[Jewelry making - Article 00411] - Re: [Orchid] Rockhunting while in Tucson

[cynthia downs]

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Hi -

    I've jumped into this a little too late, so I hope I'm not repeating
    anything already said.  I LOVE rockhounding, but haven't been in a
    while.  Patagonia used to be one of my favorite places.  After you
    get up near Camp Washington, or Duquesne there was a plethura of mines
    everywhere you turned. 

    Unfortunately, the entire top of that mountain has been parceled off
    and SOLD recently.  I went up there (this past spring) for the first
    time in a year or two.  I was shocked.  Even the town of Duquesne has
    been sold.  From Duquesne, you can only go a short distance before
    the whole mountaintop is literally gated - padlock and all.  I
    stopped and talked to a couple of landowners just before the gate, who
    were clearing the land to make their "dream house", and they confirmed
    that everything was sold off. 

    As we were returning on the way down the mountain, we stopped a
    little past Duquesne (about 1/4 mile), where there were no "no
    trespassing" signs, and there appeared to be a dump site on the side
    of the road.  We stopped and while we were poking around, we were
    kicked out by the new owners of Duquesne, saying it was their land. 

    I was deeply saddened, as this whole area is one of the first rock
    hounding getaways I experienced here - the views of the earth below
    are spectacular - so quiet and beautiful - no one around - such
    beautiful land!! 

    I know one of the roads is still opened and leads to a state or
    national forest.  There may be other roads to explore, and a few
    dump sites lower down the mountain, but most of them are well picked
    over, plowed down, etc. 

    There IS, however,  a back road, on the Mexican side, which would
    bring you around the back of the mountain and around to the same area.
     I remember this being a dirt road, where you pass through lots of
    farm land.  The road is very narrow and very rough as you go up
    (could be a white knuckle experience, depending upon the car and the
    driver!).  There may be lots more to explore in that direction. 

    Either way you will have a beautiful ride, but maybe not the
    treasure hunt you were expecting. 

    This is all off the top of my head - if anyone has any further
    questions, you can contact me, and I will try to find out more
    specific information.  I'm definitely a kindred spirit in the rock
    hounding field. 

Cynthia Downs

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