This mound of boulders lies south of Signal Peak near the Central Arizona College campus, on unincorporated land tucked between Casa Grande, Coolidge and the Gila River Indian Reservation. I climbed Signal Peak on Christmas Day, 2021, but skipped this little foothill at that time.
I was driving to Tempe, and stopped in to hike this peak. It is not one I would ever make a special trip to hike, but it appeared to be a short hike with easy access, and something I could do to break up the drive.
I left Bisbee at 7:30 a.m. and was past Tucson and in the Casa Grande area about 10 a.m.. The day was sunny and warm, temperatures in the 70s already with high expected to be into the high 80s and low 90s, the first really warm spell of 2025.
I exited at McCartney Road and went east a couple miles, turning north onto Azurite Road, which fronts a massive Jehovah's Witness compound. Today, they were closed, no one in the parking lot, the gates shut, which was fine by me. I drove to the end of the road, where the pavement ends, and parked in a clearing, my car hidden from the main streets by one of the walls of the compound.
The land here is open undeveloped desert, with a few houses on the fringes but nothing closer than a half mile. It is private, so says the online land-ownership maps, but it was unfenced and unposted. The hill rose immediately to the north.
I got dressed and went light, just a buttpack. The peak is loaf-shaped, the summit on its east end, whereas I was south of its west end. I walked tracks to the base of the hill and started up. The slopes are covered in blackened boulders. The slope was steep but the boulders helped in that they formed steps and held ... except when they suddenly didn't. A couple slid or teetered when I placed weight on them. I moved fast but carefully, never committing to a step until I was sure it would hold.
In about ten minutes I was on top of the west ridge. The ridge itself features more boulders and scattered brush, plus one large saguaro near the east summit that stood out since there weren't many others around it. It was warm and I was mindful of snakes. The insects were out too.
I walked the ridge east to the top. It was rocky but also featured some rough paths and openings. There was some light trash such as water bottles suggesting someone comes up here once in a while. I was on the summit in another ten minutes. Counting the walk from the car, my ascent time was about 25 minutes.
The top is rocky, three of them looking about equal in height. A large cairn was built about ten feet down, with a cross in it. I looked for "Rocky" benchmark but couldn't find it. The USGS datasheet does not describe its location except that it was monumented in 1921, making it one of the oldest benchmarks in the state. I was disappointed I couldn't find it.
I did not spend long up top. I snapped some images and looked around. I did not find a register either. I started back down, retracing my route, descending the same slope I ascended. The downhill hike went well, me being careful to ensure the rocks would not suddenly slip. A couple tried. I was back to my car quickly, the round trip taking about 45 minutes.
This was a pleasantly short hike and challenging enough to make me feel I earned this one. It was also quite warm, and this was my first official sweaty hike of 2025. I changed into driving clothes and located myself onto the ASU campus.
