I said I would never do this again. That’s right, that’s what I said. This entire experience was similar to giving birth—one tends to forget how painful it was. The bottom line, I guess, is that I am no off-road enthusiast.
Don’t blame Dave. I volunteered. The backway to Crown King is a popular route for 4-wheelers that is full of history and fraught with challenges. There is an elevation gain of over 4,600 feet, and the road is about 25 miles long. Expect to spend three to five hours from start to finish. The severe and constant body-slamming was indescribable. Think EXTREME TURBULENCE.
This drive exceeded my daily exercise goal by 503%. Not bad for having barely left the vehicle.
We started early—among the first on the road. The sunrise was spectacular. It was gorgeous outside—chilly and pristine.
A fishing cove on Lake Pleasant.
Our first wildlife sighting was a mule deer casually heading up a hill. Not long after, a family of javelinas crossed the road.
The slowpoke of the bunch.
The road became much more of a challenge just beyond the hamlet of Humbug, AZ. Did I mention that I tend to get motion sickness? Even at 2mph….
Proceed with caution.
Crown King’s illustrious history dates back to the 1870s with the discovery of gold in the Bradshaw Mountains. Prospectors Orrin Place, Noah Shekels, and George Harrington opened several mines in the area with Crown King being the largest. A mill for processing was built nearby along with a connecting road. By 1890, nature took its course—water shortages, damaging storms, and transportation problems ensued. By 1900, the mines had collapsed.
Remains of Oro Belle Mine.
Ahhh, but there are still prospectors living within the canyon. That’s where we discovered one miner’s operation had diverted the creek onto the road.
This was not fun.
There were plenty of rock and boulders to work around. The Jeep received its first badge of honor—a sizable dent just below the passenger door.
It just got better and better—a ledge about two feet high spanned across the entire road. Our first attempt to cross was an epic fail—with a loud bang, the Jeep bottomed out and hung on the ledge. Luckily, we were able to back off. Dave and I started piling up rocks to make a ramp (of sorts). Our second attempt was not much better. Visions of spending the night there spurred a sense of urgency. After doubling the size of the rock ramp, along with my expert guidance (scary), we finally succeeded.
Rocky road.
Tiger Mine.
Relic.
The rest of the drive was slow going—after all, what would one expect from a 150-year-old road?
This original retaining wall is still in use today.
We lumbered through patches of ice and snow towards the top. Yipee!
Ice and snow welcomed us to Crown King.
It took four hours to complete our mission. We celebrated at the historic Crown King Saloon with burgers and fries. I wanted to celebrate but had left my appetite back on the road.
Inside the saloon.
After lunch, we took the main gravel road back to the interstate, and headed home.
Homeward bound.
If you are a backroad enthusiast, this is the trip for you. GO FOR IT. But, happily, for the rest of us, there is a more straightforward and enjoyable way to reach Crown King.