This is a nice and seldom visited desert mountain range. We went in December 12 and 13 of 2009, which was an ideal time of year for a visit. There is no water (that we noticed anyway). The vegetation is saguaro cactus, ocotillo, cholla, creosote bush, ironwood trees, and the usual assemblage that is characteristic of the Arizona lowland division of the Sonoroan desert.

Road access is limited. Despite the fact that the BLM website (the are lying scum) indicates that there is no road access from I-8, we had no difficulty passing through a gate about 4.5 miles west of the Freeman Exit. (A second gate a bit over 1 mile further west was likewise passable). We followed the road about 3 miles northeast to "Big Horn Reservoir" where the BLM dogs have blocked further access by a gate and big cable. A nice road leads another couple of miles further north (and we used it on our return loop to the truck).

On one hand I should (and do) applaud more wilderness that is closed to vehicle traffic. If anything bugs me, it is the fact that the gate has a lock. The priveleged government boys get to drive another couple of miles in lazy air-conditioned comfort when the have a "need" to get back into this area. If the area is closed, the gate should be welded shut or the road should be bulldozed. There is no way to admire a hypocritical double standard.

We didn't let any of this ruin our trip. We had expected the find the gates along I-8 locked and to have been driving along Arizona 238 up on the north side looking for ways to get across the RR tracks. We hoisted our 27 pound backpacks (I carried 3 liters, and my buddy curt carried 4 liters) and started hiking about 10:30 AM on Saturday. We hiked cross-country to the north west, with the intent of being in a secluded basin near the peak marked "Big Horn, 3183" for the night.

We did just that and had a nice night in a secluded spot in the desert. We did hear truck traffic on I-8 (it is only about 4 miles as the kestrel flies), but it was hardly annoying. The sky was dark and moonless and full of stars. We saw little or no wildlife (these mountains are dry and clearly hot in the summer), though we did see deer sign and small birds. The rocks are all metamorphic schists with some granite lenses.

A nice couple of days in a rarely visited location.

The road we used for access is marked "Big Horn" on the topo sheets and there is an abandoned building on the south side of the road with roads heading south into the Sand Tank Mountains. A visit to the Sand Tank mountains would be interesting, using this road, or roads that lead south from the Freeman Interchange. This would require a permit since this is on the Barry Goldwater Range. (It is not just a matter of getting a permit, it is also a matter of coordinating with the military to insure you are not in a location being used for live-fire training by the Air Force!). This is not impossible, and is something I would like to pursue for the next trip.