Black Canyon City

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FootPrint Details

This FootPrint covers the eastern flank of the steep Bradshaw Mountains centered around Black Canyon City. West to Boulder Creek, covering Williams Mesa and East to I-17. The extent runs North to the confluence of Arrastre Creek and Black Canyon and southward covering Moore Gulch and the old town of Gillette. The Aqua Fria River serves as the dividing line between Yavapai and Maricopa counties. Approximately 50 Square Miles.

General History

The Black Canyon City FootPrint covers portions of the Agua Fria and New River Mining Districts. The black igneous rock that Black Canyon Creek flows through is the genesis of its name. Black Canyon drains the many gold bearing areas of the southeastern Bradshaw Mountains into the Agua Fria at Black Canyon City. Placers have been worked here since at least the 1850's. The surrounding mountains are highly mineralized and extremely rugged. Being difficult territory to work, much of the area remains virtually unworked. Many modern day nugget hunters have been pleasantly rewarded for a little hard work.

Gillette and the Tip Top Mine

The ghost town of Gillette sits on the Aqua Fria River. The town was founded in 1878 as the millsite for the successful Tip Top silver mine nine miles into the Bradshaw Mountains. In 1884 the mill was moved to Tip Top but the town remained a stop on the Prescott to Phoenix black canyon stage. By 1895 the railroad was completed connecting the two cities and Gillette was finally abandoned. The FootPrint does not include the Tip Top mine, but does include most of the old road to the mine and the entire Gillette millsite.

Placer information:

This information is taken directly from US Geological Survey Bulletin 1355, Placer Gold Deposits of Arizona, by Maureen G. Johnson, 1972.

Aqua Fria District

Placer gold was recovered from Moores Gulch (T.8 N., Rs. 2 and 3 E.), a tributary to the Agua Fria River, north of Lake Pleasant. Placer gold was recovered from other areas along the river, but no descriptions of any deposits have been found.

New River District

Placer gold was recovered from this district in 1933. The district is on the south slope of the New River Mountains (Tps. 6 and 7 N. Rs. 2 and 3 E) but probably also includes minor deposits located in the low hills south of the New River Mountains and north of Deer Valley.