Goldfield Classics

Sunday, May 24, 2026: Goldfield Recreation Site
Lower Salt River
Early Morning Classics: ~2km, ~3km, ~5km, Motala

Sign up (Deadline: Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM)

With summer coming soon to Phoenix, we're excited to present 3 early morning navigation courses in the Salt River area. On Sunday, May 24, we're offering three Classic courses and a Motala at the Goldfield Recreation Site. In Classic courses, participants visit destination markers 1,2,3,etc. in the order printed on the map. Participants can do one or more of the Classic courses separately, with breaks in between, or can combine the three by doing the Motala, where participants do all three courses with no breaks.

The orienteering courses at the Goldfield Recreation Site will open at 5:30 AM. Some of you may ask why start so early? Just in case you didn't know, Phoenix is located in a desert. Summer temperatures can reach 120F during the hotter parts of the summer. In late May, the humidity is still low, so morning temperatures can still be in the low to mid 70's. We strongly suggest you get out early, get some navigation under your belt, and get out of the sun before it gets too hot.

The Goldfield Recreation Site is a popular area for enjoying the Lower Salt River in the summer. The Salt River Recreation Center, located just over a mile away, is hugely popular for visitors wanting to float inner tubes down the river. The Goldfield Recreation Site is one of the points where visitors exit after a day on the river. The terrain surrounding the Goldfield site is flat. A number of small drainages criss-cross the area. Participants in our navigation events are challenged by the subtle terrain. Pace count and correct orientation between points are vital.

We hope you'll consider joining us for this year's events at the Goldfield Recreation Site.

Note: A Tonto Day-Pass (or equivalent) is required. Events take place in Tonto National Forest. There is a permit fee to park at the Goldfield Recreation Site. While you can pay on-site, the fees on-site are 50% higher than if you pay beforehand. Refer to the Tonto website for more information concerning the park pass. Note that America the Beautiful passes are valid for the recreation area. The park pass is not part of the registration fee.

To ensure we can properly plan for the event, sign-up and pre-payment for the event is required. We do not have onsite sign-up.

Sign-up is open until Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 11:59 PM. We will have pre-printed maps for everyone who signs up. We do not have maps for those who have not signed up online.

Click here to sign up.

Fees

Fees for the Goldfield events are shown below. Fees cover the cost of printing maps and insurance for participants. Note that for the single entry fee, participants can do one, two, or all three courses individually, or can string the three courses together and do the Motala. Each participant must sign up separately. There are discounts for children who would like to participate.

Parental Consent Now Required (Click here for more information)

All participants under age 18 are now required to have a signed parental consent form on file with the club. You can complete the form before the event and either scan it and send it to us by e-mail or bring it with you to the event.

Details of our Classic events are found here.

The list below is the minimum recommended equipment for the Score-O.

• Whistle (Mandatory for all. Available for purchase for $1)
• Compass (Mandatory for all. Available for rent for $1)
• Water. Water is NOT available at the start/finish . We also DO NOT have water stations on the course. You are strongly encouraged to bring your own water bottles or a camelback.
• Sun screen. There is shade in the forest on all the courses. We encourage you to protect yourself from sunburn.
• Sturdy hiking shoes and long pants are recommended. You may encounter some thick brush and loose terrain.

Directions to the Goldfield Recreation Site.
Goldfield Safety Plan