It was a cold morning, so Mary Anne was prepared. This was at the Parking Lot at Palm Creek at 7:30 in the morning.
Fifteen hikers braved the cool weather to hike at San Tan Mountain Park There is a $7.00 fee at the gate. This hike is in the shape of a lollipop. John is the Leader.
Before the hike, we walked around the tortoise habitat and memorial area before heading to the Littleleaf Trail.
We followed the signs to the Goldmine trail. This trail is wide and flat initially, then heads up into the mountains.
There is a hazardous sign ½ way up the trail, showing loose rock on steep inclines.
We could see the other trailhead and signs of overburden from a mine from the saddle.
At the saddle, there is a steep, rocky trail to the top of a viewpoint. Some hikers went up to see the view.
The other side of the mountain is very rocky and steep. The hikers slowly descended the long trek to the bottom.
A graveyard sign points to the place where two gold miners are buried. There is a monument providing details. From there we headed back to the Goldmine trail and shortly met up with the other trailhead that provided porta-potties.
Back on the trail, we turned right onto Dynamite trail leading up the side of the mountain. This trail is easy to hike and has views of volcanic rock. Some quartz boulders are on the side of the trail. We had lunch at a pretty spot where volcanic rock jutted out of the landscape.
We turned left on San Tan Trail to return to the Goldmine Trail to the trailhead. The hike was about 8 miles.
Casa Grande Mountain Hike
Leader: Denis
Summary:
A very scenic hike of approximately 7.2 miles that starts off fairly easy, becomes moderate to moderate plus as we hike over the Goldmine Mountain, which is fairly steep and challenging, and then for the remainder, moderate to easy. Good footwear and at least one hiking pole would be recommended for the climb and descent. The San Tan Regional Park has clean restrooms, a large parking lot, a Tortoise Pen, picnic area and The Nathan Martens Arizona Memorial. Lots to see! This is a very popular area for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. You'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is a beautiful visit anytime. There is a parking fee of $7.00 per vehicle!
Directions:
(If you encounter any difficulty during the caravan, a good GPS would be San Tan Regional Park, 6533 W Phillips Rd,,Queen Creek, AZ 85142)
From Palm Creek exit right onto Henness Rd. to Cottonwood and make another right and travel the backroads toward Florence. Instead of making a right turn on Hunt Hwy going to Florence turn left toward Queen Creek. Continue through the San Tan business area until you come to a Walgreens. There is some construction on N Thompson Road but we might be able to turn at the Walgreens on N. Mountain Vista Blvd.to get to N. Thompson where we turn left and then right on Phillips Rd and into the park. Distance approximately 44 miles.
Short Hike to Casa Grande Mt.
Denis is back and will be available 7:45-8:00 a.m. Friday for anyone wanting to take the short hike of approximately 3 miles. They leave at 8:00a.m. sharp and generally are back to Palm Creek by noon. This is a good chance for people who have just started hiking or those who feel they are a bit out of shape. Please note that a Palm Creek Hiking Club Membership and a fee of $10.00 for the year is required.
Please Note:
At this time it's still anybody's guess where there will be ample parking at Palm Creek on Friday morning. We will try to set up in front of the ballroom entrance! The weather in San Tan is forecast to be a high of 58 degrees and partly sunny. Remember, if for some reason a hike must be cancelled, you will receive an email by 6 a.m. and you can go back to bed! For questions, call John Robichaud at 207-446-0650 or Jerry Garrison 307-630-0252.
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