Blue Wash Mine

Trail Overview

This is an easy dirt and gravel trail to the Blue Wash Mine. It stays above the washes on a hard-packed trail, crossing only one larger wash. The mountains and scenery along this trail are stunning. Several nice dispersed campsite sites on the trail have large saguaro cacti around them. The trail has a couple of slightly off-camber transitions, but nothing crazy. At the end of the trail is the mine. There is a beautiful dispersed campsite at the bottom with views of the valley and the mountains in the distance. Park there and walk up the hill to check out the little mine or drive up to the top. The trail up is narrow, steep, loose, and rocky. At the top is room for one vehicle to park and turn around. Keep this in mind if you are traveling with a larger group. There is also a fire ring with an epic view of the valley below. This area gets extremely hot in the summertime. Bring lots of water and supplies if traveling in the summer months. It's recommended to download offline maps. AT&T cell service is intermittent, with only one bar.

Photos of Blue Wash Mine

Want to see more?

Login

Difficulty

The trail is generally only one vehicle wide with few pullouts. There are a few ruts and transitions and one large sandy wash to cross. The hill at the end up to the mine is short but steep and rocky. This route would be rated a 3 but is not included in the full trail recording.

History

This route is on Arizona State Trust Land. This land requires a yearly permit that can be purchased and printed online. The permits allow certain recreational activities, including camping, bicycling, bird watching, GPS-based recreational activities (geocaching), hiking, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle (OHV) usage, photography, picnicking, and sightseeing. There are a few permit options depending on your use type: An Individual Permit is $15 and grants a single person access to State Trust Land for the above-listed purposes. The permit is good for one year from the date of purchase. A Family Permit costs $20 and grants a family unit (two adults and their children under 18) access to State Trust Land for the above-listed activities. The permit is good for one year from the date of purchase. A Small-Group Permit costs $15 and grants up to 19 people access to State Trust Land locations for five consecutive days for certain types of non-commercial recreational activities, including the above-listed activities. The permit is good for one year from the date of purchase. A Large-group Permit is for a group larger than 20 people. You must apply for this size separately online and be approved for group activities of this size. Responsibilities: Permittee(s) shall respect the land and adhere to the terms and conditions of the permit at all times. Permittee(s) shall comply with all federal, state, county, and municipal laws and ordinances while on State Trust Land. The Permittee(s) shall have the permit with them at all times while recreating on State Trust Land and have it readily available if stopped by law enforcement or any State Land Department staff. The Permittee(s) shall not remove natural products from or visit archaeological sites on State Trust Land. The Permittee(s) shall not create or leave any trash on State Trust Land, except for geocaches placed according to ASLD. The Permittee(s) shall not discharge a firearm on State Trust Land except pursuant to lawful and licensed hunting. An ASLD Recreational Permit is not required for individuals with a valid hunting and fishing license who are actively pursuing game or fish. The Permittee(s) shall only participate in OHV usage on State Trust Land with an ASLD Recreational Permit and an OHV decal or license plate. The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) is the issuing agency for the OHV decal, certificates of title, registrations, and license plates.

Technical Rating