This is a great ride through some very beautiful country. It is a lower trail so there aren't spectacular views of the mountains and the canyons like on most of our other ATV rides. This trail does, however, offer a cool ride on a road that the 4-wheel drive club likes to frequent.
We took a friend and a couple of new friends with us on this ride. They had a blast and want to go with us again sometime soon. Who knows, maybe we will have a whole bunch of people to ride with someday.
The entrance to Schoolhouse Canyon and Mayfield Canyon is
located just at the east end of the town of Star Valley. To get here you would
take a left across the street from the Steve Coury Ford dealership. I'm not
positive but I believe this is FS 433. (The new maps have taken roads out or
not numbered others very well).
On the left hand side of this road there are open camping areas. This is where we offloaded the quads and headed out.
Follow this road until you get to the Junction of FS 433 and FS 654. This is where we stopped and got everyone grouped together. (This area is also depicted in the picture above).
If you are looking at the junction, there will be a small road to your left. Take this road in a short distance. This is where we got off the quads and walked to the west toward a creek.
We were told that in this area, if we walked around, we would find metates (grinding stones) all over the place. That sounded pretty cool so we couldn't resist. We had no idea what we were about to discover! (We learned later that we did not see everything on this trip, so we will have to go back someday).
I have never seen metates like this before! I never even imagined that they would exist in this form. I guess you don't have to worry too much about someone taking off with them.
With all these metates lying around, it gets my imagination going. Can you just imagine the tribe members sitting above the flowing creek grinding their acorns and whatever else they might have been growing? I sure can. I can just imagine the close family units and the stories they must have shared. I can see three to five different people on each and every level of these rocks grinding away to feed their families.
For a longer ride you can continue up FS 433 or FS 654. We got a little claustrophobic and decided to pack up and go elsewhere with more wide-open views. Later we will go back and explore some more.
If you have any questions please email me and I will try to answer them. I hope everyone enjoyed this ATV photo essay and can someday use the information and enjoy the places that we have enjoyed. Arizona has some awesome country!!! Please share with us the places that you've been.
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Comments: 21
<font size="2">Merry Christmas Comment Graphics</font>
Another good photo essay.
LOL Mom! Me too, me too.
Tinch: Hopefully it is still there so that other people, especially kids can see it where it is meant to be.