On a sunny, cool day in December, eighteen Arizona Trailblazers went hiking in the Goldfield Mountains. The Goldfields are a scenic range in the Tonto National Forest, northeast of Mesa and north of Apache Junction. We met at the Dome Mountain Trailhead, a gated roadway from which FR 10 begins at its southern terminus on the edge of the Tonto National Forest. There are many trails in this wilderness area, very few of which are officially designated. Our plan was to take a track eastward up onto Blue Ridge and then down the other side to the Green Thumb and Keyhole Arch.

The trail commenced a short distance down the road from the gate, off to the right side after the fence ends. It stayed in the flatlands for a while, then gradually began climbing up into the hills. There were a few short but steep sections that took us up to the top of Blue Ridge after about a mile of hiking. From there we could see vistas of the Goldfield Mountains and the Phoenix Valley to the west, Superstition Mountains to the southeast, and Four Peaks to the northeast. It was a bit windy up there, but since it was a fairly chilly morning everyone was dressed appropriately. The trail took us northward along the ridge with gently up and down slopes. We could hear the train whistle from the nearby Goldfield Ghost Town. There are many large rounded boulders in this area, and some gave it a go at climbing them.

Eventually the trail led downhill again on the eastern side of Blue Ridge and into the valley below. At about the two-mile mark we reached Triple Trail Junction, which as its name implies is a crossroad for three trails. We stopped for a short break here, then took the trail heading eastward. This trail led us through the hills with moderate rises and falls. At one point I missed the not-so-obvious turnoff, but thankfully realized it before going too far. We backtracked a short distance and found the proper trail. The trail eventually started heading south and climbed a bit. From the top of a rise, the Keyhole Arch and Green Thumb rock formations could be seen in the near distance, with the Superstitions mountain range behind it. The trail then descended into a valley and headed east again toward the arch.

At about the three-mile mark we arrived at the base of the hill on which Keyhole Arch is located. We stopped, and some chose to make the off-trail climb through a wash and up to the top of the hill to see the arch. It is actually a triangular-shaped window where two large rocks join together at an angle on the crest of the hill. The opening is large enough for a person to crawl through by crouching down. We paused to take a group photo and then descended again to join the others who remained below. From there we found our way to the main trail and took a Jeep road north.

Afterwards some of us gathered at Red White & Brew in Mesa for a meal. The food and conversation were refreshing.