One of the instant towns sparked by the gold rush lies just beyond Pike’s Peak. Cripple Creek was one of the most successful boomtowns of the late 19th century, producing $500 million in gold –more wealth than any other area on the face of the earth up to the year 1930. At its height, Cripple Creek boasted a population of 35,000 but in 1896, several major fires destroyed the town. It was rebuilt over the course of several months and most of the historic buildings still stand today. While mining is still in operation today, the now sleepy town now gets much of its revenue from gambling and tourism.

Blackett’s Ridge has been on my Tucson To Do List for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure what took so long to finally cross it off my list but it has since become a new favorite! This challenging and fast hike up Phoneline Trail to Blackett’s Ridge offers panoramic views of Sabino Canyon and the city of Tucson in a relatively short distance –7 miles out and back.