Ripsey Mine, Florence Lead and Silver Mine

Ripsey PLUS 2.5

Ripsey Wash, Ripsey Mine, Florence Lead Silver Mine and Hackberry Mine all in a fairly small area. Lots of interesting things on this Jeep trail.

This GREAT TRIP is easy enough to run in either direction, but will be described here beginning at the Florence Kelvin Highway.

There is a GPS - gpx track at the bottom of the page.

Ripsey Mine

Ripsey Wash is a mostly sandy wash, beginning wide then narrowing down to interesting canyons as you travel up its length.

Ripsey Wash lower portion

Ripsey Wash higher up

The Desert Willow Tree was in bloom when we did this trip in May. We also saw two gila monsters the same day.

Desert willow

Gila monster

Ripsey Mine has an unusual amount of equipment still in place. Please do not disturb any of it. The first photo at the top of this page shows an overview of the mill remains. We believe the first photo below is the base of an arrastra. The second is a shaft, navy surplus generator and a rail line that came out of a mine a short distance beyond the mill. 2018 update: The shaft by the generator has been opened up to allow claim holders to evaluate ore quality.

Arrastra

Generator

First photo below is a shaft just above the mill and a cable reel for the headframe that was above it. Also the major boiler for the complex. Second photo is a nearby open shaft. Looked kinda scary.

Boiler, shaft and cable reel

Scary open shaft

The next major attraction is the Florence Lead Silver Mine. Mindat.org says this was a former surface and underground Pb-Ag-Cu-Au-Mo-Cr-Zn mine.

I found an article from the American Mineralogist that said the mine was operating in 1970.

The road going in is somewhat rutted. This area has great views.

Road to Florence Lead Silver Mine

Hayden smelter

There is room to park on the far side of the remaining building. A major shaft is located a short distance beyond the parking area. Looks like it would be interesting to explore, but we are not into that.

Entrance

Rails still in place

Go back down to the main trail and turn right, then take a left down a beautiful, narrow canyon to the top of Hackberry Dam. Be careful you do not drive off the top of it - there is no warning sign here. You will take a safer route to the bottom later in the trip.

Hackberry Dam canyon

Do not drive off the top of the dam

Follow the track down into Hackberry Wash and view Hackberry Mine and a building reported to be an old pumphouse.

Hackberry Mine

Pumphouse

The last stop is a quick side trip to the bottom of Hackberry Dam. A shady spot to take a break. Interesting mineral deposits in rocks just below the dam.

Hackberry Dam from below

Interesting mineral deposit

Now you can choose how to end the day. You can go back the way you came and exit either via Ripsey Wash or Ripsey Alt 1, or you can go down Hackberry wash and either ford the Gila at Kearny or take a graded road to Winkleman. We did the ford when the river flow was 280 fps and had no problems. Would probably try it at 350 fps.

Updated 2018.