Hiking in the Superstition Mountains is best enjoyed during the months of November - April. More:Spicy Phoenix hike is a worthy alternative to Camelback Mountain. First Water Trailhead, Hiking Black Top Mesa In The Superstitions Is Worth It, How to find Broadway Cave in the Superstition Mountains, AZ, Massacre Falls | A magical waterfall in Phoenixs Superstition Mountains, 10 Amazing Superstition Mountains Hikes for your Bucket List. The roots of this tale also date back to the mid 1700s and grew in fame with the gold rush of 1849. Elevation: 1,940-2,420 feet (878 feet of accumulated elevation change). This post contains affiliate links, which means purchasing through these links I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Quick tips for hiking Massacre Grounds Trail to the waterfall. Superstition Mountain is located in the Superstition Wilderness of the Tonto National Forest in Arizona, and is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the state. Another legend revolves around the Apache Devil, a creature that is said to inhabit the area. Nearby towns such as Apache Junction and Gold Canyon also have hotels within minutes of the range. The Boulder Canyon trail offers views of Canyon Lake, Weavers Needle, and Battleship Mountain. Legend tells of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine hidden somewhere within the 160,000 acres of brutal Arizona desert known as the "Superstition Mountains." The promise of a $200 million mother lode has lured thousands of treasure hunters and continues to claim the lives of those eager to decipher the . AOTS 2023 SPRING STUDIO TOUR Friday March 17th, Saturday, March 18th 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Sunday, March 19th 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Only Certain Studios OPEN - See Brochure Make sure you mark your calendars for our 2023 Annual Spring Fling Studio Tour! Superstition Mountain is just one of many geographic landmarks inside the Superstition Wilderness Area. Superstition Ridgeline Trail. Depending on the season, you'll see not only gorgeous desert vegetation but also wildlife. For many Valley hikers, climbing Flatiron is an essential adventure. It is a little further drive, located just east of Phoenix, but the drive is so worth it! First, the mountain itself is mysterious and has an intriguing history. Today, I love nothing more than exploring and capturing all the beautiful places in Arizona. Elevation: 1,940-2,420 feet (878 feet of accumulated elevation change). Our focus is on providing visitors with an experience of the Old West. Superstition Mountain Museum is located in an area full of legend, history and intrigue. The Treasure Loop Trail is a short, beautiful loop hike through the desert landscape of the Superstition Mountains. One of my best memories from the mountains has to be the first time I made it to the very top of Flatiron Peak, with over 2600 feet of elevation gain and about five miles round trip. It is a gradual uphill climb and is 2.8 miles each way, rated easy to moderate. This stunning mountain range located in Arizona is part of the Sonoran Desert, and offers breathtaking views, diverse wildlife, and plenty of trails for hikers of all ages and skill levels. This 1.2-mile loop winds through the desert and provides a great introduction to the area. Our typical Superstition Mountains backpacking itinerary covers around 24 miles over the course of three days. Welcome to my article on the Superstition Mountains! What to Pack for a Superstition Mountain Hike, Planning a Family Hike to Superstition Mountain, Exploring the Legends and Superstitions of Superstition Mountain, Navigating the Trails at Superstition Mountain, Where to Find the Best Views of Superstition Mountain, Tips for Safe Hiking at Superstition Mountain, What to See and Do on a Hike at Superstition Mountain, Exploring the Scenic Michelle Obama Hiking Trail: A Perfect Getaway for Nature Lovers. This trail is perfect for day hikers, as some of the best views are within the first 3 miles! Hiking the Superstition Mountains in Arizona for a few hours, a day or via a multi-day backpacking trip is a great way to experience the beauty of the landscape for locals and visitors alike. Here's how to try it. Note: I dont know where the gold mine is and neither does anyone else. The mountain has a long history of superstition and myth, making it a fascinating place to explore. 2h 44m. Regardless of your skill level, Superstition Mountain has something for everyone. Most backpackers should be able to get a good fit with these packs. The magnificent mountain range offers our members and those in the Phoenix-area incredible hiking and unparalleled views of the local desert surroundings. Footwear: Wear sturdy, waterproof shoes or boots. The Treasure Loop Trail is a three-mile loop that begins at the Boulder Canyon Trailhead. 1. Day 2: We hike through a remote part of the Superstitions to Second Water Spring and spend another night under the stars. It was such a great feeling standing at the top above the world and looking down on the valley during sunset! Use the buddy system and never hike alone. Superstition Mountains are located in Tonto National Forest. According to legend, the Thunder God was so powerful that it caused the mountain to grow from the ground up. 2. great views of superstition mountain & the lush green fairways & desert. Superstition Mountain also encompasses a guard-gated master-planned community with custom home lots, elegant estates, and luxury villas. Broadway Cave features a massive entrance that opens up to the valley beyond. Superstition Mountain is located in the Superstition Wilderness of the Tonto National Forest in Arizona, and is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the state. Beginning at the First Water trailhead, you will connect to the Second Water trail and then follow the Boulder Canyon Wash Southeast before splitting off to tackle the Battleship Mountain scramble. Copyright 2020 Superstition Mountain. Close by is the Saguaro Lake Guest Ranch and marina where you can book a room right by the river and have a short 15 minute drive to the Supes. Official Osprey site ($165.00), Osprey Renn 65 Pack Womens Then, once youre on top of the spine of the mountain, youll continue to boulder climb and scramble to the other end. VRBOs as well as Airbnbs will probably be the best bet if you are not looking to camp. For more information on the history and legends of the Superstition Mountains, visit theSuperstition Mountain Museum. This 4.5-mile trail leads to the top of the mountain and offers spectacular views of the surrounding desert. Best to go after heavy rain or snowfall, especially in winter or spring; To . At the end it is rocky with pools of water and petroglyphics. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Plant life grows more robust as the route starts a spiral down into a reedy, damp gorge where it intersects the Boulder Canyon Trail, the turnaround point for this hike. Wave Cave TrailThe Wave Cave Trail treats visitors with views of the Superstition Mountains and ends inside a cave with a wave-like rock formation. Are you familiar with Weavers Needle yet? Also in the same area is Hieroglyphic Trail, a short and relatively easy hike towards the base of the mountains with views of Gold Canyon and Native American petroglyphs along the rock walls at the end. Great views and several trails within the park lead to a very good day. If your question is not answered in this post then send me an email. Weavers Needle in the center of the shot on the horizon. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Hiking. Karabou Adventure + Travel is a participant of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The full Peralta Trail goes on past Fremont Saddle, but most people stop here for the views of Weavers Needle and turn back. 2 Baths. By packing the essentials, you can be sure to have a safe and enjoyable experience while hiking in the Superstition Mountains. For the majority of the hike youre traveling on pretty level ground, and then once you make it to the base of the mountain it is a steep climb up a small social trail. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Camping is generally dispersed in the vicinity of flowing springs. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. You'll find that the temperatures during this time are more comfortable and typically less than 100 degrees. Saw dogs, children and other hiking groups on trail. With more than 140 miles of well-developed trails, and more than 100 miles of unmarked trails, the Superstition Wilderness Area is a hikers dream. Springs in the area offer the only year-round water source, and having a guide is essential to knowing which springs are flowing sufficiently and their exact location. What we now know as the Superstition Wilderness was once a series of volcanoes that collapsed to form calderas. Located within an hour of Phoenix, they are just close enough to be convenient, yet their ruggedness keeps the crowds away. You cant choose wrong! Superstition Mountain is a great place to go hiking and explore. Here, the massive forms of Hackberry Mesa, Four Peaks and the mountains around Canyon Lake to the north begin to stand out on the horizon. Here you can see the Superstition Wilderness is located in the Southern part of the Tonto National Forest. The mountain is also said to be home to a variety of supernatural creatures and forces, such as the Lost Dutchman, the Apache Devil, and the Witch of the Superstition. Plan to start in Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction . Gaining notoriety for men disappearing, the Spanish named them the Superstition Mountains. My passion for travel and photography started eight years ago when I was in the US Navy. Length: 7 miles round trip. This trail loops around the foothills of the Superstitions without getting into anything crazy, but still provides you with some beautiful desert views. While the name has hieroglyphic in it, what you actually will see are petroglyphs carved into the rocks from thousands of years ago. Your email address will not be published. We reveal who found the mine and the legend behind it over the campfire each night. This cave is well known for its rock formation that resembles a wave. The area gets rugged pretty fast and because of the lack of water sources, which is why prior planning is key to having a positive experience. When planning a hike to the Superstition Mountains, it is important to bring the essentials to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Superstition Mountain is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including the iconic Saguaro cactus. The Hieroglyphic Trail provides a chance to witness a piece of Arizonas history! We do not complete the loop below, but instead camp at Second Water Spring. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Superstition Wilderness Trails West: Hikes, Horse Rides, and History at the best online prices at eBay! The area boasts many hiking trails and offers unparalleled views of Phoenix and the surrounding area. Ringed by mesas, mountain ranges and bizarre pillars and piles of solidified ash or welded tuff, the yawning basins have settled into a quiet old age marked by a slow-motion epoch of falling apart. First Water Trailhead, Distance | 11.5 milesDifficulty | ModerateTrailhead | First Water TrailheadPermits | NoneDog Friendly | Yes. This historic site has reminders of the old west with grave sites, native ruins, and farming equipment along the way, making the Reavis Ranch trail one of the best well-rounded hikes in the Superstitions. Golden Vista Resort. Your email address will not be published. This loop below shows part of the system we use, the Dutchmans and Terrapin trails. Although no one has ever found the gold, people still search for it and believe that it is still hidden somewhere on the mountain. REI availability good ($149.oo). Flatiron is popular because it overlooks the Superstitions to the north and east and the city of Phoenix to the west. The trail is rated as moderate and takes around 2-3 hours to complete. It is pretty accessible from Phoenix. Your Guide to Backpacking the Superstition Mountains, pin on the Google map is the Superstition Mountains, Hiking Washington State: From Puget Sound to Volcanic Peaks, Top Tips for Hiking and Backpacking on the Oregon Coast, Best Hikes in North Carolina | Mountain, City and Coastal Trails, Hiking or Backpacking in Minnesota? Canyon Lake is close by and offers a scenic mountain drive along the Apache Trail which leads to Tortilla Flat, an old ghost town near the lake. One way to do this is with a GPS system or app likeGaia GPS. We are all experience hikers and range in age from 50 to 63. . Read the full trail guide: Hiking Black Top Mesa In The Superstitions Is Worth It, Distance | 4 miles RTDifficulty | Easy ModerateTrailhead | Broadway TrailheadPermit | NoneDogs Allowed | Yes. vista del corazon is a gated, custom golf community with a 100 home sites, embraced by the championship dinosaur mountain golf course, voted as one of the top 10 best golf courses in the . 12. 11. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. If it has rained recently there will be a small waterfall and water trickling down the draw! But when it does snow or rain youll want to be ready to rush on over to Massacre Falls and catch the waterfall in action. Thank you for your support! Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The Siphon Draw itself is just about a mile in and can be extremely slick, especially during wet conditions. Mare Czinar November 3, 2020. The trailhead color and location icon color do coordinate with each other. The trail continues through a series of rocky uphill segments that land hikers in the heart of Garden Valley a sprawling flatland dominated by chain fruit cholla, prickly pear cactus, jojoba, mesquite, hackberry shrubs and fields of wildflowers. One of the most popular hikes in the Superstitions begins at the Peralta Trailhead and climbs roughly 1,300 feet to Fremont Saddle. Also, bring rain gear in case of inclement weather. Hieroglyphic Trail #101 is one of the amazing, easy-to-reach trails in the Superstition Mountains that provides the fun family access to climbing and discovery that my kids just love. Tale also date back to the Superstition Mountains is best enjoyed during the of... 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