Also, note that the lower TH end or the start of Trail#144 is approximately 50 yards before continuing north on FR203 through a "closed" gate. I have noted in the TH driving directions below the lower TH end-GPS coordinates (see driving directions for details). At the lower TH end(FR203), there is NO "official" TH sign indicating the lower end of this Lucky Strike Trail#144. As best as I can now determine, this intersection is approximately at GPS coordinates: N33 51.8625 W110 53.6547 ELEV 4971' (At this approx location there was a rock cairn with white survey-ribbon tape tied in the bushes noting what appeared to me to be a possible trail intersecting to the north-a left turn). It now continued with switch-backs as it makes its way through heavy-old growth red manzanita and large oak trees, which helped to shade most of the final 1.5 miles downhill to FR203.Īs of this writing, there is NO "official" TH marking for the intersection of the Grapevine Trail#135 that intersects this Lucky Strike Trail#144 somewhere between the 4mi and 5mi point.
From this ~4mi point, there was recent trail maintenance, which made for a very pleasant hike for the balance of this serious downhill 5.5mi one-way hike. From here, the trail takes a steady downhill route to the ~3.5mi point where it opens up with sun exposure and becomes overgrown and rocky to the ~4mi point but offers some lovely views of the Cherry Creek drainage far down to FR203 at trails end. Still, with a limited amount of time to explore this first trip, I could not locate any official mines that might confirm the actual locations of the old Lucky Strike and Pueblo mines.Īt approximately the 3mi point, this easy-to-follow trail with some downed trees to negotiate takes an approx 160-degree turn at a very scenic viewpoint looking up at the jagged bluffs of Center Mountain to the southwest. Within this area, there were also secondary trails and off-shoot 4x4 mining roads. This mining activity was evident along and off the trail to the 2.25mi point with various metal pieces and old steel water piping sections off the path. At the 2.04mi point, the GPS indicated mining activity for the old Pueblo and Lucky Strike asbestos mines. From here, the Lucky Strike Trail, an old 4x4 mining road, starts its downhill 2900' elevation drop through some minor burn forest area to the official Sierra Ancha Wilderness boundary sign at the 1.37-mile point. The trail begins here in the pines with canyon views continuing for 0.5mi to a highpoint at 6975' and its intersection with Center Mountain Tr#142.
I chose to do this hike as an "in and out," with some exploring, starting from upper Billy Lawrence TH. The lower TH area at FR203 has fine views (~400' down) into perennial Cherry Creek. The upper Billy Lawrence TH off FR235 has fantastic canyon views down into the surrounding Cherry Creek Drainage areas, rugged Billy Lawrence Canyon, and far-reaching to the north and east into the distant mountains of the Apache Indian Reservation. This remote hike in our northern Sierra Ancha Wilderness has an upper and lower TH option, which allows for either a high-end hike start at 6800' elevation (from the Billy Lawrence TH) or a low-end hike start at 4000' elevation (from FR203).
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