North Turtle Mountains Indian Trails

The Coffin Sprng Indian trail

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• Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob.
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  MOHAWK TO MOPAH TRAIL- the Indians had an easy 17 mile route connecting Mohawk Spring to Mopah Spring. Some segments survive. Turn off US 95 at mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. 2wd trucks might make all but the last half mile. Leave a vehicle there then take US 95 to Turtle Mtn Road at mp 35.7. Go west on that easy 4wd road for  about 11 miles in a straight line then BLM road #477 forks to the left. Take #477 and keep going SW nearly 3 miles to Lost Arch Mine camp area, aka Lisa Dawn Camp. There is one shaded table and grill, no outhouse. The trail to the spring is 250 feet west of the table. It goes up on the right side of a drainage  thru a saddle a quarter mile SW of the camp area. Another trail is on the left of the drainage but is longer. Both trails soon merge into one and go on past Mohawk Spring which never has water and into a valley and starts up into a minor saddle at N34 25549, W114 51471. It goes down the other side to the valley floor and fades out. The terrain is easy so I just  got on the high ground at 25044, 51331 and then on to 23881, 50633 where the trail runs faint on the south bank of a wash. I walked it across a sharp gully at 23709, 50862. Then on to 23559, 51041 and then on to a saddle where the trail is visible at 23016, 51523. It goes into a main wash where a vertical slab at has some minor petroglyphs. I had a snack there and a hummingbird stared at me the whole time. He might be an "attack hummingbird" possessed by the Indian spirits to guard against vandalism. I stayed in the main wash then took a left fork at 22187, 51185 and followed that to 21904, 50852 where I went up a ridge between forks. I stayed right around a bump and resumed on the ridge behind the bump and on to a saddle at 21682, 50516. I followed the low ground to the next trail segment at 21401, 50176. That soon faded then the next segment is at 20842, 49414 ( a peculiar pipe is along that stretch at 21204, 49827 then another trail segment at 21100, 496730). Someone has been helping out with cairns until that point, but didn't stop for lack of rocks. The trail goes into a canyon then fades but the route goes to a saddle at 20429, 49232. A boulder with petroglyphs is  before the saddle. From the saddle, a good trail goes left and uphill a little to get to an easy ridge down to the wash in Vidal Valley, but the Indians were trying to trick me. It's much easier to walk level out of the saddle on a game trail running on the right bank that merges with the rim then down to the main wash. I stayed in the wash to 19133, 48106 where habitation sites are at a cliff on the right bank. The trail can be seen again at 18993, 47883 where it goes 300 feet back into the wash. The next trail is on the left bank at 18683, 47500. It goes on to 18677, 47196 then goes thru the saddle west of Mopah Spring. It follows along the left bank to the spring then stays on the left bank and drops to the wash a quarter mile past the spring. It goes up on the right bank at 19404, 45319 and stays far right for a third mile then crosses to the left bank then back to the right. The last trail is on the left bank at 19773, 44236 and goes to an airstrip then fades, but it's only half a mile to the south TH. That took me 8 hours, 5 minutes with no strenuous gain. The app had it at 19 miles.  I saw no water until Mopah Spring in spite of a big rain two days earlier. I found running water on the Bolson Peak hike that I detailed on the 2015 page. That would work for backpackers but not guaranteed. That's a worthy side trip anyway. In 6 or 7 hours, I could haul a backpack and set up camp west of Mopah Spring then go over the hump for water and resume down the southern trail to highway 62. The scenery hasn't changed much since the Indians were here but OHVs are moving in. Posted 2019, 2021.
• COFFIN SPRING LOOP - the same trail as above can be used for a long but easy loop around the mega crags. Follow that route to the high ground at N34 25044, W114 51331. Watch your step because some rocks along here have been arranged. Be careful not to disturb anything. Keep going to a trail over the main saddle at 23849, 49948. A minor cave there had sheep tracks. The trail goes up into the saddle then splits, take the lower one down to the floor. Coffin Spring is at  23711, 48755 el 2500 but I skipped it this trip. Walk on down the easy main wash and exit left on a closed road at 24785, 48773 that goes to the Coffin Spring TH. Or, as I prefer, use an Indian trail just before that where it goes thru a saddle at 24542, 49018 (another trail goes thru the next saddle but leads into rocks) and goes down the other side on the left side of a drainage to a main wash. It goes along the far bank of that wash and goes down to smooth ground at 25527, 49224 then a fifth mile to the legal road then walk to the next fork and go left back to the start.  That took 4 and a half hours and not any strenuous gain. A trail can be seen along the road on the drive out at 27055, 49878. That seems to connect Mohawk Spring to the river. Posted March, 2019.
• COFFIN SPRING TRAIL SOUTH - the Indians had a rough route from that spring to Mopah Spring. Take US 95 to Turtle Mtn Road at mp 35.7. Go west on that easy 4wd road for  about 11 miles in a straight line then BLM road #477 forks to the left. Take that for about a mile to Browns Camp road #480 forking left. That's a rough road, so stay right on #477 and then left at main forks to the Coffin  Spring TH at a closed fork reading N34 25474, W114 48931 el 1900. But you can keep going on the legal road another 800 feet and park. Hike up the closed fork. It will soon enter a major wash and vanish. I went up the wash until cliffs on my right ended then up to the trail at 23432, 49238 el 2850. I walked up it along a cliff base to the main saddle el 3100. The trail exits the saddle to the left then crosses a minor drainage at 23226, 49081 el 3100 then starts dropping off the rim at 23143, 49092 el 3150. I followed it to 23019, 49090 el 3100 and it soon faded. But the Indians must have gone down a ridge at 22734, 49139 el 2900. I walked it down then near the bottom stayed on the rim of the drainage to my left. At the main creekbed el 2600,I used a  trail on the left bank a short way then dropped into a minor narrows. It was easy on down to a minor fall with bathtub size potholes in bedrock. Just below that I used the left bank but the wash might be just as easy. At the flats, I turned west up Gary Wash to high ground at 21764, 50588 el 2500 and followed it over a divide el 2550. Then I just followed the wash down the other side to a trail again at 22778, 51566. I walked that over a saddle at 23004, 51526 then on to  23220, 51300 then 23392, 51144 then to a canyon at 23748, 50820. I went a quarter mile up the canyon and got on the left rim and followed it to a trail over the main saddle at 23849, 49948.  The trail goes up into the saddle then splits to the right,  the lower one being the route down to the floor then I retraced back out. That took 7 hours with about 1000 feet of noticeable gain. Posted 2020.

Lisa Dawn Camp

Flower hotspot near the TH

The first valley heading toward Bolson Peak

Looking back at the crags around Coffin Spring

The trail cutting across the head of Gary Wash

Habitation sites are along the way. This is an unfurnished duplex.

Turtle Mountains Indian Trail Backpack

Any hikers interested in a guided tour of these trails can find me on Facebook as Nevada Bob. The Indians walked from the river to Mopah Spring then on to Horn Spring then to a spring near Black Ridge that I call Last Spring. The route can be followed now but the trail is gone in places. A one way hike ending at highway 62 is 20+ miles, making for a long dayhike. But it's easy to set up a cache near the midway point for a 2 day backpack. Or stash a backpack at the cache and carry a day pack for the first day. Plot this at caltopo before attempting it. It's not a bad idea to set up a cache even for a dayhike, in case you screw up somehow. And don't build any eyesore fire rings. Remember, the Indian spirits are watching. Don't piss'em off. Take good care of their trail. It's the best one I know of.

The trail enters Mopah Spring canyon.

Mopah Peak. Lynne Foster's book says an Indian first climbed it in the 19th century.

Just before Mopah Spring

Palms at the spring

I've never seen it dry. I was there just before and after a big rain. There was no change.

The trail enters Vidal Valley.

It runs by Castle Rock.

Then past Horn Spring and over rocky hills.

The final leg goes thru a gap west of Black Ridge.

Last Spring

• DAY 1 -   To set up a cache, take highway 62 to mp 117.7 and go north a short way to the north side of the canal. From there, take the leftmost fork (not the canal road) and go nearly 7 miles on easy 4wd to a rocky hill on the left side of the road at the wilderness boundary. Walk along the south side of the hill and eventually into a wash and go at least a mile to get close to a pothole at N34 11328, W114 46404. It had half a bathtub of water from rain a week earlier, but can't be counted on. I left a backpack with water in it and had the pothole as extra if I needed it.  To fill the day, a loop hike can be done over May Benchmark. Get on the high ground on the east side of the pothole and walk north a half mile to the mouth of Horn Spring canyon and meet the closed road. Stay on the road to Horn Spring and then on to the Virginia May Mine, or use a mine trail on the right bank at the spring reading 12505, 47376 el 2050 and walk that for a third of an air mile to where it crosses to the left bank el 2150 then up to 12526, 47842 el 2300 where it goes up a flat bank and meets the road at el 2400. It's best to walk the road from there to nearly the end then get on a trail at 12226, 48045 el 2700. Walk that for .15 air mile to a saddle el 2750 next to a large cairn where the peak is in view. Walk level out of the saddle toward the peak on a faint trail and it merges on to the main ridge then it's obvious how to walk the ridge until an ugly peak gets in the way a third mile before the BM. I could see a high saddle on the left of that peak, so I went left of center to get in the first gully then up that to cliffs then along the base of the cliffs to the saddle at 11825, 47366 el 2750. I was forced to trend uphill staying left of center to get back on the ridgetop, but was nearly on top of the ugly peak. Then the rest was obvious to the reg at 11667, 47202. Placed by Carey and Adrian in 1997, no one else had signed in. I wanted to descend the south ridge, but couldn't see down it so I used the canyon on the west side of it. I looked back up and could see that the ridge would work after all. Upon hitting the wash at the bottom, I went down that a fifth mile then got out and walked the base of the peak into the smooth wash that has the pothole.  That whole loop took 5 and a half hours with around 1500 gain and hardly any steep. Just stashing the pack would take 1 hour. One easier loop would be to go as far as the Virginia May Mine then return down the south canyon. I saw a trail going down into it.
• DAY 2/3 - Leave a vehicle north of highway 62 on the canal dike road SE of Rice BM. The road in leaves the highway a half mile east of Rice and is good except for one sandy crossing.  Then drive 30 miles and turn off US 95 at mp 21.9 and follow BLM road #634 to the closure in a bit over 4 miles. 2wd trucks might make all but the last half mile, cars could go a mile or more and mtn bikes could do it all.  Head across the flats to the trail at N34  19953, W114 43928. Soon it meets an airstrip then resumes at the far end. It goes along the bench then drops into the wash. A fifth mile up the wash is where it gets easy to walk the left bank.  It resumes on the right at 19470, 44740 and goes a fifth mile then crosses to the left side. It goes along the base of the slope for over a third mile then back into the wash. Go on up the wash to 18981, 46314 where the trail goes up the right bank.  It goes to the spring in a quarter mile. The trail goes on from the spring on the right bank to the main saddle then goes down on the right side of a drainage. At 18500, 47165 it bends away to the left and hits a mega wash. Walk down the wash past a pothole at 17443, 46482 that had about half a bathtub of water. The trail appears again at 16446, 46177. I stayed in the mega wash until a half mile from it. It's spotty and goes on to 15808, 46062 then at 15457, 46020 it goes into a broad saddle. It goes down the other side on the right bank of a wash, but it's dippy and it's easier to walk the wash then hit the trail at 14913, 45962. It goes on to 14475, 45897 where it will cross a big wash and resume on the other side at 14260, 45856. Next is 13986, 45913 then crosses a road then 13647, 45924 then 13335, 45943  then 13101, 45990.  At 12441, 46261 it drops into a wash. It goes upstream a few feet then resumes on the left bank and is easy to see again but it goes to Horn Spring, so get off the trail and walk the base to the mouth of Horn Spring canyon. A faint branch trail runs along here. The main trail resumes at the south side of the mouth and goes down to the cache at the pothole (11328, 46404) then goes to 11102, 46432 where it goes up over a saddle and down the other side into a wash. Stay in the wash and get on the right bank at 10555, 46755 and go with the flow and aim for high ground at 10271, 47191 where there are two choices but no trail. It would be shorter to head straight across deep gullies to the trail, but easier to stay on the high ground and go west half mile to skirt the gullies then follow an old road down to 09929, 47524 and cross a wash then just walk to the trail again at 08896, 47441 where it dips into a wash. Go up the wash a tenth mile to a fork and the trail goes up between the forks then to the rim at Last Spring reading 08515, 48053. All potholes were bone dry. A sketchy road runs south from the spring on the west bank. Walk it to 07706, 47557 then to a wash at 06927, 47508 then to the dike. Posted 2019, 2025
• TIME - it took 90 minutes to get to Mopah Spring and another 4 and a half hours to the mouth of Horn Spring canyon. Then 3 hours to Last Spring and nearly 2 more to the canal. I could do it in one day but might not enjoy it so much. There is hardly any strenuous gain. I'll shorten the time on the next trip in 2020.
• WATER  - Mopah Spring had a pool 3 feet across and nearly a foot deep, no running water. I've never seen it dry up. The next pothole at 17443, 46482 is sunny and the cache pothole is shaded. Both had half a bathtub of water from rain a week earlier. The well at Horn Spring reading  12493, 47315 el 2000 is a 2 mile side trip. It's 10 feet or so down to the water, but who knows what's in there? Dead rodents? I'd drink it in a pinch. I've never seen water at Last Spring, but holes there should have water for a couple of days after a rain, but who can time that? There are also potholes in the vicinity of 10189, 47775 that were dry that day. Posted 2019.

McCoy Mountains

Bluebird Mine

Rock was blasted out then sealant applied.

A frontage road with power lines along I-10 accesses the southern part of the range. It starts at the Wiley Well exit and runs east to exit 232. In between,  road #1081 goes thru a gap in the I-10 fence at N33 36621, W114 49470. That's dangerous for eastbound drivers and likely not legal. They should proceed to exit 232 and come back. The frontage road is generally easy but has sandy spots. The north side is accessed using the Lovekin exit at Blythe and following pavement north. The west side is largely blocked by wilderness. Posted 2019.

• PEAK 721 meters dominates the southern end. The south ridge is easy. Use the frontage road to get to N33 36791, W114 50700 where a road goes north up a channel. But take the one running parallel to the right of it and it will pull away and go nearly 2 miles to old cars. A rough crossing is there then 3 forks on the far bank. Take the middle one reading 38316, 50299 and go half a mile to another fork el 600. Take the one going up the hill and follow the road north to the end where it makes a loop. Cut left into a canyon and go up a bedrock gully at 39294, 50650 el 1000. Go up to 39430, 50808 el 1500 where the rest to the main saddle and up to the summit is obvious. The reg is at 39785, 50569 el 2365. Placed by M&L in 1979, Bob Burd came in 2015 and that's it. 3 hours, 1800 gain from the fork at the hill with hardly anything steep. The roads are mtn bikeable. The SW ridge could be an alternate route but it's rough. Posted 2019.
• McCOY PEAK is next to I-10. Exit at Wiley Well Rd. Go left around the rest area and around the west end of a dike then east behind the dike keeping right of a kiosk and dunes. Soon the road goes left across a wash to a power line road. Go right on the power line road for a few feet then take a left and go a mile to a hidden road at N33 37571, W114 53377. This hidden road is just before a stone house. Go east for half a mile to a T at a post. Now go left. In about a mile the road swings to the right across a wash and on toward the peak. The road ends at a canyon west of the peak. Hike up the old track at 38777, 51918 then canyon to a right fork at 38890, 51576. Go up that to the ridge then go right keeping left of a bump. Climb up and around to the north side of the summit block and go up into a notch at 38971, 51200 then right to the top el 2000+. 3hrs, 1300 gain. All roads easy 4wd as of 2013.
• PEAK 409 meters is a twin summit east of McCoy Peak. A mine road goes nearly all the way up. Use the frontage road to get to road #1081 at N33 36790, W114 49473. Go north on that for half a mile and stay left at a main fork and go to the mine road at 38330, 49672 el 700. Walk it a fifth mile then it switches back then stay on that trajectory and it ends at the bottom of the 0 on 407 shown on the topo. It's a short walk to the saddle between the summits. 75 minutes, 700 gain. PEAK 433 is in view to the east with a tower on it. Use the frontage road to get to 36782, 47492 then drive north for 2 miles to a saddle with a gate el 750. Walk up to the tower el 1300 then up the ridge to the peak at 38446, 47761 el 1421. 1 hour, 700 gain. An Indian trail cuts thru the saddle. I walked it east down the canyon. It's on the south side at first then goes to the north side at the bottom. I followed it thru a saddle at 38209, 46957 el 650 then on to the flats where it fades. That's the longest stretch of unmolested trail I've found for that trail. It looks like a million Indians went thru there. It starts at the river and cuts thru the Big Maria Mtns then goes around the south side of the McCoy Mtns to the spring. Another branch of the trail cuts thru a saddle to the south. It can be seen crossing the road a half mile before the gate. These roads are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. Posted 2019.
• McCOY MOUNTAIN el 2828 is the highest peak. An old coot route goes up the NE ridge. Exit I-10 at exit 232. Get on the paved north side frontage road and go west a mile and a half to a sign for Dracker Rd. Go north on pavement for 5 and a half miles to a gate blocking the road at a solar site. Go west then north along the fence to a faint road at N33 42357, W114 46594. Keep going on the road to a faint track on the left at 42581, 48991, which is just before a deep gully. Take that for a mile to a T el 850 at the base of the range then walk to 41874, 50309 el 1200 and start zigzagging up the ridge. A shelf near the top at 41448, 50718 skirts under crags then the reg is at 41360, 50674. 4 hours, 2000 gain, not very steep. The 5+ miles of dirt road are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. Drive back the same way to avoid rocks and gullies. RV camp areas are along Dracker Rd, the best being 2 and a half miles in from the frontage road at a sign for Rose Way. Take plenty of extension cord to plug into the solar site. Posted 2019.
• BLUEBIRD PEAKPEAK el 812 meters is what I call the northernmost of the 800+ meter peaks. A mine trail goes to the south saddle el 2200. 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 main fork. Go west for 3 and a half miles to another fork and stay right. Now just follow major roads that circle around the north tip of the range to a canyon on the west side with cabins. The last turnaround is a foundation with plenty of nails at N33 47911, W114 56183 el 1050. Walk on up the washed out road to a mine at the end with a winch still intact. Just above is the trail angling up left to right reading 47983, 55719 el 1750.  It goes up with no major switches and tops out at the saddle reading 47828, 55376 el 2200. Now it's just a class 2 ridge up to the reg at 47944, 55355 el 2664. Another trail can be seen in the canyon to the south for a loop back. Retrace to the saddle and go left on the trail a short way to a minor tunnel then drop down the canyon on decent terrain. Trail fragments start showing up on the left bank around the 1600 level then the route goes over to the right bank. At 47605, 55468 el 1450 the trail becomes obvious and soon cuts over to the left bank then back to the right bank at the mouth. It's an easy stroll on down past a rock dwelling then a trail goes thru a gap to get back to the start. That took me 3 hours, 11 minutes with 1600 gain. The 8+ miles of unmaintained road are mtn bikeable and easy for 4wds. The main high trail goes on past the saddle el 2200 and crosses a ridge at 47833, 55089 el 2500. It then drops down the other side to el 2300 and seems to end. A lot of turquoise rock is along the trail and some boring mines. Posted 2019, 2021.
• PEAK 2710 ( Alzheimers Peak ) is 3 and a half miles SE of St Johns Mine. It's one of the elite 800+ meter peaks. The long canyon from the mine is an  easy route. 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 main fork. Go left for 50 feet then left again on a crude road hooking back to the south. Follow it 3.3 miles to the bank el 1100 of the long canyon. It's easy 4wd but for one crossing at the last half mile. Walk up the wash a fifth mile then get on the left bank and pass under the mine. The left bank works intermittently but be on it again at N33 45345, W114 54326. Soon there is a trench to cross so drop back to the main wash and come up the trench a few feet to get back up and then a second trench can be crossed at 45013, 53944. That will play out then get on the left bank again at 44686, 53831 and next get on the right bank for the first time at 44555, 53382. The peak is in view and it's best to go up the west side. I circled to the south side but had to deal with crags. The reg, at 44450, 52395, was placed by M&L in 1985. No surprise there, but the only other entry was a stunner. It was my name from 2009. What? I have no recollection whatsoever. I must have come up the east side to the south saddle. It's easy to walk north for a fifth mile from the reg staying mostly left of center to the first major saddle el 2400. I wanted a loop back along the base, so I descended east down from there to a gully at 44616, 52451 el 2200 then dropped to the left down that. The canyon eases up and it's easy to walk the left bank to a ghost road at the mouth. It might be best to use the road, but I shortcutted across the flats to a trench crossing at 45398, 51622 then drifted right and hit the road. It runs north along the base then starts curving east, and I should have got off it there and went staight to the next trench crossing at 46173, 52331. Then there's one more easier gully to cross on the way to the point then cross a gully at 46859, 52452 and then the last trench crossing is at 47087, 53509. That took me 7 hours, 20 minutes and 800 feet up the peak plus several trench crossings is the only strenuous gain. But that will come in under 7 hours next time because I know the route. It's hard to find a pristine canyon as big as this. And a lot of good pavement too. It rained 2 days earlier but I saw no water. A drill pipe at 44781, 53843 and cairns are the only human impact I saw in the canyon. PEAK 817 meters is the next one south and the north ridge looked easy. I didn't do it (I don't remember doing it), but my route up the south side of peak 2710 gave me a view. Stay in the long canyon and use the right bank at 44402, 52963 then cut over to the right bank of a left fork at 44294, 52840. In a fifth mile up that fork it opens up on the east side of peak 616 with easy ground to the north ridge. I betcha there's a reg on that one too. Posted 2019. SHORT VERSION - an easier loop can be done by skipping the peak. Leave the long canyon at 44621, 53452 el 1650 and walk along the bank of a side canyon to 44902, 53254  el 1750 where a route up a gully to the east goes to a saddle el 2150 on the crest. Then walk south on the crest on a faint trail to 44912, 52968 where an easy ridge goes down. At a major saddle el 1400, drop off the ridge to the right and walk smooth ground to a point where it's easy to drop off the left side and cross the main wash. Keep going to a ghost road that leads to a T. I decided to circle way out into the flats on easier ground and it took me an hour to get to the point, which is an air mile and half away. The more direct route might save 15 minutes but is rougher. I went to 45621, 51590 then 46178, 51354 and then went north a third mile where I could turn back toward the start and go with the flow of the gullies. I went to 46625, 51813 then crossed a gully at 46648, 52038 then another at 46859, 52452 and then on to The Trench (which is skippable) near the start at 47087, 53509.  I went down that for 250 feet to a pothole with a minor class 3 drop. It had the only water I've ever seen in the range. Miners used it. It's a fifth mile down to an exit then a short walk to the start. That took me 5 and a half hours with 300 feet of strenuous gain. It's just a long, easy stroll in a wild place and the best pavement I've ever been on. Posted 2019.
• BLUEBIRD MINE - This hike starts at the same spot as the peak 2710 hike.  Walk to an old road at N33 47364, W114 54388 el 1250 and go up to rock dwellings where the road crosses a deep gully, but a trail on the right bank is more appealing.  It goes a third mile and fades where the mine is in view. Walk on up toward the mine and meet the road again and the trail  goes up the right bank there. It will cross to the left bank and stay there to the mine el 1950. A dam and a long tunnel with rails are there. 2 hours, 500 noticeable gain. St JOHNS MINE - the trail starts at 47117, 54140 el 1200 and gains 250 feet to the tunnel. Short hike. Posted 2019. THE TRENCH is nearby also. Walk to 47263, 53431 el 1100 and drop in. It's a fifth mile up to a minor class 3 fall and pothole then a trail exits to the right just past that. That pothole had the only water I've ever seen in the range. Posted 2019.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Residents at The Trench

  
  

  

  The Trench

  
  

  

  1996 map

  

  Compressor and dump truck on the Bluebird Peak hike.

  
  

  

  Mine on the Bluebird Peak hike.

  
  
  

Trigo Mountains Wilderness

Needles Eye and Bobbin in the background

White Rock Canyon

First rappel in Bridge Canyon

• A west side road accesses the area. Use the exit for highway 78 west of Blythe. Go south, no turns, and cross a river bridge where the road becomes River Rd. It goes 8 more miles to the end of pavement where RVs can camp with TV and VZ signals. A graded road continues south another 7 miles then it's 4wd on thru to Yuma. Another way in is a graded road at mp 77.5 on highway 78 just south of Palo Verde. Many peaks on this page are in the Yuma Proving Ground. The policy in effect seems to be "don't ask, don't tell", but the Army isn't liable if anything goes wrong. OHVs penetrate miles into it and hunters are legally allowed in. The peaks are in good condition but burros have trashed everything else to varying degrees. A wilderness it ain't. Posted 2019.
• MOHAVE PEAK el 2768 is the high point of the Trigo Mtns and well inside the YPG. The west canyon on the south side of peak 2195 is easy then the SW side works for the summit block. The best approach I found is a well used jeep road running thru Crazy Woman Wash from the NW. I saw two jeeps and two ATVs on it. They said they ride thru there all the time. A 4wd road goes to it from the Cibola dump, but a much better road starts at mp 6.1 on River Rd. Go 5 miles on it to a T then go left on a wide road for .4 mile then go right for a fifth mile to N33 20607, W114 34819 which is where the sign is for the YPG, which everybody ignores. The road goes on another mile and a half then enters the wash at 20643, 33662 el 750 where rocky patches slow things down. It's easy 4wd that far but would be 8 miles to the peak. There's nothing to stop a jeep going all the way thru and then they apparently turn north to the public road cuttting across the YPG, but I didn't go that way. Parking at the YPG boundary would mean a 9 or 10 mile hike one way. Backpackers would find water at the Louie Coor guzzler reading 19188, 31777. It had fish in it. The biggest pool I saw was at 17645, 31780 and 3 feet deep. More smaller ones were just past it. A parallel canyon had a big pothole at 18591, 32108. That canyon could work as a return route, but has rocky stretches. The west canyon had bathtub size pools starting at 16588, 30109 and burros can't get to those. Another approach is the Black Diamond Mine road. It's closed at the wilderness boundary at el 750 but signs are long gone and everybody keeps driving. Jeep tracks go all the way to Lopez Wash. I saw potholes on that route, the best one at 14878, 31729 because it's hard for burros to get at. A grand loop could be done up Crazy Woman and out Lopez. I would drink any of the water after filtering, but it had rained two weeks earlier. Christmas or Thanksgiving would be good times to go when there's nothing going on. The reg was placed in 1993 by a Sierra Club group. It had six entries since. Posted 2019.
• CRAZY WOMAN PEAK el 2007 is what I call the crag peak on the north side of Crazy Woman Wash. Use an easy 4wd road at mp 6.1 on River Rd. It follows an Indian trail that is still visible despite the burro onslaught. Go 5 miles on it to a T then go left on a wide road for .4 mile then go right for a fifth mile to the sign for the YPG, which everybody ignores. The road goes on another mile and a half then enters the wash next to the Indian trail. Walk from there to a flat at N33 20764, W114 33445 el 750 then on to the bank of a wash at 20881, 33208 el 800. Walk that into a canyon then go up to class 3 rock at 20936, 32141 el 1200. Climb up that to get into a bedrock gully and go up to the NE saddle at 20786, 32000 el 1800. An obvious class 3 route goes up to the summit cairn but has one exposed move. Take a 20 foot line for the squeamish. Sheep go up, how hard can it be? 4 hours with 1000 noticeable gain. For an alternate descent, the south canyon has huge potholes up to swimming pool size. Aim for the canyon at 20382, 31831 el 900 then walk downstream past the potholes back to the start. I found the potholes on a separate hike. The wide road goes to Cibola but has bad crossings. The Indians were likely walking to Mohave Tanks. I've seen grinding holes there. Posted 2019.
• BOBBIN PEAK el 2562 is north of Needles Eye Peak. Take River Rd to mp 7.1 and turn on easy 4wd reading N33 18758, W114 39707 el 250. Go 4 and a half miles, keeping right at a tricky fork along the way, and go left up a wash at 18999, 35240 el 700. Mtn bikes could make it that far. Go half a mile up the wash where a slide blocks vehicles. The route up is obvious, the following waypoints are for hikers who might want to do it in a blizzard. Walk on up the wash and go left on a trail at 18777, 34578 el 800 and stay on the low ground to a sheep route at 18803, 33908 el 1050 that runs on a shelf along the base of a cliff. A bee hive was about 2 or 300 feet further along at the base, so it might be better to stay low to get past it. Just follow the shelf along the cliffs to the north saddle el 2150 then go up the ridge until it gets ugly then angle to the right up to 18639, 33427 el 2400 and on to the reg at 18606, 33383. That took us 3 and a half hours with 1500 noticeable gain. The bees didn't strike until the descent, but I was wearing yellow by then. I got two stings, but I've had worse mosquito bites. These are wuss bees. The road goes on to the Hart Mine then on to the Black Diamond Mine road, but there are many sharp dips. Posted 2019.
• HART MINE ROAD - this good road starts at the end of pavement on River Rd. It goes 3 miles to a large quarry, not the Hart Mine shown on the topo. Then a 4wd road cuts over to the Black Diamond Mine road. Posted 2019.
• NEEDLES EYE PEAK el 2539 is what I call the Chocolate Benchmark. It's the most dramatic peak in the area. Go south on River Rd for about a mile south of the end of pavement to a main fork. Go left on graded road for 2.3 miles then go left 1.3 miles to a main wash. Go 2.2 miles to the end of the legal road and walk up a left fork near there reading N33 16322, W114 35365 el 750. After a fifth mile there are potholes and a trail on the left bank bypasses them. Go on to a left fork at 16347, 34891 el 850 and on toward the peak and climb out on the right at a fall 16436, 34402 el 950. Keep going along the main creekbed using the right bank to bypass an occasional fall or boulder jam but stay near the creekbed. The canyon goes parabolic and tops out at a flat el 1750 a half mile south of the peak. Go left toward the peak keeping right of a crag. Go behind the crag to a saddle el 2100 then another saddle at 16554, 33792 el 2200. Drop a little and walk to the SE saddle of the peak to an easy class 3 chute at 16705, 33763 el 2300 then go up to the peak 16763, 33793. The final block has some more class 3. M&L placed a reg in 1981. No one had signed in since my visit in 2008.  5 hrs,1800 gain. 2wds and mtn bikers would have a 7 hour hike. Backpackers could use the potholes at 16342, 35151 el 750. They run for a tenth mile and up to 3 feet deep. They looked OK but floods will send burro poop into them. Burro impact was light but that can change. Posted 2019. PEAK 1744 can be hiked from the same parking area. Use a trail at 16359, 35522 el 750 that starts up a canyon. Stay in the main canyon past huge potholes as it circles to a saddle at 16169, 35686 el 1050. Then go directly up on steep bedrock and a faint sheep trail to a gully at 16158, 35818 el 1400. Go up that to the crest at 16186, 35869 el 1500 then it's just a stroll for a fifth mile NW to the reg. Placed in 1999, it had no entries since. 2 hours with 800 noticeable gain. All the bedrock makes this a pleasant hike. One of the big pothholes at 16261, 35492 el 850 is inaccessible to burros, though they rarely visit the canyon anyway. Posted 2019. PEAK 2020 is to the south. Walk the jeep road which is running along the east bank. At the next side canyon, get on the high right bank at 15965, 35212 el 800. The bank ends in a tenth mile then a constructed trail goes on a fifth mile to a big waterhole that burros can't get at. Walk past it on the left then up canyon to a right fork at 15717, 34662 el 900. Go up that to the valley at the foot of the peak. Only one easy route is in view and it's up the SW ridge. I went thru a saddle at 14844, 33947 el 1300 then up to an obvious saddle el 1500 on the SW ridge. There are no big dips on the ridge all the way to the reg at 15028, 33707 with no entries since 1999. Surveyor junk is past it. 4 hours, 800 noticeable gain. Posted 2019.
• BLACK DIAMOND PEAK el 1920, next to the Black Diamond Mine, is what I call the high point of the wilderness. A class 3 gully goes up the west side. Go south on River Rd for 2 and a half miles beyond pavement to where the road bends right. Stay straight on easy 4wd for .6 mile to a mega wash reading N33 15519, W114 39552. Go 2 miles up the easy wash, staying right at forks, to a fall at the end of the road el 350. We climbed the fall just to prove that we're men, but there's a trail at 15314, 37814 on the south bank that's faster. Keep going east on the low ground past a peak with a double eye then next is a crag. Follow a trail along the left side of it in a wash and go on using trails to a minor saddle at 14847, 37169 el 650. Go thru on a trail then up a fork at 14804, 37004 el 650 that goes over a saddle el 750 into another canyon to the south. I call that Bridge Canyon. Burro impact is almost nonexistent by this time, and you'll start to think you're in a real wilderness. 5 minutes downstream is a major fall with a bridge. But go upstream and stay right at main forks to the end at a saddle on the west ridge reading 14408, 36193 el 1200. Go up the ridge using bedrock to the right of center all the way to cliffs blocking the way at the summit block. Go left along the base on faint trails to a palo verde tree at the final gully reading 14613, 35902 el 1700. A minor fall blocks the gully, but 50 feet beyond the tree are at least two class 3 chutes to get above the fall then it's simple to go up to the cairn at 14643, 35873. That took us 5 hours with nearly 1000 feet of strenuous gain, but no backsliding. It would only add an hour to rappel back down Bridge Canyon. The canyon has some potholes upstream from the technical section, the biggest was bathtub size at 14663, 36714 el 750 and no sign of burros ever, but occasional burros have been upstream of it. Vic Hanson posted a GPS track on peakbagger.com, but it doesn't show the best trail I found later. Posted 2019.
• BRIDGE CANYON RAPPELS - three fun rappels are in a short section of the canyon. They're not quite vertical and have easy launches and good anchors. Start at the same parking spot as the Black Diamond Peak hike and use the same trail at N33 15314, W114 37814 on the south bank. Keep going east on the low ground past a peak with a double eye then next is a crag. Follow a trail along the left side of it in a wash and go on using trails to a minor saddle at 14847, 37169 el 650. Go thru on a trail then up a fork at 14804, 37004 el 650 that goes over a saddle el 750 into Bridge Canyon. Walk down the creekbed for 5 minutes to the first drop. It's 90 feet with an anchor 25 feet back. A bridge is at the bottom. An escape route heads up the south rim there. The next 2 drops are shorter then some class 3 is next to get down to the bottom. Soon there is a trail on the left bank. Use that to get to another trail on the left bank of a side draw at 14604, 37279 el 500. Follow that up over a low saddle el 650 and it joins the approach route then retrace back to the start. That took me less than 3 hours with 4 or 500 feet of noticeable gain, not steep. I used a 200 foot rope and a pull cord and about 20 feet of webbing. I ran out of webbing at the last drop and used pull cord. A 150 foot rope and pull cord with 25 feet of webbing should do it. Using a 200 foot rope doubled over would mean using a scary horn at the lip of the big fall, or extending the anchor I used but that would be an eyesore. It would be hard to get trapped in this canyon. Posted 2019.
• WHITE ROCK CANYON is what I call an interesting canyon on the west slope. A loop can be done starting in the same mega wash where the Black Diamond Peak hike starts. Drive that route until the last mile then walk up a fork at N33 15559, W114 38484 el 300. Go up canyon to a trail at 15631, 37173 el 600 that goes up a left fork. In a tenth mile it goes over a saddle el 650 then goes down on the left side of the drainage and hits bottom. Walk on down canyon and get on the right bank at 16175, 38038 el 400. In another tenth mile there is a shallow narrows that runs for a quarter mile. Walk thru it for a thrill then there is a shorter one at 16128, 38460 el 350. Now just walk south over a bench to a trail at 15766, 38387 el 350 that goes back into the starting wash. That took 2 hours and nothing steep. A corpse could do this hike. Don't be suprised to see me on it when I'm dead. Posted 2019.
• LOPEZ WASH cuts a deep gorge thru the wilderness. Various loops can be done. Drive south on River Rd for nearly 7 miles from the end of pavement to where the graded road ends. Keep going on a crude road for 1.3 miles to a fork at a kiosk. Go left for 1.4 miles and park on the west bank of the wash reading N33 13035, W114 38404 el 400. Mtn bikes can make it. Drop down on a trail and walk down the wash and exit on a trail at 13374, 38319 then go north a third mile to another wash. Get on the left bank at 13760, 37971 and go east toward a mine road going up a minor ridge. Follow that road as it winds thru rugged terrain and ends at a boring mine. Walk a 100 feet more to a rubbly gully and go down that to the canyon floor. We  then went up the other side of the canyon on a trail and on thru the main saddle at 13739, 35689 el 850 and down the wash to a minor fall. A class 3 ledge goes down the right side of the fall then it's a short walk to Lopez Wash. But for the mines, don't go down. Instead, go left to a tunnel at 13128, 35524. It has ladders and skylights. Follow a road down from there to Lopez Wash. The next tunnel is on the right bank at 13036, 35517 with some wooden chutes in it. On the opposite bank is a wench and trail going up the drainage to a huge tunnel. A shaft in that one has a wooden cover. Follow the wash back to the start. One more peculiar mine ruin is on the right wall way downstream. That took us 5 hours, 20 minutes with hardly any strenous gain. Someone cut the refuge fence making it possible to drive into Lopez Wash. The wash is soft gravel and burros keep it that way. The road goes on down the west rim of the wash to a washout at 13790, 39459, but there's another road where someone cut the refuge fence making it possible to drive into Lopez Wash. Posted 2019.
• COXCOMB MINES are south of Lopez Wash. Drive south on River Rd for nearly 7 miles from the end of pavement to where the graded road ends. Keep going on a crude road for 1.3 miles to a fork at a kiosk. Go left for a mile to a T then go right for a fifth mile and park at a bad spot el 400. Walk south down the road to a major wash and go up that to a road on the left bank at N33 11896, W114 36740 el 600. The road goes to the mine area with a camp at 12227, 36650 el 650. A winch is at 12404, 36705 el 750. A high mine is above that at the top of a talus slope, but I skipped it. Around the corner is a tunnel at 12307, 36548 el 750 with rails and a gelatin box. Not just any old gelatin, extra strength gelatin. Next to it is a workshop in solid rock with a steel door. The last mine of interest has a road at 12270, 36353 el 700 that goes thru a canyon and circles up to a shaft in a saddle reading 12251, 36197, el 900. It has a homemade ore bucket. For Coxcomb Benchmark el 1030, retrace back down the major wash and exit at 12070, 37639 el 500 and go up to a saddle el 750. It's obvious how to go on up to the reg at 12352, 37791. A fast way back down is to circle around to the north side of the summit block to a trail that goes to a saddle at 12369, 38168 el 750 then move right onto a ridge that goes down to the start. 4 or 5 hours and the only strenous gain is the 500 up to the BM, but that can be skipped. This area has the worst burro impact and is strictly for hikers who don't mind looking at endless piles of shit. Posted 2019.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

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  Huge pothole at peak 1744
  

  

  
  

  

   Lopez Wash

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Abbey Road covered in full