Day 5 - The Apache Trail

Today we decide to take one of the oldest routes in the area - perhaps not old by UK standards but ancient here!


This is the Apache Trail which was an old stagecoach trail named after the Indians (Native Americans these days) who lived in the canyons along the trail.


The mountain ranges are called the Superstition Mountains and there is a story that over 100 years ago a German called Jacob Waltz found gold whilst prospecting in the mountains, but never revealed where the mine was. He died in Phoenix with his secret.


He was called "The Dutchman" which was common slang for German immigrants in those days - a mis pronunciation of the German "Deutsch" 
But to this day he is known as "The Lost Dutchman".


To this day hundreds of modern day prospectors have been searching for his mine - so far without any luck. Many believe that the goldmine is still waiting to be re-discovered.


Waltz gained so much notoriety in Phoenix that years later a National Park was named after him - "The Lost Dutchman" park.


In fact this week 3 hikers have gone missing in the Superstition Mountains apparently looking for the fabled lost mine - more news is here


However our journey starts at Apache Junction on the outskirts of modern day Phoenix.

The Superstition Mountains are in the background here - as we were driving the trail the heat built up so much that the thunder clouds started to form over the mountains - thunder and lightning was to follow...

The Saguaro Cactus you can see here only seem to grow in the state of Arizona.

We noticed driving from Palm Springs through the desert that only after we crossed the state line into Arizona were there any Saguaro. Some of these will be over 150 years old - in fact it can take 75 years to grow the "arms" that characterise them.

They are always seen in the old Hollywood westerns - but that was because so many of these films were made in the Tucson Studio's and in the surrounding desert regardless of where the film was supposed to be set.

So this really is the Wild West that we all think of.

The town of Tortilla Flat was a stage coach stop originally built in the late 1800's.

This was where the miners who needed supplies would go to the trading post for food and whiskey.

The town has not changed much - except the stagecoaches have been replaced with SUV's.

Beyond Tortilla Flat the road is no longer paved and becomes quite treacherous - so after a few miles we decided to turn back rather than take the risk.

Later in the evening I managed to get the perfect Arizona sunset - the Saguara Cactus with the setting sun behind it. All I needed was my Stetson and horse and I could have ridden off into the sunset - but decided to go back to a comfortable bed instead....

The end of another day in the Old West.