We had a great time visiting the ghost town of Humbug, Arizona. Few people ever get into this remote area because the private property is impounded by a locked gate. We breezed in with the Windwalker folks through some pristine Sonoran desert, navigating the Jeep down a deep canyon, and through a roaring creek, into Humbug, a hidden jewel.
Many well-preserved 1930s buildings, machinery, and impressive stoneworks were in view, along with some ruined stone structures dating back to the original 1880s miners. We spent some time strolling around the "neighborhood," which held many photo ops and mysteries. David, the friendly caretaker, spent several hours explaining the region's geography, geology, and pioneer mining stories of the small settlement, as well as demonstrating how to pan for gold in Humbug Creek. We even found a few small particles of gold!
Later, we safely ascended a white-knuckle road up into the surrounding mountains, taking in the incredible views, finally stopping at the Pero Bonito mine. Several shafts and tunnels are in the area, and we took a walk of surprising depth into an untouched mining tunnel where David showed us the evidence of successful mining there. It was amazing to consider how hard men have worked to extract precious minerals from deep within the Earth. A mountain lion even watched us (from a long, safe distance!) before disappearing.
We definitely want to go back!
Shane & Michelle
Anthem, AZ
