Sierra Estrella Buried Gold (Don Joaquin)

The Sierra Estrella range rises sharply south of Phoenix with little water and rugged trails. Don Joaquin allegedly ran a slave-worked mine on the Zig Zag Trail toward Butterfly Peak and Montezuma's Head. He buried gold in a cave halfway down the trail, killed the Indian scout who knew the spot, then was murdered by his own men who stole his map. Thirty-five years later an old man with the map reportedly searched but was driven off by hostile Indians. Much of the range is on Gila River Indian Community land and the Estrella Mountains Regional Park — respect tribal boundaries and access rules.