Weather: 79°; mostly sun
About this Hike: Five-and-a-half years ago I first visited Browns Peak via Lone Pine Trailhead in the Four Peaks. I got there in an old 2WD Nissan Xterra. I drove in via the west approach on FR-143, and having no prior off-road driving experience, it was probably more than I should have attempted. That story is memorialized here.
I mentioned that the only way I'd return to Four Peaks would be via El Oso Road. Now that Payson is home, this approach to Four Peaks is right in my backyard. On the east side of the range near Tonto Basin, El Oso is shorter and said to be in better condition. Overall, I'd say this is true. El Oso does have some shelf portions, blind curves, and extremely tight switchbacks. It was not a fun drive even in a properly equipped 4x4 pickup. Back in 2018 I marveled at a Mitsubishi Mirage that made it to the trailhead. This year I marveled at a Honda Civic Si that somehow navigated the rough road.
Today it was my goal to explore the Amethyst Trail including the jaunt out to the Four Peaks Mine. In 2018 fire damage was evident on Four Peaks, although the area was recovering since a bad fire in 1996. Much of that recovery was undone thanks to Bush Fire in 2020, and I was curious to see what, if anything, had survived this latest inferno.
At the Lone Pine Trailhead I noted that fire had burned all the trees that greet you at the information sign. The railroad tie steps at the beginning of the trail were mostly burned up, and the erosion was terrible. Since I previously explored Brown's Peak Trail, I opted to start with Amethyst. The signs at the trailhead call it Four Peaks Trail 130. Regardless, this trail went through some areas of gamble oak and scraggly ponderosa. As Browns Peak came into view, some fall color was evident on the hillside. Overall, despite fire damage, there was a little bit of forest to enjoy. The ascent up toward Browns was very steep and rocky. Eventually I reached the saddle and made a wrong turn. I started up the side trail to the scree chute. Much as I'd like to say that I summited on Brown's, I wasn't willing to attempt that scree chute in 2018 nor was I willing to take another stab at it in 2023.
I was actually looking for the trail that leads to the Four Peaks Amethyst Mine. It's not easy to find, and I skidded on nearly all fours down a hillside to reach it. Had I looked near the saddle by a fire ring and campsite, I would've found that the trail does connect, it's just not marked at all.
Previous reviews I read of the one-and-three-quarter mile mine trail indicate it suffers from overgrowth. Thanks to some recent maintenance, the trail is passable. Shears in hand, I helped add to that trail maintenance in areas where oak and catclaw were beginning to crowd the narrow footpath again. Overall it's easy to follow, although I did lose the trail a couple of times. One time I got off trail and nearly took a nasty tumble. My best advise is pack a lot of patience for this hike. Despite a relatively short distance, it has to be taken slowly and carefully. You cannot hustle on this trail; there are just too many obstacles to be wary of.
Finally I reached the locked gate for the amethyst mine. You can see the mine building up on the hillside. There is a sign that I'm guessing was a boundary marker, although now it's a charred mess. Seeing the mine is neat. But I think the real reward on this hike is the views. You have to keep stopping to look up. This trail is taking you by all four summits that compose the Four Peaks. Study them carefully. There's interesting foliage, rock formations, and even a few little rock arches. Looking the other direction, you'll see panoramic vistas of the Superstition Mountains, Salt River reservoirs, and maybe even a little bit of the Phoenix Valley poking up through the smoggy haze.
I returned via Brown's Trail, effectively making this a 'lollipop' loop. My two liters of water gave out as I was hiking away from the mine, and I was rationing my reserve bottle until I got back to the truck where more water was waiting in the cooler. Much of the gamble oak forest near the top of Brown's is still in tact and provided welcome shade. This was a nice break from what's otherwise a mostly hot, exposed hike. The trees eventually give way to fire damage as you get closer to the trailhead. Many trees are down across the trail, and you either go up and over, or hikers have made side trails to get around.
The Four Peaks are an iconic Arizona landmark. In this unique sky island, pine trees fight to grow in what still feels like more of a high-desert landscape than it should at near 6,000 feet. The views are magnificent. However, this is rough, unforgiving country. My honest opinion is that while it is worth doing, Four Peaks is not someplace I'll be rushing back to. Other places (i.e. Mount Peeley) in the Mazatzals are much prettier. And as a whole, Arizona has far more beautiful places to explore.
