HIKE OF THE MONTH

{hike of the month} by Christine Maxa | photographs by David Allen James Willow Springs Hike Reveals Goldfields' Hidden Treasure

THE CHARTREUSE LICHEN covering the rock wall in the Goldfield Mountains' Willow Springs Canyon gives the afternoon light a fluorescent glow. The psychedelic green lichen and the odd, shimmering metallic striations in the rocks lend this little mountain range a distinctive appeal. Sitting in the shadow of the renowned Superstition Mountains, the Goldfields often get shouldered out of the limelight by their mythtinged neighbors. While prospectors combed the Superstitions for the fabled Dutchman's lost gold, racking up minerals more flamboyant than useful, the Goldfields actually produced about a dozen mines, a few in big style. Some say the Dutchman's gold actually came from a mine in the Goldfield Mountains. Still, the Superstitions get most of the attention, including some 35,000 hikers who pack their maintained trails each year. But a hike in the Goldfields traverses a backcountry similar to the Superstitions without the crowds. Although the Goldfields lack a developed trail system, a 6-mile hike down Willow Springs Canyon presents a moderate trek into the heart of this special range. The hike starts on Forest Service Road 12 heading north from State Route 88 (the Apache Trail). Veer right at all forks for the first mile. As the road climbs up a hill, veer left at a fork that drops into Willow Springs Canyon. From the hilltop vantage, a panorama presents the Goldfields' striking topography, especially the golden patina tinting the ridgelines. Indians and early explorers called these layers "soapy stone," thinking they were high-water marks left by a great flood. Geologists say volcanic ash, or tuff, created the golden layers. Like the Superstition Mountains, the Goldfields were formed by volcanism. The burning ash that spewed from volcanoes 15-35 million years ago, scientists say, ran so hot that the ash welded together wherever it fell, creating spires, buttes and mesas. This light-colored tuff contains quartz particles that produce a brilliant glow when hit by sunlight.

Once in the canyon, wide and still shallow, the route travels right on the gravelly floor amid classic Sonoran Desert landscape with saguaros, ocotillos, paloverde trees and a variety of cacti. In March, after a wet winter, several dozen species of wildflowers bloom.

By about mile 3, the canyon develops some character as the walls rise and start to close in. Wonderfully welded volcanic scenery shows off extraordinary displays of massive cliffs and curious formations containing hoodoos and strange statuary. The last 2 miles of the route require boulder-hopping and some minor scrambling down dryfalls. The chasm deepens and narrows on this last stretch, at times to less than 20 feet.

The hike ends in a cattail-choked cove of Saguaro Lake, often without another soul around. The only signs of life come from the sound of a boat hidden behind, or bird life hidden within, the 10-foot tall cattails. The Goldfields' reputation may pale next to the Superstitions', but the mountain's veins of solitude, unique natural features and history still hold treasures.