That is the Hassayampa River near a rest area south of Wickenburg, AZ

I always suspected there was something special about this rest stop, but have never checked it out in my 13 of living down here. The Hassayampa flows year around, but it is underground for most of it's length. However, there are a few places that it comes to the surface and this is one of them. During the monsoons, I've seen whole cars being washed away in it's flow.

 A nice oasis in the desert

With some not so nice guest.

About four miles down Stanton road one comes to this over look of the new Stanton area. The hill you see is called Rich Hill.

In the 1880's some Mexican Sheep herders discovered some potato sized gold nuggets.

The town has never died and they are still taking a lot of gold from the area.

If you check in at the office they will let you go through the buildings. However due to a late start on this ride, I didn't have time today.

Most of the original buildings have been repurposed.

I enjoyed talking to this old guy. He told me the story of the Mexicans and the gold nuggets.

Almost the same shot as the other one, but not quite. :)

Lots of information if you google the area.

The roads are public, but all of the land is private and every inch of that has a valid mine claim on it.

A mile or two past Stanton is Weaver

The little minor shacks built around the area weren't big on comforts. Today they have all be replaced by trailers. They look a bit trashy, but have all of the comforts of home.

There were a lot of different kinds of cactus in this picture, although I am told that the ocotillo is actually a bush.

Decision Corner, Five roads come together here.

The modern day mining process continues with modern machinery. This is only one of at least three dozen operations that I saw.

The town of Weaver was a going concern back in the early 1900's

A lot of graves marked here. I would have hated digging these in all that rock.

Weaver creek. It is made up of many mine claims.

But this little section remains untouched for what ever reason.

I know where there are lot's of hills that look just like this, but I haven't heard that they had gold in them. 

This is the last remaing structure in the town of Weaver

....and it isn't doing too well.

Octave was the third of the old gold towns, but this sign is all that is left to mark it spot......

....unless you count the mayors mansion here.

I don't have a gps on the beemer yet and I am totally lost at the moment. However, it was a very nice place to be lost at.

Always fun to see the old windmills pumping water for the stock tanks.

This is part of the Box Canyon of the Hassayampa

One of the other areas where the river flows on the surface the year around.

I wanted to ride into the Box Canyon, but it probably wouldn't have been to wise when riding alone.

This is the road leading down to the canyon and this is the good part.

It was tempting to go down there and ride in the shade. I know it is getting a bit cool in some parts of the country, but we are still flirting with triple digits here in the southland. :)