| Description: |
|
The Turkey Creek Trail runs up the Black
Canyon from Bumble Bee to Cleator. (west of the town)After turning left
off the main road onto FR 684, the trail will split to go down into
the canyon, and then meet back up at the bottom. Either way will get
you down, neither are very tough. Once down to the bottom, take a hard
right up and drive up the sandy wash. Keep an eye out for a trail that
leads off from the left. If you get to a wide area where the wash splits,
you've gone too far. (the wash leading to the right, returns to bumble
bee) The trail runs between tight brush on each side, there is a gate
that you'll have to go through not to far along. As with all gates,
if it's open when you find it leave it open; if it's closed then make
sure you close it after you pass through. The trail at this point winds
its way up the wash, in many places the trail has all but disappeared.
There will be rocky areas to play on along the way. If the river is
running, you'll want to make sure you have a winch along, as there are
boulders and quick sand hiding, waiting to bite a Jeep. Keep following
the wash up, eventually the road will become more apparent. The trail
takes a steep climb out to the top of a ridge, then drops off the other
side. You will come to a Y intersection, you may go either way. The
left branch climbs another ridge and then drops you back into the wash
on the other side. The right branch takes you through Bob Reaves' mining
claim. Bob lives in the historic cabin, originally built back in the
1800's. If you have time to stop by the cabin, Bob will give you a little
history of the area. He does enjoy visitors and will like for you sign
into his guest book. He is a volunteer for the BLM and a very nice guy.
Be sure to tell him you belong to the Arizona Backcountry 4x4 club.
The trail on the right branch almost completly disappears; pick your
way through carefully you'll find rocky flat areas with no brush on
them, this is the trail. After passing around the corner from Bob's
cabin, you'll see where the trail used to go across a bend in the wash;
now that is pretty much impassable. You can continue up the wash and
around the corner. If the water is running, this may be extremely hazardous.
After the bend, the two trails combine again. The trail is much more
visible now, there will be a few places where the trail splits, take
the most travelled looking trail. Go SLOW one of these side trails (the
old trail) has about a four foot angled drop off as you come around
a blind curve. The further you go, the more apparent the trail is. At
the joining of Poland Creek and Turkey Creek, the trail leaves the bottom
of the canyon and heads across the hills to Cleator. Overall, with a
small group of Jeeps, this trail can be done between 4 - 6 hours when
dry depending on how much site seeing you do. If it is really wet, this
can be a weekend trip. One note of caution, this trail runs almost entirely
through active mining claims; do NOT stop and start digging around |
| How to Get There: |
|
Take I-17 North from Phoenix to
the Bumble Bee Exit. |