UFO/Copperopolis/Bradshaw's Grave

(This overview describes the area between the Briggs site at the north end of the Castle Creek trail and the eventual intersection west with Constellation Road.  This is listed as the "Wickenburg Mountains" trail ¹ in the guide books.)

There are numerous side trails to explore, which lends to the difficulty in route finding. I can tell you from personal experience that “following tire tracks” to determine the route can take you well out of your way.  Be sure to have good, detailed topo maps and a GPS, as well as plenty of daylight hours.  Allow at least 4 hours to run the trail section between Wickenburg and the UFO Mine. There is one section near Bradshaw’s grave that your paint will get pinstriped (moderately).  There is a way around it that does not show up on the USGS topo maps, but it’s too difficult to describe here.

- Matt Watson, "SuperV3K" on the N4W board.

When I first ran this in 5/2003, I would’ve said that 2WD would be possible on this trail (though challenging).  In April of '04, I ran this trail again with Matt ("Mattman555" on the N4W board), his fiancé Norma, and my friend Elba.

In the past year, the trail has deteriorated greatly in a few sections that would no longer be passable in 2WD and are becoming challenging for 4WD.  In a few places the ruts are now a few feet deep, and there is just enough room to squeeze a small rig (Nissan, Toyota , etc) through without going off the edge.  At the rate it’s degraded in one year that area may not be accessible in the near future.  Trail repair would be extremely difficult and time consuming in some of the sections. 

Most notably, erosion has taken its toll on the shelf roads to UFO Mine, in and out of Castle Creek at the Briggs site, and the climb up Table Mountain near the old Constellation site. 

The Table Mountain climb is a long, steep ascent with “steps” beginning to form and plenty of loose rocks to make traction challenging.  Fortunately, the road is wide (compared to other spots on the trail), which helps to choose a line.  The key to this section was to stay on the gas, maintaining momentum until you reach the top of the saddle, where you have to stop and open a gate.  If you stop anyplace else along the climb, it may be very difficult to get moving again, if you’re running open diffs.  With LSD, the two rigs on the most recent trip didn’t have any serious traction issues, but it was forward momentum that kept us golden.  Anything not securely strapped down on this bumpy ascent will move at will around your rig.

Near the Briggs site, the shelf road that leads out of the Castle Creek wash and up to the UFO/Copperopolis mine area is also becoming extremely eroded.  There is one very off-camber, very narrow spot to navigate, that is becoming reminiscent of the “Religious Rock” area on Reno Pass.   You wouldn’t roll as far as on Reno Pass , but the possibility of that happening is becoming more real.  You have to hold high and tight to the uphill bank to get around the quickly expanding crevice that is eating away at the trail.  I was watching Matt and his Pathfinder come through that section on the most recent trip and he took it a little too fast (above idle).  The Pathy leaned heavily, hit a bump, the suspension bounced, and in my side mirror I saw the passenger side front tire come off the ground.  Matt gave the Pathy a small punch of the gas pedal, and the passenger side came back down. Would’ve made for some cool video, but was a "pucker" kind of moment…

-Matt Watson

• Copperopolis, USGS Ref Code 34112-A4-TF-024
• Morgan Butte, USGS Ref Code 34112-A5-TF-024