Favorite Places: Superstition Mountains
Superstition Wilderness, Apache Junction, Arizona
Living fairly close to the Superstition Mountains makes this a natural location for me to enjoy the outdoors and to photograph the Sonoran desert more in depth. It's a diverse location, boasting large stands of saguaro's and cholla cactus, in the springtime it boasts an abundance of wildflowers, and wildlife, including including mule deer, coyote, javelina and jackrabbit, year round.
The mountain range is in the federally designated Superstition Wilderness Area, which means a lot of walking will be needed to explore the area. The wilderness area is also the home of the legendary Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. The mine is named after German immigrant Jacob Waltz (1810–1891), who legend has it, discovered gold in the 19th century and kept its location a secret.
Location
Located just a few miles from the largest city in Arizona, Phoenix, the Superstition Mountains offers a wealth of history and lore, in a landscape that is synonymous with Arizona, yet easily accessible from either US 60 or AZ 88 (Apache Trail). There are two general entry points to the wilderness that are accessible by car. To the west along AZ 88 is Lost Dutchman State Park and First Water Road and to the ease, along US 60 is Peralta Road.
Lost Dutchman State Park
From Phoenix drive east on US-60 (Superstition Freeway) and exit at Idaho Road and go north to the junction with Apache Trail (AZ-88). Drive about 5¼ miles northeast then turn right (east) to Lost Dutchman State Park. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Wilderness. There is an entrance fee to enter the park, and the trails are open from sunrise to 10:00 p.m.
There are a number of trails from the park, of varying difficulties and lengths. See: Lost Dutchman State Park Trails.
First Water Road
Leaving Lost Dutchman State Park continue northeast for about mile, on Apache Trail (AZ 88) and turn right (east) onto the first forest road you come to. After driving for about a 1/2 mile, just before you come to a normally dry wash (don't attempt to cross if there is water flowing), there is a pull off where you can park. There are a number of trails here that lead into the Superstition Wilderness and to Superstition Mountain itself. There are a lot of secondary trails here, so you will need to be careful that you can find you way out.
This is a good location from which to photograph the Four Peaks (part of the Mazatzal Mountains), with a different view of the Superstition Mountain than you see in Lost Dutchman State Park. Sofe of the trails from this area intersect with the trails from the park. This is my preferred location on the eastern side of the wilderness area.
The Palo verde – Spanish for green wood - is one of the more colorful trees found in this wilderness. Their flowering season is short, but when they do, the tree explodes with yellow.
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