I just ran this exact route and it’s a good trail, you guys will be in for fun especially if you have someone that knows the area a little. Nothing really difficult, the first 10 miles or so are basically a gravel road and the canyon is pretty cool. The most difficult thing is the route gets a little confusing (at least to me) once you get north of the canyon as there are a lot of trails out there.
Past the canyon itself we kept heading north until about a mile north of Sunset Mine we ran into a bunch of side by sides that told us we couldn’t go any farther so we took a hard left at a sign that said 5 Peaks (road?) up a steep dirt incline, that led us to a series of trails that ran across the tops of the peaks. Talked to an old timer on a quad that confirmed we were pretty much on the right track. Then just kept heading north and west until we eventually did come across some signage that led us to Mineral Mountain Rd. and Reymert Mine.
The last mile or so between the mine you pass on the right (pretty sure it’s Sunset Mine) and where we took the hard left at the 5 Peaks sign were the most technical part of the trail but not bad at all, you just had to pay attention. If you don’t want to do that section there is another hard left steep dirt incline about 50-100 yards south of the mine that I have a feeling will get you up onto the same trails along the peaks.
Several people we talked to said Cottonwood Canyon Rd. had become very difficult if not impassable and at the junction of Cottonwood and Mineral Mtn. someone wrote “dead end” on the sign pointing to Cottonwood Canyon Road. We didn’t go that way so I can’t say how hard it really is but that’s what we were told.
Reymert Mine is cool too but there is very tight brush and you will for sure get pinstriping. The trail isn’t difficult and the remnants of the mine are fun to check out but it is very tight brush getting there. We didn’t find the Sugar Shack as it was getting a little late.
Hope you all have fun!