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Distance: Less than a mile.
Difficulty: Strenuous
Hike Time: Hour
Elevation: 3445 ft  to 3949 ft
Season: Year Round
USGS Maps: Gisela
Directions:
   From: Phoenix
Take the Beeline Highway (AZ 88) approximately 50 mi. North from Fountain Hills to the Gisela turn off, approximately 0.5 mi beyond mile marker 239.

The ruin on Black Mountain is indicated on your Topo Map.  A rule of thumb seems to be that if a ruin is listed on topography maps, there is not much chance of finding artifacts.  This ruin is located about 11 miles south of Payson on the road into Gisela.  As you drive East approximately 1.5 miles toward Gisela, you will see Black Mountain on your right as the road winds along it's base.  There is no trail to the top of Black Mtn. - just park your car and pick your own route.  When I reached the top of the hill, the ruins were easy to spot even though the remnants of the walls have been toppled down to about knee high.

One author reports that his car was broken into while parked along side the road so be sure to remove any valuables from sight before locking and leaving your car. 

Trekker

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