Some explorers have even faced their death in search of The Lost Mine. So while we dont recommend looking for gold yourself, you are certain to find the promised land here in youre looking for a great hike. No one really knows the source of the carvings, but its still a magnificent piece of history and a memory to take home. Preview trail Backpacking Hiking Views No shade Conditions Superstition Peak 5024 via Siphon Draw Trail, Discovery Trail and Lost Dutchman State Park, Treasure Trail, Prospector View, and Crosscut Trail, Treasure Loop Trail via Jacob's Crosscut Trail, Cross Cut, Prospector and Jacob's Trail #58 Loop, Mountain Bike Loop at Lost Dutchman State Park, Native Plant Trail at Lost Dutchman State Park. Be careful, I had good tread and still slipped a few times. My phone died with 3 miles to go but completed around 20 miles in around 10 hours. Sign up to receive our newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. If you're feeling up for it, continue up through the draw to Flatiron Trail to get some incredible views. Luckily there were a bunch of cars parked off to the left, by some rope, and that was how we knew where the start of the trail head was. Parents should be aware that the trail is narrow in places and traverses some steep slopes. Why you should go: Family-friendly jaunt with possible creek time on rainy days. If not, theres some nearby shade. A nice walk, certainly not challenging. The museum is great for the family or any history buff, and is even home to something that should be near and dear to your heart after driving Apache Trail-- a stagecoach that was once used on the route! No HOA. Just when you think you have an understanding the Supes, you find another piece of territory to blow you away. Trust me, youll want to stay awhile, so I suggest packing a lunch for this one. Expansive views, canyon walls, valley floors, switchbacks, desert trees, and a saguaro forest. The hardest part was superstition mountain peak as scrambling and lack of trail in parts made it tough. Trail could use some more cairns and/or arrows. Its rocky, sharp and unforgiving. Goldfield offers ziplining, live gunfight reenactments, and a narrow gauge railroad you can ride. About a mile in, you will come to a creek bed. Its not scorching and the apples are in season. A few huge cattle along the way. Theres history on this hike. To U.S. 60. Thats the cave! Numerous creek crossings. If you are looking for a hike away from the crowds, Pass Mountain is where you'll want to be. Superstition Mountain 26 Feb 2023 with a little frosting. Amazing amazing amazing though scary at some points but worth it. Uphill to cave . There is a wood bench and a sign at this point that marks the point at which you can take the secret spur trail to the Praying Hands. Far from your average vacation or weekend getaway, Apache Trail may have had its travel challenges way back when, but is now a welcoming slew of fun points around every turn, ready to be discovered. Awesome hike with varied terrain and views. The trail crests a high ridge after a quarter-mile, and makes a rugged 2-mile descent into Cedar Basin. Many pools and waterfall. Hes also the one who planted the apple orchard. Its common to get into a flow while hiking one foot in front of the other and glance up here and there for the views. She has been published in Arizona Highways Magazine and Phoenix New Times, and has traveled overseas for her work. To Payson. Legend has it the Peralta family originally from northern Mexico came to these mountains in search of gold in the 1840s. Imagining the sunset on the evening of a full moon, and also catching the sunrise, left me speechless. And if youre considering the hike any other time of year, catching the sunset is the next best alternative. The payoff at the end was okay. Once youve reached the turnoff for Flatiron, just keep going up. The town, population six, is Arizona's smallest "community," with a post office as well as a voter's precinct. Loose rocks on trail. But going up siphon draw was a blast! Just remember, this is the desert. An easy to moderate day hike, Treasure Loop is a must-do for all outdoor enthusiasts. Just east of Mesa, Arizona,lie the Superstition Mountains, commonly known as "The Superstitions." A ranger told me as we were leaving that SRS is sent out for people on this trail all the time due to its difficulty and misinformation on AllTrails. Do it! Start early, and remember a headlamp just in case! Its about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. This hike is reserved for the most experienced hikers physically and navigationally speaking. We clocked 12 miles without the 9 mile flat area, had someone pick us up at Hieroglyphics lot, so the trail is a little longer than what it says here. Download the AllTrails map and follow the cairns. You quickly come up on the First Water trailhead and there will likely be a lot of people from here to the parking lot. The trail up to the ridge is a great scramble, the ridge views are amazing and hopping down flat iron is grade A fun! Thats how I felt during this trek. 755 S Colonial St, Gilbert, AZ 85296. You can spend day two exploring some one-off trails and enjoying the creek. Either way, its a fruitful hike all around but you could say that about every Supes hike! Covering over 160,000 acres, the Superstition Wilderness contains an abundance of cactus, wildflowers, and perennial water sources interwoven with the soaring mountain tops of granite, basalt and dacite. Learn More . Take the time to "slow down and smell the sagebrush" as you and your horse mosey along the trail. Although there are creeks and springs along the way, don't count on them. Crowds of people climbing all over the glyphs today, really sad to see thousands of years of history ruined like that. Similar to Battleship Mountain, navigation gets a little finicky in the river bed, so watch for cairns. Always remember that you should try to stay left when possible going up as it is the often the route with less exposure. It is full of history and tales of gold, as well as 100-year-old saguaro cacti, vista views, and wildlife. Decades later, Jacob Waltz, aka "the Dutchman," was said to have found the mine, and hid gold in the Superstitions. Territory Supply is reader-supported and may earn a commission when you book or purchase using our links. 2021Outdoor Project. From the Cholla parking area, it is a short walk to the Saguaro parking area to complete the loop. There are three springs on this trail, two of which will require a little bit of navigation but will be necessary if you decide to turn this into an overnight trip. There is a creek, too, mind you. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. It's still one of the best ways through the Superstitions. If youre going to the top, plan on being out there a good five hours. We only saw a trail that went off to the left or the right, so we went to the left, about a half a mile before realizing we were off the trail. Follow white arrows. Also, It was very windy the day that we went. Maybe Im late in the game, but I was very impressed with this idea. Make the right turn, plan it after a recent rain, and youll experience some of the finest pools and pour-offs in the Supes. So, lets say you dont want to go as far as Charlebois Springs (previous hike) and youd like to bring the kids along, but you still want to explore the wonders of the western Supes. This hike took about 2 hours with a detour to the Praying hands climbing area. From AZ 88, or Apache Trail, you will eventually cross a bridge. Prepare to get wet. But either way, around every corner is a different piece of the landscape waiting to be unveiled. Parking very tight even on a Friday morning. There are many spots where you can see both east (towards Four Peaks and Superstition Wilderness) and west (towards Phoenix) and its moments like those that remind you why you're about to hike 20+ miles. To get to this hideaway, youll start at the First Water Trailhead off of AZ 88, like some of the other great hikes on this list. The Arizona Museum of Natural History is the only natural history museum you'll find in the Phoenix area, which is why it is home to some amazing artifacts! Fish Creek isnt much of a trail and there is no real destination point, which, in my opinion, is a positive aspect. We did this as 7.1 miles and took approximately 6 hrs. Toward the end, the incline straddles the line between easy and moderate. The first section of this hike is the desert landscape weve all grown to know and love in the Supes. Elevation gain-3,000ft. Why you should go: In just four miles, you get some of the Supes sweetest sights. TheFlatiron Trailis not for the faint of heart. Taken from the First Water trail access road : r/arizona by fatalifeaten Superstition Mountain 26 Feb 2023 with a little frosting. Best hiked during cooler weather after some rain. Before you know it, youll be surrounded by the canyon walls in all their glory. A long, through trail from the First Water trailhead to the Peralta trailhead. Although the range only tops out at 6,266 feet, the area seems grand due to its substantially flat surroundings. Here's our guide to conquering Apache Trail. As other said, the parking lot fills up really fast so you will need to get there early to get a spot or just be patient and wait people come and go all the time. Learn more about our editorial policies, Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. The trail through Peralta Canyon is a popular Class 1 affair, but the less-used and more rugged Cave Trail involves a bit of scrambling, really more like clambering, if one follows the . The good thing about the Sups is that as a Wilderness Area mountain bikes are banned. Carry ample waterthis is the desert, after all. The hike described is 2.5 miles for the loop hike described. The real treat of this hike is the impressive up close views of the Superstition mountains and Apache Junction framed in the desert. It eventually meets a well maintained trail. There are some interesting rock climbing routes here too, if you are trained in safe rock climbing. The Superstition Mountain Range is a unique and vast region located in central Arizona. Seen in: Arizona, Arizona Hiking, Hike, Southwest. Need to Know Bring water. In the beginning, the towering western face of the Supes stares back at you. Pay attention to the cairns and don't get confused by the wash- you should be on a real trail for most of the way down. I thought we were lost lol. Of course, you can choose to merely drive along the loop, and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of the Longhorn cattle belonging to a local rancher. $2,495. If you want a real challenge, pound in your tent stakes and head over to Peralta Hiking Trail to climb up to the top of the Superstitions. You may even catch some climbers top roping the Praying Hands rock formation. Make sure to wear shoes with good traction. This is a nice introductory hike to the Superstition mountain wilderness area. Great views after the fog cleared. There is no where to fill up along the route. 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superstition loop trail