Entry No. 50 — the Phoenix file — filed under: history

Maricopa Mine

The Maricopa Mine is a historic late-19th-century gold mine located just south of the Jewel of the Creek Preserve in Cave Creek. Active primarily from 1890 to 1910, the site once supported the nearby pioneer townsite of Liscum before its operations ceased. Today, all that remains of the mine is a shallow, ungated adit (tunnel opening) carved into a bluff side along the hiking trails.

The move: Hike the scenic Dragonfly Trail through the riparian oasis of the Jewel of the Creek Preserve, keeping an eye out for the historic mine adit in the bluff side to photograph from the safety of the trail.

📍 Before you go The mine is located along public hiking trails in the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and Jewel of the Creek Preserve, but entering the ungated adit is highly discouraged due to structural instability and toxic dust containing lead and arsenic.

• 📍 Cave Creek
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Maricopa Mine, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, USA

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: dflt.org · cavecreekmuseum.org

last checked: 2026-07-20