Kriel's Guide to Wickenburg Horse Trails. Volume I. Vulture Peak Area. Patrick J. and Barbara J. Kriel

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1 Kriel's Guide to Wickenburg Horse Trails Volume I Vulture Peak Area by Patrick J. and Barbara J. Kriel I

2 Kriel's Guide to Wickenburg Horse Trails Volume I Vulture Peak Area P O Box 318, Wickenburg, Arizona Copyright 2011 by Patrick and Barbara Kriel. All trail maps copyright by Patrick J. and Barbara J. Kriel. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or by any information and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without the written permission from the publisher. Disclaimer: We have worked hard to make sure everything is accurate in this book. We have ridden these trails repeatedly over the last nine years and re-checked our directions. Note: trails can change due to storms, foot traffic, atv's, motorcycles and riders cutting the trails. There is always the danger of injury on any horse or trail. It is the rider's responsibility to use common sense while riding these trails. The authors and publishers of this book are not responsible for injury, accidents, losses or damages that might happen while using this book. Maps used by permission: Library of Congress Control Number: ISBN Instantpublisher, a division of Fundcraft Publishing P O Box 340, 410 Highway 72W Collierville, TN II

3 About the Authors We have lived in Wickenburg since Horses have been our passion for almost thirty years. We have enjoyed trails in many states but in our opinion the trails around Wickenburg are the best. This first volume is the labor of nine years of discovering/making the way clear for riders. These trails have been GPS'd, named and recorded for a state agency. This book is the first in a set of volumes, each covering a different area of Wickenburg. We hope you get out and enjoy the beauty God has put here for us to enjoy. If we discover any new trails near Vulture Peak it will be added to the next volume. All directions are from Wickenburg Way (Highway 60), south on Vulture Mine Road. The Safeway store is your landmark. The trails in this first volume are on Bureau of Land Management (B.L.M.) or state trust lands. The state requires a permit. Please call the Arizona State Land Department to obtain a permit at The cost for a family permit is $20.00 per year. The BLM doesn't require a permit. There are a few areas of private land that you will cross on the trails. If you come across a No Trespassing sign please turn back. Find a closed gate: close it behind you. Find an open gate: leave it open. Please note: the current trail is always marked in green on the map. Some of these trails can be strenuous. Always have a conditioned horse before you attempt the longer trails. Horse water is not available. Legend Cairn: pile of rocks. Javalina: wild pig. Cholla Cactus: sticky pain. Mountain Lion: big, bad kitty. Desert Tortoise: don't step on me. Mule Deer: bush thrashers. Range Cattle: wild steaks. Rattlesnakes: deadly strikers. Wash: sand-scape. Mountains: God's rock piles. Birds: bush poppers. Horses: large reactors. Catclaw: wait a minute bush. III

4 Thank you A special thanks goes to Mark Silver from Igage. He was so kind and willing to take time out of his busy schedule to help make this book a success. Thank you Judy Kipen, Rachael DiGiovanni and Diane Wertz for their encouragement to do this book. Richard and Holly Kriel for help with computer challenges. Patsy Ellithorpe for proof reading. Jason Tako for supplying the cover photographs. Sylvia Wickizer for our photograph. About The Trails There's an old saying. Always be prepared for the unexpected. Plan ahead. Bring plenty of water. Let someone know where you are going and when you will return. Bring a cellphone. Bring a pliers to pull cactus. Bring your map. Be aware of your surroundings. Rattlesnakes are always present. The heat during the summer can sap the strength of your horse. Watch the weather for coming storms. Sudden flash floods can occur and strand you in the desert. African bees are a real threat. Always be aware if there are more than just a few bees nearby. Watch, look and listen to your surroundings. In other words, use common sense. As we always say: Be safe and enjoy the journey. Reading the map: At the top of each map is information regarding the trail. Name of trail. Approximate miles to travel. Scale =easy. 5=hardest. Time to complete. B.L.M. or state land. Year the trail was recorded. Having trouble navigating a trail or understanding the directions? Please give us a call. Please not when you are out on the trail. We are in the Wickenburg phone book. We would be glad to saddle up and show you. IV

5 Area One 1. Camp Trail 3. Lover's Lane Trail 5. Big Spar Mine Trail 7. Gate Trail 9. Tortoise Trail 11. Majestic Trail 13. Tarantula Trail 15. Window Rock Trail 17. Mule Trail 19. Hillside Trail 21. Barbecue Pit Trail 23. Pond Trail 25. Pack Rat Trail 27. Gate To Gate Trail 29. Circle Back To Camp Trail Trail Index Area Two 31. Twin Peaks East Trail 33. Twin Peaks West Trail 35. Face Peak Trail 37. Three Falls Trail 39. Spooky Graveyard Trail Area Three 41. Road to Stargate 43. Kriel's Pass Trail 45. Cathedral Canyon 47. Hot Wash 49. Sink Trail 51. Vulture Peak Trail 53. Vulture Peak Short Trail Loop 55. Pat and Barb V