Natural History Wanderings

Boyce Thompson Arboretum reports on the wildflower bloom of the Peachville Mountain

As of March 13 wildflowers are more numerous here at the Arboretum – and declining in the mountains four miles north of BTA, Peachville and Montana Mountains in the Tonto National Forest. These hills still have beautiful swaths of goldpoppies; but they are thinning and color is waning. Lupines cover these hillsides now – as well as phacelia, chia, red maids and desert chicory — but color has definitely passed its peak in the easy-to-reach lower hillsides that were carpeted with Mexican Goldpoppies back in February of 2012, when the photos on this page were taken. if you have a Jeep, light truck or smaller SUV with high clearance directions are below to access these areas that had carpets of color during February with poppy-covered desert vistas as shown in photos on this page. Photos posted here were all taken in foothills of Peachville Mountain located four miles north of the Arboretum in the Tonto National Forest, and easily accessed off the Silver King Mine Road, also known as Forest Road 229 — only a 20-minute drive north after turngin off highway 60. When this region was at peak color during February 2012 drivers could easily see the goldpoppy-covered hillsides of Peachville Mountain easily visible by looking north across Highway 60 towards the horizon four miles north at Peachville and Montana Mountains, which sported thousands of acres of golden hillsides and slopes. Spring color is off to a great start – drivers eastbound through Gold Canyon and towards Superior and Globe can photograph brittlebush, lupines, globemallow and and fairy duster coloring roadsides gold, blue, orange and pink; respectively. Watch for these as you drive east of Queen Valley and up through Gonzales Pass this week. If you have a high-clearance vehicle follow directions below to explore roads leading to Peachville Mountain. This area can be accessed by either of two well-maintained Forest Service dirt roads: Happy Camp Road, off Hewitt Station road; and also the Silver King Mine Road FR229 which is easily accessed as a north-bound turn off highway 60 directly across from the Superior airstrip and big “Welcome to Superior” sign just east of milepost 225 on highway 60.