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Hess Mine

Hess Mine

Not far from the Tioga Pass entrance station to Yosemite National Park lie the remains of the Hess Mine, one of the more accessible 1940s-era tungsten mines in the High Sierra. Three widely-separated claims comprised the mine: the main claim at the north end of Steelhead Lake; a small middle

The Blueprint Petroglyph

The Blueprint Petroglyph

The desert has gone silent. Where once it was inhabited by homesteaders, miners, and even ranchers, now it's a checkerboard of wilderness areas delineated by long, lonely roads. Surely many interesting and historic sites remain, but how accessible are they now that most of the roads have been

Chuckawalla Bill's

Chuckawalla Bill's

Anthony William Simmons, also known as Simon but more famously as "Chuckawalla Bill," fixed up this little cabin and lived here from around 1932 to 1936. From what I could piece together, he was born on August 2nd, 1875, in Pennsylvania. He served in the U.S. Army

Lucky Turkey Arrastra and Blind Mule Placer Cabin

Lucky Turkey Arrastra and Blind Mule Placer Cabin

These mines are a bit of a mystery as very little is known about them. The hike visits a roofless stone cabin first, then heads over to the Lucky Turkey Mine with its arrastra, and finally out to a remote cabin at the Blind Mule Claim. The little bits of

Ward Stamp Mill

Ward Stamp Mill

Up in the high country of the Eastern Sierra and south of Bridgeport, is the old site of Ward. Never a big mine or camp but it makes an interesting place to visit in that a stamp mill still remains there. It's also a bit of a challenge

American Flag Mine Cabin

American Flag Mine Cabin

Also once known as the Mojave Hilton, I couldn't find any history on the American Flag Mine or the cabin. I first visited the cabin in 2011 before any repairs had been done on it. I stopped by for visits in 2016 and 2022. You can see the

Duct Peak

Duct Peak

You will need to dust off your peak-bagging boots for the trek up the 3,137-foot Duct Peak. This small peak is in the eastern part of Joshua Tree in what I call the "Empty Quarter" of the park. This section of the park is completely undeveloped, and