William B. McCleary, an early cattleman, miner and pioneer, named the Carrie Nation Mine, which is located at the end of the Carrie Nation Trail. The mine and the trail are allegedly named after a controversial woman named Caroline Amelia Nation, although there doesn’t seem to be any connection between the trail or the mine and the woman. Nation was a member of the temperance movement near the turn of the 20th century and adopted the name Carry A. Nation, presumably for its subtle meaning and value as a slogan. Nation was a large woman, standing nearly 6 feet tall and weighing 175 pounds. She described herself as “a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn’t like.” She claimed she possessed a divine ordination to promote temperance by smashing up bars and promoting her viewpoint through vandalism.
Carrie Nation Trail is one of several easily accessible trails on the west side of the Santa Rita Mountains. This trail takes you through a very popular birding area, where it is common to see the elusive elegant trogon, which is known for its vivid metallic colors and peculiar croaking call.
To reach the trailhead, drive to the roundup parking area at the end of the Madera Canyon Road (FR-70) and park your vehicle. The trail branches off the Old Baldy Trail three-tenths of a mile from the parking area. The trail is 1.5 miles long with an elevation gain of 1,030 feet. The hike begins on the Old Baldy Trail but after approximately one-quarter mile, the trail splits. The Carrie Nation Trail branches off to the right at a signed junction past a sturdy bench on the right side of the path. The route continues on a rocky surface up a moderate grade paralleling the left side of a creek for several hundred yards, where the grade increases dramatically. Beyond there the path leaves the creek, and the tread turns into a rocky staircase intersected by large, exposed tree roots.
About nine-tenths of a mile above the basin, the trail comes to a junction where the Carrie Nation Trail continues on the left side of the creek and the Vault Mine Trail (aka Very Steep Trail) veers to the right. After a couple hundred feet, the trail rounds a small clearing on a point, and the route begins a grueling trek up the ridge separating the two upper arms of the canyon. When the grade levels off, the path contours around a shallow recess on a narrow ledge about 50 feet above the creek and then returns to creek level.
After approximately 1.2 miles, the trail goes up a long ramp supported on one side by a 4-foot-high stone wall. The ramp takes you to a large flat area where an assortment of discarded mine equipment is scattered randomly around the area, including a boiler manufactured by Atlas Engine Works.
The primary entrance to the Carrie Nation Mine is located up a staircase about 200 feet beyond the boiler. The adit is hidden at the end of a horizontal drift tunnel at the back of a flat area on top of a large pile of tailings. There are several more adits and excavation sites scattered across the hillside about 60 feet up the rockfall on the left side of the primary entrance. The most notable site is about 200 feet up the drainage on the right side, where there is a deep vertical shaft surrounded by a fence with a sign stating, “Abandoned and inactive mines are death traps, do not get trapped, keep out.” Below the warning, there is a picture of a skull and crossbones.
Beyond the mine site, the trail veers to the left, crosses the creek, and then continues for 150 feet to an open area where you find remnants of a stone wall and a sign saying, “end of trail.” What the sign probably should say is “end of constructed trail” because the original trail may end but a very distinct footpath continues for another seventh-tenths of a mile and 700 vertical feet to its junctions with the Agua Caliente Trail east of Josephine Saddle.
The spur trail switchbacks to the right and then begins a moderately steep traverse around a primary drainage in the direction of the mine. After 0.2 miles, the faint trail reaches a flat spot on a ridge with a fire ring and the remains of a log cabin. Just past the cabin the trail splits; the left fork switchbacks up a hill and the right fork goes directly up the slope. It does not matter which path you take because they come together a short distance up the hill. Beyond here the trail becomes much steeper and the switchbacks are short, steep and help very little in alleviating the grueling grade. The path essentially threads its way up the crest of the ridge separating the west fork of the long south arm of Madera Canyon from the shorter east fork. There are no retaining walls, rain deflector logs, or other erosion control devices on the trail. Finally, the path levels off somewhat in a ponderosa forest at 6,800 feet and junctions with the Agua Caliente Trail a half a mile above the Carrie Nation Mine.
From the trail junction, there are several opportunities for completing loop hikes. One option is to turn left and continue on the Agua Caliente Trail until it reaches Josephine Saddle and then take either the Old Baldy or Super Trail back to the Roundup Parking Area. Another option is to turn right at the junction and hike west to where the Vault Mine Trail branches to the right down a very steep slope back to the Roundup Parking Area.
Wayne Tomasi is the author of “Exploring the Santa Rita Mountains,” which includes extensive descriptions of virtually all of the trails on the east side of the Santa Rita Mountains, as well as lesser-known remote routes. The book is available at the Patagonia Library or it can be purchased from the author.