Guide to Diamond Point Camping
 
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In March of 2004, our camping group went for a weekend of camping on Diamond Point Ridge east of Payson, AZ.  The ridge famous for it's Diamond point quartz.  From our camp ground (marked with a flag on the Topo) we hiked up the side of hill to the East and North and found several outcroppings containing the quartz crystals.  Then we hiked back down the road from camp toward the bridge but just before the bridge we found an area on the West side of the road that was full of the quartz.  That afternoon we hiked up to the gated fence at the Diamond point fire lookout tower and back.  As is usual, the routes we drove are shown in Red on the Topo maps and the routes we hiked are shown in Blue.  

The next day we went to find Preacher's cave.  We started out by driving back to the west edge of Tonto Village (1.7 miles West from US 260) and turned south on a jeep trail.  After only a half mile we where stopped by a fallen log that crossed the trail.  After briefly looking for a way to drive around the log, we decided to hike on down to the cave, following the jeep trail the whole way.  Our hike was slightly less than 1.8 miles - one way and mostly down hill following the jeep trail.  The cave is located above the jeep trail on the right (NW) and is near the top of a little ridge above the trail.  You should start looking for the cave  at 2.3 miles from Control Road and just beyond an old foundation on the left side of the trail - leave the trail at a wide area where vehicles have obviously been parking etc. and start up the ridge directly to the north.  If you follow the trail making a sharp, down hill turn to the left, you have gone too far and have passed the area where the cave is located.  On the Topo map I have placed two flags - the first marks the point to leave the trail and the second is where my GPS indicated the entrance to the cave.  It was tough to find even though I was with people who had been there before.  The entrance to the cave is below the top of the ridge and is surrounded by large rocks.

 Here is a brief version of the story of Preacher cave:  It seems that somewhat less than two centuries ago, a preacher lived in a cabin in the canyon which now carries the name "Preacher Canyon".  On Sunday he would venture down to Payson to deliver a sermon and then return home.  Occasionally on the Sunday return trip or perhaps sometime during the week, he would make a detour through the area around Young, AZ and rustle-up some cattle (not unlike my great-grandfather). Eventually he was found out so he hid from the posse by sequestering himself in the nearby cave for a period of time.  

Eventually we found the cave and everyone stood around outside for awhile with their hands in their pockets.  Finally  I plunged forward and downward - head first into the cave. I hate caves - but someone had to go first!  After ascertaining that I had not been eaten by any territorial cave dwellers, the others joined me.  We found a rather large cave with 3 distinctly different chambers.  Frankly, after spending the better part of an hour in the cave, its rather hard to believe that the preacher preferred the cave to jail!

Enjoy,

Trekker