Backway to Crown King

The Trail:

The trails starts out as a well maintained Fire Road - and can run most of the Castle Hot Springs Trail. Along the way there are bypasses that are obstacles (the road is fine, but the bypasses are the obstacles). The further down the road you go, the harder the obstacles become. After the bypass obstacles the road gets rougher, and as you swing up on 192 toward Oro Belle Mine you'll encounter some good obstacles that don't have a bypass.

Rating:

3.0 - for the main trail, 3.0+ for the worst bypass obstacle

Runs:

Date: 7/12/2009 - run with Jp Trails, 7 Jeeps and the trail was dry with small patches of water in some of water crossings

Suspension: TeraFlex 2.5" Spring Lift, stock tires

Photos:

Here's our group of 7 Jeeps airing down:

We didn't get a picture of the first one or two bypass obstacles, but here's the first picture we took. The road goes to the right and the obstacle is straight ahead. Jason's LJ on 37s with a 3.5" lift is heading up the hill:

Tony's stock Unlimited Rubicon heading up:

Our view as we headed up:

The next bypass obstacle. The Unlimited high centered to the right and backed up and took a turn to the left. Our lift and wheelbase allowed us to take the route to the right:

Mike's JK on 35s with a 3.5" lift coming up:

He took the route to the left and was temporarily sitting in a pretty good hole ad the edge of the hill:

Joe's TJ on 33s with a 3" lift coming up the way we went:

TJ on 33s and a 2" lift coming up the same way and getting a little air:

Back on the road again:

Heading up the next bypass obstacle - the road continues to the right:

This one can get a bit tippy:

Finishing up this obstacle:

Back on the road - a bit rutted:

Looking back over the road. You may be able to see Lake Pleasant in the distance toward the left:

Heading down a small hill:

Heading up a small hill:

Here's another bypass obstacle. We decided to stay on the road and bypass this one:

Another shot of the obstacle from above:

Getting some air:

Maybe this way?:

Nope, go this way:

Wade's JK on 35s with a 3" lift. Note the glass in the foreground from a vehicle that flopped:

Heading up another bypass obstacle - the road goes to the right. This one was actually one of the easier ones and was the last of the bypass obstacles:

Heading through a wash and up a hill:

A "rougher" spot on the trail:

A small rock hill to go up:

Another small hill to go up:

And down:

Down another hill that has some nice rocks to navigate:

Stopped for lunch - yeah that TJ is getting some air during lunch:

Cooking and eating:

Back on the rocky trail again:

Heading up toward another rocky spot:

Down then up:

Looking back over the trail:

Heading down:

More heading down. Some of these rocks were pretty sharp:

I think this was around Oro Belle:

After crossing a wash a pretty good obstacle to navigate (I stole this picture from a forum because we did the obstacle but never got a picture of it):

Another scenic shot from the trail, part of it can be seen to the left:

Rumors are this is a Jeep that missed a turn:

Another shot looking back at the trail:

Getting higher into the trees and pines:

Seemed like the trail would get smoother now, but no, the rocks are still in the trail:

Some more rocks - they don't look bad in this shot but they were fun:

You can see everyone crawling over the rocks in this portion of the trail. The pines were nice too:

A small parking area near the end of the trail:

Date: 10/17/2010 - small group run - at the start we took Cow Creek Road instead of Castle Hot Springs Road

Suspension: TeraFlex 2.5" Spring Lift, BFG 35x12.50x17

Photos:

Airing down:

Heading out - the main road was dusty:

Moving along on the dusty road:

Some scenery through the dust:

Today would have been a perfect day to take the top down - if it wasn't for the dust:

No dust here:

Back on the dusty trail again:

Crown King is that-a-way:

Time for 4 Low and reduced dust:

The first bypass obstacle. It only gets harder from here:

Stopping at the second bypass obstacle to check it out:

Brian and Amaris heading up:

Jason and Karen:

Jesse and Maggie:

Kurt:

Brian and Kalin:

Joe and Jane:

Moving along again. There are remnants of structures along the road:

Getting close to the next bypass obstacle:

Everyone out to check it out:

Going up:

Getting some air:

Powering up:

Getting lots of air:

Last but not least:

Back on the trail heading to the next bypass obstacle:

Heading in:

Everyone at the end of the obstacle taking pictures...

...of the scenery and the lake in the distance (we started at the lake):

Back on the trail again:

Out in the distance you can just make out the Y in the trail that has the obstacle on the left:

A little closer look at it:

Almost there:

Another way to tackle it:

Another way:

At the top looking back:

So what's everyone out looking at this time?

Oh:

OK, going up the first ledge:

Heading toward the off camber rock:

Nearing the top:

Up and over:

Nearing the top:

Up and over:

Up the first ledge:

Passing the off camber rock:

Swinging around for a shot at the final ledge:

Up and over:

Passed another bypass obstacle, then continued on to this hill:

Moved further down the trail to the lunch spot and parked:

Relaxing at lunch:

Back on the trail again:

Fort Misery (built by a man who helped build the railroad to Crown King. The mining camp got its name because of the hard times that people experienced there.):