SKIT Day 23: Galiuro Wilderness & Powers Garden

Daily Miles: 14.0, Total Miles: 312.5

Other than the initial bushwhack up the first steep hill, today was thankfully more straightforward. I even found a trail at the top that took me down a drainage with a few good pools. I soon reached the Keilberg Dam, constructed to support some old gold mines in the area. Below the dam, I took the path of least resistance and slid down into two plunge pools. Shallow but still refreshing.

Rather than continue on the SKIT route over Grassy Ridge, I opted to take the Powers Garden Trail. Headed down Rattlesnake Canyon and followed the creek to Powers Garden Spring to rejoin the SKIT route. I’m glad I did, a really nice trail through a forested canyon. The shade was appreciated on a hot day. Got water and lunch at the spring and had a look at the site of the Powers Spring Shootout. In 1918. a posse attempted to arrest the sons of old man Powers for draft evasion. In the shootout, three lawmen and old man Powers were killed. The two sons escaped into Mexico but were eventually captured in, at that time, the biggest manhunt in Arizona history.

Off again down the canyon, stream flowing most of the way, for another four miles finally exiting up Powers Hill.

Now a dirt road, it took me to Rattlesnake Mesa. I camped near a very curious cow herd.

No rattlesnakes or anyone else seen today.