We have been looking for a new tow vehicle for our motor home, so that we can flat tow instead of using the car dolly, and realized that it would be super handy to have one that we could camp in as well, for short side trips. So we are in the process of getting that put together. And while we are playing the waiting game, we have been having fun scoping out places that we might want to take it for some shake-down trips.
Yesterday, we explored the box canyon area near Florence, AZ. It is beautiful up there, and we will definitely want to do more exploring up in that area.
Today, we decided to explore the Florence to Kelvin highway area. Our first discovery was this amazing crested saguaro. They are an anomaly among saguaros, and have scientists completely baffled on what causes this. I get so excited every time I find one because they are so rare and so beautiful!
The saguaros in this area a really big. I used Steve for perspective.
As we continued down the highway, we enjoyed the views, and stopped several times to explore. As we got near the paved portion of the road, we came across a beautiful rocky area, so we pulled off the road to take a closer look.
The bench was a memorial for two people. Chesley Frederick Blackler (1895- 1970) and Eleanor Locke Blackler (1909 - 2005). Their ashes were scattered at this sight. The last inscription on the the bench said:
“Enjoy the View”
What a beautiful memorial to two people who obviously loved the beauty of this area. I am always amazed and touched by the things you can find in the desert if you just take the time to look. So We took a moment to sprinkle some seeds for the animals, then sat on the bench for awhile to enjoy the view and appreciate this incredible memorial.
Doesn’t the large rock in the back look like a face? Kind of like Mr. Magoo for those who are old enough to remember that cartoon.
Soon after we left the rock outcropping, the pavement ended and we continued down the dirt road. The dirt road is in really good shape, much better than we would have thought. We were anticipating having to work our Toyota Camry at least a little bit, but we didn’t have to at all. It was smooth sailing all the way. As we approached the “town” of Kelvin, we noticed a sign for a trail head and a large parking lot off to the right, so we pulled in to check it out.
The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a 750-mile non-motorized trail system that stretches from the Mexican border, through Arizona, north to south, to the Utah border. Most portions of the trail are open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. It is the Arizona portion of the Great Western Trail system that runs from Mexico to Canada. This is one of the many trail heads for this trail system.
At the trailhead, there is a register required for anyone using the trail.
A well stocked water cache, supplied by local volunteers.
And a shade structure made of tree branches and ocotillo twigs.
We hiked a short distance up the trail, to stretch our legs and take in the views. I can’t imagine hiking from Mexico to Canada, but I’m sure glad it’s available for anyone that wants to use all or part of it.
Not far past the parking lot, we came to the ‘town’ of Kelvin. It is a very small residential area, that I think is for the mine workers for the very large mine that is nearby.
Arizona has a huge mining history, and a very active copper mining industry. This mine is still active, and it’s huge! It’s hard to watch such a beautiful area turned into mine tailings, but I also understand the need for this precious resource.
The area between the ‘town’ of Kelvin and the town of Superior is a large burn scar from the summer fire of 2020. It closed down many of the White Mountain roads for a good part of the summer, and came very close to a lot of mountain towns, and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum that we love so much! It will take many years for it to repair itself, but it is the cycle of nature.
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