Camp at Elephant Rock

[RGINN]

Weather here presented a rare opportunity in December to make it out of the county so I went and looked over some new country. North of Buena Vista along the Arkansas, a really big rock popular with climbers. They have a few free campin spots around it which worked for me. 50 degrees in the day, 17 at night, clear with a big moon. Herd of deer came grazin through in the night and evidently they will not step on a person sleeping on the ground. Good place to explore. The river's nearby, and I took off wanderin up a canyon to the east. Looked like you could walk a looong ways without comin across a house or road but 5 miles was enough for me.

 

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[Silver Searcher]

RGINN your living the dream, far from the madding crowd

SS

 

[tamrock]

Your very close to the BV arrastra. (found pic online) There were small gold mines in and around the granite formations and on up towards Trout Creek pass, but none were ever significant from what I read. The folk in BV called this the old Spanish mill, but I believe it was much later then when the Spanish were in the area your at that would have left this. If you go looking for those old digging keep an eye out. I remember a few weren't fenced off. Just don't want you to be looking at the beautiful sky an go stepping in one. I found it odd many didn't have much of a tailing's around the hole in the ground and you'd stumble up to a shaft in the middle of nowhere. I've always felt there is a stash of treasure someplace in and around that country. It's like you say. Many good landmarks in the area. They would be perfect points. Thanks for taking us along.

 

[RGINN]

That's a very fine arrastra. I've seen those before in SW Oklahoma, of all places. They were more crudely made, but I suppose they got the job done. There was speculation they were Spanish in origin. There were two gold rushes in the Wichitas, and the miners in the later one, not knowing the history, tended to call any evidence of prior mining they encountered 'Spanish Diggings'. Some of them probably are.

 

[BosnMate]

Really enjoyed your pictures. The only thing missing in the photo of your coffee cooking is the smell, wood smoke, coffee, sage and pine.
I tried and tried to smell it, but it didn't work. Bummer.

 

[RGINN]

I did not know what this place was called when I camped there. I did some reading about it, and here's a pic showing how it got the name Elephant Rock. Little imagination and you can see it. You can see an ear real good anyway.

 

[texasred777]

Yes, I can see the ear! With a little 'defocusing' of the eyes, one can see 'clearly' an elephant. Thanks.