4WD Trip To Cochran Coke Ovens

[mike t]

Some friends from work joined my wife and I for a little adventure out to the Cochran Coke Ovens today. If you're not familiar with them, these are structures built back in the mining days to burn mesquite down to ash (coke) for use in smelting just across the river.The old town site of Cochran is along the Gila river about 12-13 miles east of Florence.

We started out exiting US 60 near Dromedary Peak, about 3.5 miles east of Florence Junction. We followed this roughly graded road to Cottonwood Canyon (at 6 miles) to Box Canyon (at 8.5 miles) and then to Martinez Canyon (at 10 miles). The old adobe structure (about 9 miles) in the pics was just before the junction with Martinez Canyon approaching from the north as we did.

Once we entered Martinez Canyon it started getting a bit rougher. In reality though, we ain't seen nothin' yet. After 2 miles of travel up Martinez Canyon, a right turn started us up the track to Cochran and our goal for the day, the Coke Ovens.

At this point it becomes a rock crawl. There is really only one tricky spot and it is right at the start. A steep area of slick rock blocks the way. I probably used 1/2 of my remaining clutch getting up it. My companions however had no real problem. A Chevy with V8/4 inch lift and a Tacoma with limited slip diff both walked right up. Do I hear a set of lockers calling me? The rest of the way is pretty much just rough and slow (2hrs for 4 miles). We could have hiked faster!!!

We enjoyed lunch and some poking around at the ovens, took pics, then missed our turn to go back by an alternate route. It's all good though because we ended up down at the riverside for some rock skipping and also got muddy along the way.

Backtracking to the ovens, we made our connection for the alternate return route that had a couple hairy spots. We all got through unscathed to Martinez Canyon and then to Box Canyon.

For the return, we chose to continue south through Box Canyon and the very narrow section that gives this canyon its name. Now the big wide Chevy is at a disadvantage. This stretch was very cool and certainly worth a trip.

Finally we exit just north of Florence and return via Hunt Highway to miss all that pesky Renaissance traffic. All in all a fun day of exploration in the unusually green Arizona desert. BTW this entire trip is written up in Backcountry Adventures Arizona by Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson.

Pics in the gallery. Here's a link.

http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/modules.php?set_albumName=albun43&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
_________________
Mike T
---------------
less is more

[Arizonaheat]

That is a great trip and I have it on my agenda to do soon. I have done it once and had a blast. We went in through Box Canyon and out the back way.
_________________
Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.

[mike t]

Better hurry if you want to beat the heat. Even at yesterdays moderate temps, we were getting on the edge of uncomfortable by the end. Fortunately it was a bit cooler in "the box".
_________________
Mike T
---------------
less is more

[RedRoxx44]

If you continue up to Martinez camp past the Coke ovens turn off you come to a cottonwood oasis and drive up thru some running water. The cabins at the Martinez camp are trashed but the mill one half mile up canyon is really something to see. From there you can hike the road as a loop and visit the Columbia and Silver Bell mines and have great views from the top. I've also driven it in my jeep and came out with one of my shocks knocked off the mount and a broken leaf spring- and I had a spotter too.

[mike t]

Yeah, that sounds like another trip for another day. The book I mentioned above states "body damage can be expected" if driving from the mine to the mill.
_________________
Mike T
---------------
less is more