Home > Arizona > Swansea Townsite

Swansea Townsite

Monday, March 18, 2024

Trail Map

Other Names

Buckskin Mountains, Clara Peak, Bill Williams Rd., Shea Rd., Swansea Mine Road, East Cactus Plane, Natural Arch, Planet Ranch Road

Last Known Status

Open

Once a bustling copper mining town from 1908-1943, this historic landmark is now an abandoned ghost town with scattered ruins and artifacts. An informative self guided hiking loop takes you through the main parts and there are actually five nice developed campsites with gazebos so you camp right within the town ruins.

The surrounding trails are mostly hard packed jeep trails with small sharp rocks and some sand washes. The terrain is largely flat with some scenic canyons and rolling hills but nothing too challenging. Larger RVs and trailers are not recommended to go all the way to the townsite, as the last three miles of the main access road gets a little narrow and steeper, with a one-lane bridge (8-ton limit).

This is a nice easy day ride for seniors or beginner ATV riders who would appreciate the historical sights, but there are not many challenges for aggressive riders.

Trail Map... Nearby ATV Trails...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	AZGFD sticker required
Dates Open	Year-Round
Other ATV Stickers Accepted	No	All non-residents must purchase an Arizona OHV decal.
Spark Arrestor	Yes	A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles.
Noise Limit	Yes (96 dB)
Whip Flags	Not Required
Maximum Vehicle Width	No Restriction
Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes	Permitted
ATVs	Permitted
UTV & SXS	Permitted
SUVs & Jeeps (registered)	Permitted
Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered)	Permitted
2 Stroke Engines	No Restriction
MX Helmet Required	Youth Only	required for persons under 18 by state law (RiderPlanet strongly recommends helmets for all riders.)
Camping	Some Areas	(camp in developed sites only)
Campfires	Some Areas	(permitted in developed campsites only)
Night Riding	Yes
Trail Blazing	Prohibited	keep on the trail
Rule Enforcement	Few/Periodic

TERRAIN

Miles Of Trail	5
Climate Type	Desert
Elevation	1000 to 1300 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Mostly
Sand	Some
Mud	None
Dust	Some
Rocks	Little
Trees	None
Steep Hills	None
Water Crossings	Few	seasonal
Small Jumps	None
Large Jumps	None
Berms	None
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	None
Roads	All
Intersections	Few
Rider Traffic	Few
Shade	None
Ranges/Gunfire	None
Hazards	Few	(hazards not marked) dropoffs
Novice	Mostly
Amateur	Some
Expert	None

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails

Land

BLM

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	30+ Miles (W)	Parker
Diesel	30+ Miles (W)	Parker
Water	30+ Miles (W)	Parker
RV Hookup	30+ Miles (W)	Blue Water Marine RV Park (928) 669-2433
RV Disposal	30+ Miles (W)	Blue Water Marine RV Park (928) 669-2433
Campground	On Site
Conv Store	30+ Miles (W)	Parker

FEES & PASSES

Parking	(None)
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	(None)

RATINGS

Pros	interesting ghost town, ruins to explore
Cons	long access road, not many real trails - 4x4 roads and washes, no services
Our Rating	Fair
Recommended Stay	Full Day Fall/Winter
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Parker, AZ

Address

Swansea Road, Parker, AZ 85344

Trail Map

From: Parker, AZ
1) Take Alt Hwy 95 to Shea Road intersection
2) Turn left (east) on Shea Road, continue 13.3 miles
3) Turn right on Swansea Mine Road, continue 10.4 miles
4) Veer right at stop sign, continue 5.7 miles
5) Trailers and small RVs can stage here, last 3 miles are steep and narrow and not recommended for RVs/trailers.