Day Trip: Chloride AZ and Roy Purcell Murals
Had 1/2 a day to kill so I took the kids for a drive up a trail I have had my eye on for over six months. We followed Big wash Rd just north of Grasshopper Junction 2,000ft up into the mountains. It was by far the most enjoyable drive I have done in a long time. THe trail ran along a ridge overlooking both the wilderness and the valley and Chloride AZ below.
BLM rd maintenance ended and the trail became fun, narrow and super twisty.
Pretty cool mine along the trail where the kids got to climb around and explore.
We continued down the trail passing a couple of side by sides and a built Jeep, everyone looked at us in disbelief that a Suburban can manage this trail. All of a sudden the trail flattened out and saw this!
These murals are larger than life.
Roy Purcell painted these murals in 1960s.
These are huge murals, the talons are 3-4feet long.
Boys standing next to a medium size mural.
Native American themed art.
These have been continuously restored and up kept since 1960s.
One of the bigger murals
Just to give you a perspective of the size.
Rod of Asclepius?
Incorporating symbols.
Roy likes the serpent.
Hard to see in this picture by there are foot prints all over the murals, like the red one to the left of the male/female symbols.
Highest in elevation mural.
We continued approximately one more mile and reached the mining town of Chloride AZ.
Entire town is sort of an open air freelance art museum and a throwback to the past.
I filled up my tires in front of this former gas station house that has a narrow gauge rail road running completely around it. 3 minutes per tire from 17psi to 45psi, not too bad for a little Puma.
Once again an amazing trip with a very special surprise at the end. I would recommend this trail for anyone that is passing through the area, if not the entire Big Wash Rd loop but at least the easy road to the murals.
Stay tuned for more shenanigans!
Thats why I still am so old school that I use a carberuteror.
