SPANISH RUINS
SPANISH RUINS, Mazatzal
Wilderness
The town of
Payson at the base of the Mogollon Rim is a hiking hot spot with a diverse collection
of trails. From creekside rambles (Horton Creek), grueling ascents (See Canyon),
pine forest rambles (Highline Trail) and high desert cypress-and-boulder-centric paths of the Payson Area Trails System, there�s something for trekkers
of every level. But if you want to hike outside the box; seek out the Payson
Packers. The hiking group is a loose-knit, motley band of year-round and
seasonal residents with a repertoire of classic and under-the-radar treks.
They�ve been
exploring around Rim Country and beyond for nearly 40 years.
�There
are probably about fifty or sixty folks who hike regularly with the Packers,� says
Randy Cockrell who leads weekly hikes for the group. The club�s 250 or so members communicate and
plan hikes through an email chain. Even though there�s no club website, it�s
not too difficult to find somebody who knows somebody on social media or hiker
forums who can get you on the Packer hike invite list.
One of the Packer�s favorite excursions is a hike to the Spanish
Ruins, an erroneously-credited Native American historical site. �It's atop a
mesa west of Payson and is a lot of dry-stacked stone walls. None of the
experts can agree as to why the place was built, nor who built it,� Cockrell
said. The combination of sweaty exertion,
vivid scenery and historical significance make the trek a perennial club
destination. �I�ve been to the ruins about seven times and still enjoy taking
friends and family there,� Cockrell shared.
�It�s close to town and a great spot for taking cool photos.�
The adventure begins with an 11-mile drive from town that dead-ends
at the Doll Baby trailhead in the Mazatzal Wilderness. From the trailhead gate, the destination
appears as a sheer, red-tinged plateau.
Although it�s just under two miles to
the top, the hike is a steep, slippery slog. To get to the prize, pass the gate
at the wilderness sign and begin hiking uphill on the dirt road. Between gasping for breath and watching your
step on the rocky treadway, be sure to look up occasionally to take in views of
the cottonwood-lined course of the East Verde River and surrounding juniper-fleeced
peaks.
At the 1.4-mile point, go through a barbed wire gate (leave it as you
found it) and pick up the narrow footpath on the left. The next quarter mile plows abruptly uphill through
manzanita and wiry scrub to a vertical cliff face where you�ll encounter two boulder
obstacles that require hand-over-foot climbs to reach the summit. From the mesa�s precipitous ledges, 360-degree
views coupled with the kind of rush only dizzying, exposed heights can deliver are
the hard-earned ROI. To find the ruins,
hike 0.1-mile south among ocotillo and insidious tangles of pants-grabbing cat claw
and the haunting images of head-high stacked walls soon appear.
Although the
history of the U-shaped complex is not known for sure, archeologists are
certain that it�s not Spanish in origin.
The intricate fortress-like structure was likely built by Native
Americans sometime before the 1400s.
With its eastern walls creeping up to a 500-foot drop off and the west
side planted into the foothills of the Mazatzal Mountains above water-scoured
basins, the purpose of the multi-room structure is a mystery. Jutting from the western wall is a roughly 7-foot-high upright monolith that strikes an arresting profile on the lichen-encrusted fortification. Whether the massive block was
part of astronomical, protective, ceremonial or artistic endeavors, the
deliberately-placed stone keeps its secrets close.
While visiting here, it�s important to
remember that even though the site is well known and frequently visited, you�re
walking within an irreplaceable heritage treasure. Avoid touching, climb on or altering the
precious artifacts. Nothing needs �fixing� here---leave everything as is. To gain a deeper appreciation of the architectural
ingenuity, look closely at how the walls were designed. Ancient, mortar-free
technology used the art of cleaver rock stacking and the holding power of gravity
to construct the walls that have remained intact for centuries.
South of the complex, a series of metates (grinding
holes) worn into an oblong boulder whisper of human presence. The metates are
situated at the mouth of a shallow cave and natural shelter of limestone
overhangs that resemble layered pancakes. Across the valley, you can see the zig zagging
line of the Red Hills Passage of the Arizona Trail.
The remote and challenging route trickles off the slopes down to the
East Verde River and LF Ranch which offers bunkhouse style accommodations for
hikers. From a niche in the wall near
the monolith, the respite ranch with its known history and obvious purpose appears as a couple of dots near the river at
the end of a twisting road.
LENGTH: 4 miles
roundtrip
RATING:
difficult
ELEVATION: 3360
� 4080 feet
GETTING THERE:
From State Route
87 and Main Street in Payson, drive 10.9 miles west on Main and park at the
Doll Baby trailhead. Main Street becomes Forest Road 406/ Doll Baby Ranch Road that�s
mostly paved up to the 9-mile point.
There are a few rough, deeply rutted spots that require a high-clearance
vehicle. The road gets very muddy and should be avoided when wet.
Wilderness
 |
| The mysterious monolith |
The town of
Payson at the base of the Mogollon Rim is a hiking hot spot with a diverse collection
of trails. From creekside rambles (Horton Creek), grueling ascents (See Canyon),
pine forest rambles (Highline Trail) and high desert cypress-and-boulder-centric paths of the Payson Area Trails System, there�s something for trekkers
of every level. But if you want to hike outside the box; seek out the Payson
Packers. The hiking group is a loose-knit, motley band of year-round and
seasonal residents with a repertoire of classic and under-the-radar treks.
 |
| Hikers make the final scramble to the top. |
They�ve been
exploring around Rim Country and beyond for nearly 40 years.
 |
| Payson Packers working their way up to the ruins |
�There
are probably about fifty or sixty folks who hike regularly with the Packers,� says
Randy Cockrell who leads weekly hikes for the group. The club�s 250 or so members communicate and
plan hikes through an email chain. Even though there�s no club website, it�s
not too difficult to find somebody who knows somebody on social media or hiker
forums who can get you on the Packer hike invite list.
One of the Packer�s favorite excursions is a hike to the Spanish
Ruins, an erroneously-credited Native American historical site. �It's atop a
mesa west of Payson and is a lot of dry-stacked stone walls. None of the
experts can agree as to why the place was built, nor who built it,� Cockrell
said. The combination of sweaty exertion,
vivid scenery and historical significance make the trek a perennial club
destination. �I�ve been to the ruins about seven times and still enjoy taking
friends and family there,� Cockrell shared.
�It�s close to town and a great spot for taking cool photos.�
The adventure begins with an 11-mile drive from town that dead-ends
at the Doll Baby trailhead in the Mazatzal Wilderness. From the trailhead gate, the destination
appears as a sheer, red-tinged plateau.
 |
| Randy Cockrell (L) of the Payson Packers at the metates |
Although it�s just under two miles to
the top, the hike is a steep, slippery slog. To get to the prize, pass the gate
at the wilderness sign and begin hiking uphill on the dirt road. Between gasping for breath and watching your
step on the rocky treadway, be sure to look up occasionally to take in views of
the cottonwood-lined course of the East Verde River and surrounding juniper-fleeced
peaks.
 |
| Riparian corridor of the East Verde River |
At the 1.4-mile point, go through a barbed wire gate (leave it as you
found it) and pick up the narrow footpath on the left. The next quarter mile plows abruptly uphill through
manzanita and wiry scrub to a vertical cliff face where you�ll encounter two boulder
obstacles that require hand-over-foot climbs to reach the summit. From the mesa�s precipitous ledges, 360-degree
views coupled with the kind of rush only dizzying, exposed heights can deliver are
the hard-earned ROI. To find the ruins,
hike 0.1-mile south among ocotillo and insidious tangles of pants-grabbing cat claw
and the haunting images of head-high stacked walls soon appear.
 |
| Ruins in the shadow of the Mazatzal Mountains |
Although the
history of the U-shaped complex is not known for sure, archeologists are
certain that it�s not Spanish in origin.
The intricate fortress-like structure was likely built by Native
Americans sometime before the 1400s.
With its eastern walls creeping up to a 500-foot drop off and the west
side planted into the foothills of the Mazatzal Mountains above water-scoured
basins, the purpose of the multi-room structure is a mystery. Jutting from the western wall is a roughly 7-foot-high upright monolith that strikes an arresting profile on the lichen-encrusted fortification. Whether the massive block was
part of astronomical, protective, ceremonial or artistic endeavors, the
deliberately-placed stone keeps its secrets close.
 |
| "Pancake rocks" on the mesa |
While visiting here, it�s important to
remember that even though the site is well known and frequently visited, you�re
walking within an irreplaceable heritage treasure. Avoid touching, climb on or altering the
precious artifacts. Nothing needs �fixing� here---leave everything as is. To gain a deeper appreciation of the architectural
ingenuity, look closely at how the walls were designed. Ancient, mortar-free
technology used the art of cleaver rock stacking and the holding power of gravity
to construct the walls that have remained intact for centuries.
 |
| Payson Packers negotiate the final approach to the summit |
South of the complex, a series of metates (grinding
holes) worn into an oblong boulder whisper of human presence. The metates are
situated at the mouth of a shallow cave and natural shelter of limestone
overhangs that resemble layered pancakes. Across the valley, you can see the zig zagging
line of the Red Hills Passage of the Arizona Trail.
 |
| East Verde River |
The remote and challenging route trickles off the slopes down to the
East Verde River and LF Ranch which offers bunkhouse style accommodations for
hikers. From a niche in the wall near
the monolith, the respite ranch with its known history and obvious purpose appears as a couple of dots near the river at
the end of a twisting road.
LENGTH: 4 miles
roundtrip
RATING:
difficult
ELEVATION: 3360
� 4080 feet
GETTING THERE:
From State Route
87 and Main Street in Payson, drive 10.9 miles west on Main and park at the
Doll Baby trailhead. Main Street becomes Forest Road 406/ Doll Baby Ranch Road that�s
mostly paved up to the 9-mile point.
There are a few rough, deeply rutted spots that require a high-clearance
vehicle. The road gets very muddy and should be avoided when wet.
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