Palen McCoy Wilderness

I saw six of these rock circles in the area.

WW2 pillbox

A trail from the river into the Tank Spring area.

• The paved Midland Rd connecting Blythe to Midland is the main access. It goes north from I-10 at the Lovekin exit. At about 18 miles is a main junction at a sign for the Standard Mine. The paved road goes on north to the ghost town of Midland but just before town is a graded road forking right that runs along the east side of the wilderness to Rice on highway 62. It has sand traps. The road to the Standard Mine is graded and at a bit over 7 miles is a sign for the Arlington Mine Rd forking left. It goes west several miles then by staying right at main forks it leads to Palen Pass. That road is easy 4wd as far as the pass where I turned back and should remain so as new towers with generators have been installed along it. Posted 2021.
•  LITTLE MARIA MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 3000+ -  turn off the Palen Pass Rd onto a 4wd road at N33 49905, W114 56291. Go north here for about 3 miles to a pillbox in a valley south of the peak. The road forks here. The left fork crosses a wash and runs on the left edge of the valley but is washed out. Use the right fork that runs along the right side of the wash. It was in decent shape for the first mile in 2016. I decided to take a crack at an improbable frontal assault. And got lucky. I walked the road as it follows the wash curving left and enters a canyon. It shrinks to a trail running along the right bank.  When the bank ends the trail climbs a little then levels off and enters the creekbed. I stayed in this canyon as it took a right turn and climbed to a saddle at 53883,55743 el 2200. This saddle overlooks the basin below the massive cliffs of the summit area. From the saddle, I went up the ridge keeping right of center and crossed over to the left at 53939, 55768. From there I angled up to the left to get on the main summit ridge. The peak is to the right at 54014,55572. A chute on the right side of the summit block makes it easy. The Buck Benchmark is on top but no reg in 2012 but M&L must have placed one. 4 hours, 2000 gain. A very interesting peak. And unloved,  except by sheep. No falls to climb, only an occasional easy class 3 move. Posted 2012.
• TANK SPRING LOOP - this is a fake spring at the north end of the Little Maria Mtns. A good horseshoe loop can be done by going south from it and up a canyon then over the saddle next to peak 788 then down the other side and out by that canyon. It takes two 4wds spotted two and a half miles apart along the Midland Rd because that's where the wilderness boundary is. I only had one vehicle, but with two I would leave one at about N33 56172, W114 50993 then the other some 2 or 3 miles north. A VZ signal is present so lining up with the gullies is easier. I walked to the spring first . It's just a dry fall 20 or 30 feet high and not worth a detour. It's better to aim for the west bank of the ascent canyon at 56337, 57283 el 1350. I walked from there on the smoothest ground and it took me .6 mile to the far right side of the canyon floor where there are less rocks. At 55651, 56939 I crossed to the left bank. The flat bank ended in a third mile so I dropped to the smooth wash and stayed off banks until 54949, 55891 where I got on the left bank and went on another third mile to the divide saddle el 1900. I followed a sheep trail out of that to the right and it took me to a ridge where I could drop down to the wash. I got on the left bank at 54543, 55171 and stayed low and that helped for a tenth mile. I got on the right bank at 54524, 54284 and when that ended I dipped back to the bed a short way then got back on the right bank. In nearly half a mile I came to potholes then in a few feet more I hit smoother ground at 54982, 53595 which makes it east to get to the first 4wd. The potholes along there at 54943, 53655 had water, one was a foot deep and shaded. They might be huge after a big rain. With two vehicles, the loop measures out at 13 miles on the topo with hardly any noticeable gain. The canyons are pristine but the flats have some WW2 tracks though a lot of pavement is undisturbed. This is the best wilderness experience on this page. The Indians used potholes two and a half miles east of Tank Spring at 56148, 54950. Three trails radiate out from there. One runs south along the base to meet the one crossing the range. One goes to the river and one likely goes to Mopah Spring. Posted 2021.
• PEAK 846 in the Little Maria Mtns has an easy NW ridge that attracted my attention. A loop can be done by returning on the west ridge. Park on the Midland Rd along the wilderness boundary at about N33 56172, W114 50993 then walk to potholes in a major wash at 54934, 53644 el 1200. It's rocky by then but better to stay on the bank for nearly half a mile then drop to the bed a short way then get back on the left bank. When that ends, stay in the bed to the NW ridge at 54364, 54739 el 1500. Soon a minor crag is in the way but easily passed on the right then it's easy to the reg at 53821, 53992 el 2776. Placed in 1986 by M&L, no one else had signed in. Walk SE off the summit on the main ridge and stay left around two minor crags to a view at 53747, 53763 el 2550. It's obvious how to descend from there to a smooth ridge going to the left and down to the flats. 6 hours with 1300 noticeable gain. The app put it at 13 miles. I saw more potholes at 54653, 54105. Some good pavement is on the return leg. This loop might benefit from having two 4wds spotted on the Midland Rd. PEAK 879 - I could see that I could easily walk the west base of the ridge I ascended to get to the north ridge of peak 879 then cut over to peak 846. That would add an hour and 500 gain and a bit steeper. Hiking in from the south would be shorter but tougher terrain and not as scenic. Posted 2021.
• WEST PEAK el 2800+ is what I call the one 1.7 miles NW of Little Maria HP. The NW ridge is easy. Drive the Palen Pass Rd to a road forking right at N33 50234, W114 56960. Go nearly 5 miles on easy 4wd to a trench that was still driveable in 2021. Drive or walk on to the end of the road at a mine el 1400 west of the peak. I walked the bank for a couple hundred feet past the mine and found an easy way down to the wash on bedrock. I went up on the far bank and had an easy walk until the bank merged with the wash. I went on up that to a drainage on the left at 54824, 57833 el 1600. That made it easy to get up to a saddle el 1850 to the right of a nipple. I then went up the ridge to a saddle on the main ridge at 55008, 57828 el 2100. I followed an easy sheep trail on the ridge to peak 767 meters and thought " there's no way sheep skirted that nasty mess". Wrong! The trail goes steadily up along the right side and into the saddle then I stayed left of center to a notch at 54737, 57167 el 2700 where I could see  the peak a fifth mile to the south. The reg is at the east end with only a few entries since 1978. From the end of the road el 1400, that took 3 hours with 1500 gain.  Recent tire tracks were at the end of the road. A WW2 pillbox is at 53896, 58576 el 1150. Posted 2021.
• LITTLE MARIA INDIAN TRAIL - this cuts across the range at saddle 479 meters, likely running from the intaglios trail to Horn Springn. Take the Lovekin exit at Blythe and go north on pavement for about 18 miles to a sign for the Standard Mine. Go west there on graded road for a bit over 7 miles to a fork at N33 49312, W114 51630 ( if blocked, you can go on to a tower and come back). Turn left on easy 4wd and go NW for 2 and a half miles to a big wash. Cross over and turn right and the trail climbs up onto the right bank of a wash at 52134, 53246 el 1300. Park 700 feet short of it and walk the right side of a hill to get at it. It runs faint to 52281, 53163 where it's easy to follow across the divide saddle and down to the flats. It enters the Palen McCoy Wilderness at that saddle. I decided to loop back by walking SE to high ground at 53305, 52088 el 1100 which led to a game trail and into a wash and up on the left bank. I got on a left bank again at 52955, 51864 el 1200 then on to the right bank of a major wash at 52596, 51771 el 1350. That bank is easy for a third mile where a minor crag blocks it. I went up near the top of it then cut left on a safe ledge and was able to stay on the right bank all the way to 52274, 52289 el 1850 where I climbed high ground between forks to get to the divide saddle el 2100. Peak 2542 looked like an easy climb to the north but I skipped it. From the saddle, I moved right to a smooth ridge down to the wash then had an easy walk on the left bank out to the flats and back to the start. 4 hours with all easy gain except for 500 to the saddle near peak 2542. This hike is 99 percent free of modern eyesores and the banks make for easy walking.  Posted 2021.
• PALEN MOUNTAINS HIGH POINT el 3848 - the north ridge is the easiest route. Walking from the Palen Pass Rd would be a 6 mile hike to the summit. Jeeps can use WW2  roads to get 2 miles closer. Take the Arlington Mine Rd to the Pattons Cabin Rd at N33 49708, W114 56032 and go west on that to a WW2 road at 48749, 58538. Go north on that and enter a major wash at 49373, 58918 and cross it to a road on the far side at 49481, 58868. Walk it first. Then go north for nearly a mile on a faint road to a minor trench blocking the way then veer left in a wash at 50229, 58973. Soon trees will force you up on the left bank then cut over to the right bank of the wash at 50395, 59060.  Proceed on to another wash at 50668, 59228 and drive that to pavement at 50753, 59319 and then it's half a mile to a rough wash blocking the way. Cycles can cross it and go on another 3/4 mile, almost to the wilderness boundary. All remaining coordinates are W115. Then walk to a major wash at N33 51192, W115 00899 and cross to the far bank. Stroll on up until the bank ends then cross over to the ascent ridge. It starts out rough so it's better to go up a drainage on the right side at 50950, 01704 el 1750. It will lead to a minor saddle el 1950 on the ridge then it's decent. The ridge will steepen and boulders will get in the way but that's cured by walking left of center. The ridge eases up and broadens at el 2600. Sheep beds cover the area as well as a few recent tracks. Go on up to the summit ridge and cross over on sheep trails to the west side at a saddle reading 50155, 02321 el 3700. Then walk level under the summit to a gully at 50065, 02362 el 3750 and go up then turn left to the reg. It took me 5 and a half hours, starting at the 310 meter line near the wilderness boundary. It's 2400 gain from the base. The drive in there is a piece of cake for serious 4 wheelers. A shovel and pocket saw would be handy.  I put GPS tracks on peakbagger.com.  Walking from the Palen Pass Rd would be the easiest drive. I saw a flattened concrete building along there at 51042, 58610 and another one a fifth mile west. Foxholes and assorted junk dot the area.  Posted 2021.
• NORTH PALEN PEAK el 905 meters is what I call the next one north of the highest peak. The NE ridge is easy. I went in the same way as for the high peak then at the rough wash I stayed north on the bank and turned west at N33 51988, W115 00080 then came to a T in about a fifth mile. I moved left a few feet to a road on the next pavement and stayed straight on that for 2/3 mile to a rock field and parked. I walked along the smooth, far right edge of a valley toward the peak then stayed on the right bank of a deep wash to get at the smoothest part of the NE ridge at 51695, 01977 el 1750. I went up to 51457, 02248 el 2600 where I could see the summit. I took an easy angle up to cross a saddle el 2650 then on to the summit el 2969. No sign of humanity. 3 hours, 20 minutes with 1400 noticeable gain. This peak is so easy it makes pie look hard. Posted 2021.
• PETER PALEN PEAK el 899 meters is 3 miles south of Palen Pass. WW2 roads can be used by jeeps to get to the east ridge.  I followed the Palen Pass Rd then turned on a sketchy WW2 road at N33 52719, W114 58771. I went toward a hill and along the north side aiming for a road at 52661, 59639 on the west bank of a major wash. A row of trees on the east bank blocked me, so I jogged north a little to find a gap thru then came down the wash to the road and took it out to deep gully outside the wilderness boundary. I walked across the gully to pavement on the far bank at N33 53027, W115 00598 el 1100. I then strolled to the ascent ridge at 53012, 01372 el 1300 where dozens of shallow foxholes stretched for half a mile. I stayed on the ridge to survey junk on the summit at 52739, 02906 el 2949. Tom Budlong left a note in a Coke can in 1999 and put the peak name on it. No one signed in since but there's no pencil. I walked off the summit on a spotty sheep trail to the south saddle then went down the canyon. At 52402, 02219 el 1600, I got on the left bank and kept drifting left and soon hit WW2 tracks and walked back on the flats and saw more foxholes. 4 hours, noticeable gain. Posted 2021.1600 
• GRANITE BENCHMARK el 4331 is the high point of the Granite Mountains. The west ridge is the easiest. Drive the Palen Pass Rd to the Packard Well road at N33 55370, W115 02418. Take that for half a mile to a hidden fork just past a white hill. Left is washed out, so stay right. Jeeps can make it to the end of the road that shows on the topo. Others might start dragging bumpers about halfway along. There's an Indian trail on the north side of peak 555 that can be walked as an alternative. I picked up the trail near the well at 56082, 04385 el 1650 and followed it to the well then on down the wash and climbed out at 56091, 04984 el 1600. I headed for the bank of a wash at 56412, 05197 el 1750 and walked up that for .4 mile then cut left over a low ridge and followed a game trail into a mega wash. I got on the left bank of that at 57079, 05538 el 2000 and when that played out I walked smooth channels on the left edge of the wash. I got up onto a point at 57872, 05631 el 2350 and walked up into a right fork on a flat bank and when it ended I cut over to a smooth ridge at 58164, 05382 el 2650. The ridge goes up with no issues until a cliff at el 3700. I walked around the left side then up to the top where tedious class 2 rock was in the way. I should have stayed low for another tenth mile where the DPS route A merges in at el 3900. That route goes on up the ridge staying left of center to 58260, 04604 el 4200 where it levels off and goes east a quarter mile to the summit. A China Lake Naval crew left a book there. I retraced back down to 58099, 04778 el 3850 which is the route A ridge. I splits just below that and the left ridge is the correct one. It goes down to point 996 but it gets rough there so at 57931, 04720 el 3350 I dropped off to the left into the canyon which is route B. I walked down that using short banks but at 57661, 04641 el 2800 I got on the right bank and that went a fur piece. I then cut over to the left bank but that's rocky. Instead, I should have got back on the right bank again as it is smooth on out to the flats. Then I just aimed for the well which is at 56061, 04655. It's a long drop to the water in it. That took 6 hours, 20 minutes and strenuous gain doesn't start until el 2600. I put a track on peakbagger.com. Posted 2021.
• MIDLAND is a ghost town abandoned by US Gypsum in 1966. A museum is set up there in a classic trailer with old photos. The paved part of the Midland Rd leads into the town. A paved road goes on west then south to the main mine where the road is blocked at a wash. I strolled on down the wash and climbed easy slopes at W33 50426, W114 48494 el 1000 to get on the south ridge of VERA BENCHMARK. I walked the ridge right of center to get past rough stuff and on to the BM el 1452. TV PEAK el 552  meters is north of town. A loop can be done. Walk along the RR grade to a washed out road at 52634, 48208 el 1200 that goes up a canyon to the main ridge. The road goes on to the north ridge of the peak then up the ridge to junk on the summit el 1811. Power poles running down the mountain have been cut down. DOT BENCHMARK is on the south ridge at 52302, 48930 el 1714 then it's just a matter of picking a route down to town. These hikes are less than half a day. The RR grade connecting Midland to Blythe has been converted to a road. I road my cycle south from Midland and only had to bypass 2 or 3 trestles. The grade is blocked just before it crosses the Midland Rd but there is a dirt road going uphill to connect thru. The grade is good for mtn bikes. I also rode north on it over the pass and turned back at a bad trestle out in the flats. Posted 2021.

 

North ridges of Palen high point