. Ahead was the mountainous terrain that was the foothills
of the Weaver Mountains.
Continue on driving down the side of a hill. To the left, you'll spot the
telltale signs of mining -- huge tailing piles and the ruins of some stone
buildings.
Not far down the road you'll spot some old mining structures which are the
remains of the Monte Cristo Mine. A few of the buildings are in remarkably
good condition, although the housing the machinery for the mine shaft wasn't
supported and would probably be extremely dangerous.
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In the distance from the upper level you can see the Black Rock Mine on the
side of the hill.
On the road again, You'll cross Slim Jim Creek and just up ahead there is a
horse corral with water. Continue up the road approx. .53 miles and turn to
the left stopping just after the your turn.
There will be a small hill in front of you.
Walk up the hill and on Top under the rocks you will find the letterbox.
[Unable to display image]
(This is a letterbox, geo-cache in one, please be sure to stamp the correct
book.)
Take plenty of time to enjoy the view remembering all those that have past
this way before you.
If you wish to explore more, continue on up the road and you will find The
Gold Bar Mine on the left. [Unable to display image]
Like the Monte Cristo Mine, this mine's buildings were built with wood and
corrugated metal. The building that housed the mine shaft machinery was in
pretty good shape, although one end is caving in. Another building that is in
pretty good shape is the garage or workshop. In the valley below, you can
see signs of other shafts and the ruins of buildings that aren't in such
good shape.