"5"^^ . . . "2011-10-23T00:00:00"^^ . "10"^^ . "5"^^ . "This is one of my favorite hikes. It's moderately strenuous at just over 6 miles. I refer to it as a triple treat hike because there are three distinct features to see on this hike.\n\nTo get to the trailhead, take the new O'Callaghan-Tillman Memorial Bridge near Hoover Dam and go south in Arizona to Mile Marker 4 on US 93. There is a left turn lane that crosses the northbound lanes and heads to a new blacktop road that goes up a hill and to a new large parking area. For those familiar with the Arizona Hot Springs hike, this is the new parking for that hike, too, as the new road has closed the old parking area.\n\nFrom the parking lot, head downhill into the wash. To get into the wash, follow the use trail that begins just past the interpretive markers at the end of the parking lot. After going down this path from the parking lot, make sure you go under the double set of bridges and follow the wash west for about 9/10 of a mile. This is where you make a right turn and head north out of this wash. There is a small cairn along the wash that is easy to miss. Hike up a small hill and you'll be in a small canyon that heads north. You pick up the trail easily here, and follow it for about 1/4 mile. Along the way, you'll find a very large cairn with a wooden stake. After this cairn, as you travel north, pay attention because the trail will leave this wash and head up a hill to an old mining road. You can see the stacked stones from when it was a road. \n\nAt this road, turn left and follow the road. It eventually makes a curve near an old mine prospect which didn't get dug very much. There's another set of nice stonework along the road as you go up the hill. Continue along the road and you'll start to see debris from the mining that took place at a nearby manganese mine. When you crest the hill and come around a curve, on a hill in front of you, there's an ore car laying on the side of the hill. The old manganese mine is in the wash below this car on the other side of the ridge.\n\nKeep to the left at any trails you see. These spider trails just go to overlooks and a couple are dangerous, because a fall could land you 50 feet below in the old mine. The trail to the left goes over some jagged rock and then starts down the other side. Soon you come to a fork in the trail. If you want to investigate the mine (this is one I will tell you is safe to enter), it will add about 1/2 mile to your total hike. There are some rails in the dirt floor of the mine and several air holes are cut in the sturdy rock. To continue the hike, return to the fork and turn right. The mine is treat #1.\n\nThe left fork continues down the hill and enters the wash. Periodically it will leave the wash and then come back in. At about two miles from the trailhead, or about 2.5 miles if you went to the mine, the trail comes out of the wash and heads west up a hill to a saddle. In front of you, Liberty Bell Arch can be seen. The best photos come from the south but feel free to take all you want wherever you are on the hike. At the saddle, make a left turn, and head southwest following the trail. You're going up another hill until you're almost in line with the arch. Near the arch, the trail cuts south and as you pass the arch and then look back, this is where you get the best view of the result of a natural erosion process. This is treat #2.\n\nContinue following the trail south. You hike past a field that has some enormous boulders that are amazing to see. At one time, they broke off the hill above and rolled here. The trail is very evident here as it is well traveled. The footing can be bad because the rocks can be sharp. Take care as you hike along.\n\nEventually, you'll go around the side of a hill and the view of Liberty Bell Arch is gone until you return. From here, there are about 4 ridges to go up and over. Stop as needed and get your breath. Make sure you've brought enough water with you--you should be using a Camelbak for a hike like this. When you get to the last ridge, you come up on a mesa and below you to your left is treat #3, a view of the Colorado River about 1,000 feet below as it winds toward Willow Beach in Arizona. \n\nWhen you arrive on the mesa, the trail goes near the edge so you can get great views of the Colorado. It is truly beautiful up here. Explore the mesa, look north and see the bypass bridge, and stop and sit on one of the rocks for a snack. When you're done enjoying the mesa, retrace your steps. THe toughest part now will be coming back up the wash to the car from the Liberty Bell Arch turnoff. It always seems so tough to get that last mile done with gravel under foot.\n\nI have done this hike about 7 times, twice from the new trailhead, and it truly is a treat! I have posted on EveryTrail the explanation and GPS coordinates from my last hike. We passed the turnoff to Liberty Bell, so don't follow me there but turn where the waypoint is. The link is http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=904927\n\n\nHappy hiking!"^^ . "18"^^ . .