Richinbar

Richinbar is a ghost town, probably one you have driven past many times without realizing how close you were.   It is entirely surrounded by the Agua Fria National Monument (AFNM),  south of Cordes Lakes (Cordes Junction on I-17).

Before I describe my hike to this interesting site in May 2013, here’s some history on the Richinbar mine:

– The name is derived from one of the early owners, Richard N Barker.
– This gold mine was started in the mid-1890s and had it’s own post office from 1896 - 1912.  

– The main shaft was 500 feet deep.  The largest stope (horizontal tunnel) was at a depth of 140 feet, and was 65’ long, 55’ high and 14’ wide.

– From 1905 on, 32,000 tons of ore were mined, producing 4616 Troy ounces of gold and 1425 of silver, as well as copper and lead. 

– With today’s price for gold, that would be worth over $6 million! 

– In 1933, the then owner (Sterling Gold) filed for bankruptcy.

– The current owner of the mine is: Richinbar Mining Company 2600 N. Central Ave. #1820, Phoenix, AZ 85004

There are still many remains of the mine and associated buildings scattered over this part of Black Mesa. 

The trailhead for Richinbar is on the east side of northbound I-17, a short distance past Sunset Point (exit 252).  As you reach the top of the incline, you will see a windmill on the right with a dirt road leading to it, though a gate (also a NO U-TURN sign on left).  Turn off I-17 carefully to this gate into the Agua Fria National Monument – park there.  Allow 3 to 4 hours, depending on how much exploration you do of the mine’s remains – my total distance was about 3.5 miles round trip.  The gate onto the National Monument is normally locked so you will need to be spry enough to negotiate this hurdle (or take a small stepladder with you).

Hike along the dirt road for 1.1 miles across the top of the mesa and down the far side to the first ruin – on the

 way, you’ll pass the windmill at 0.2 miles, and go straight at a Y junction/crossroads at 0.8 miles.   You'll pass two brown BLM signs, both saying “Route 9006.”  (For map, see end of this article.)  The ruin (photo on left) overlooks the Agua Fria Canyon and is surrounded by many rusted pipes and old broken bricks.

NOTE:  As you walk down the road, you will pass onto private property shortly before reaching the ruin – there is no fence or "keep out" signs to indicate this.  If you wish, contact the current owner for access permission at the address given above.

The view of the canyon from the ruin is quite spectacular!  With binoculars, you may be able to spot the large metal pipeline along the canyon floor that supplied water for all the mining operations.

Continue by hiking along the rim to the north towards a rocky knoll, looking around as you go.  You’ll see lots of trash left over from the mining, including a collapsed shed and a deep shaft – dangerous so don’t go too close.

On the basalt rocks at the top of the knoll, there are a number of petroglyphs, including an interesting one that looks like a long-necked dinosaur!  [From some later research, I've found out it's actually a tundra swan (search online for more info on the tundra swan).  The swan eats underwater weeds, as shown in it's mouth in the petroglyph.  It's not a common bird in AZ today, which may be why the artist created this petroglyph.]  
    There are hundreds of other petroglyphs throughout the AFNM – most of which have site stewards to protect them.

The rocks on this knoll have some unusual patterns of multicolored lichen and you may see a variety of flowers depending on the season.

Looking back from this knoll to the first ruin, you can see other mining artifacts including water tanks pushed down the slope, a concrete wall, and a lone chimney in the distance – that’s where the main ruins of Richinbar are located.  

Walk back to the first ruin and then continue south for 0.2 miles, now up an old road (going past another foundation on your left) to the rock chimney.  The great views of the canyon from here makes me think it probably was the manager’s wooden house, which burned at some time, leaving only the chimney.  The back half of an old car by the side of the road is another mystery – what happened to the front half?

Continue past the car and observe the remains on each side of the road in the next ¼ mile: vertical shafts (dangerous), colored rock walls (photo below), concrete structures, water tanks, settling ponds and huge mounds of tailings.  (To see what Richinbar looked like 70 years ago when the mine was active, visit the 'apcrp' website referenced at the end of this article.)
  

When the road petered out, I scrambled up to the summit where there was a large holding pond with a concrete floor – the highest point in the area.  Water that was pumped up from the river and its pipeline would have been stored here.  Note all of the other metal water tanks as you descend down an old road that leads to the rock chimney – water was very important for mining operations.  

Before you reach the road from the first ruin (now way off to your right),  look at the hillside ahead on your left – that's your road back, across the causeway (see my map at the bottom).  Go right at the old car for a short distance, then turn left onto the causeway road.  In 1/2 mile, you will reach the crossroads where you hiked in – there’s  a steep climb on the way.  Go left there and return to your car.

POST-SCRIPT (POST MORTEM?)

Dear Reader:  I’m sure you know it’s important to take plenty of water with you when you hike in the desert.  If you don’t, or if you get lost, you may finish up like the poor fellow in the photo! 

For more information, there are two websites worth visiting (click either link below):

apcrp.org/RICHINBAR
and ghosttowns.com (then AZ then Richinbar).

If you enjoyed your visit to Richinbar and the AFNM, consider becoming a member of the Friends of the monument:  friendsoftheaguafrianationalmonument.wildapricot.org/Contact

Author: Nigel Reynolds
For more wonderful places in the Southwest, go to my website BumpyRoadAdventures.com – for pictures look under both the PHOTOS and FOCUS tabs.