The Real Treasure of the Superstitions
My wife Erin and I spent several days exploring the wonderfully beautiful Superstition Wilderness in early March. We are certainly glad we did! We had some misgivings at first: it’s close to Phoenix, there could be lots of people crowding the trails, and we thought it would be hot and dry. Luckily, the only one of these ideas that turned out to be true was the proximity to the Valley of the Sun.
The Superstitions are a must see for all Tucsonans, and it is not too far away. There are lots of trails and hikes to choose from; we headed for the popular Peralta Trailhead – which is just north of Florence Junction on Hwy 60 (about 1 ½ hours north of Tucson).
The main wilderness trails are very well maintained, and we were impressed with how well they were signed. From Peralta Trailhead it is possible to do several day hikes, including a nice 7 mile round trip to see the famous Weaver’s Needle – a towering monolith with three joint summits. The park service recommends visiting the Superstitions between October and April, since it is too hot in the summer.
The March weather was perfect: 65° F and sunny during the day, and 45° F at night, with only some mild rain on the last day out. We had the backcountry to ourselves, only encountering other hikers at the trailhead (OK…there WERE squirrels, lizards, birds, raccoons, deer, javelina… the list goes on). Entering the Superstition Wilderness on the Dutchman’s Trail from Peralta Trailhead is awesome. We left the trailhead, came over a small saddle, and voilà : an expanse of mountains, valleys, rock spires, and green hills.
It was hard to keep our eyes on the trail as the views were so great! Plus the numerous prominent rock formations (many called “needles” or windows – I think we saw close to 30 rock windows in various formations) give even an amateur compass/map user ample directional and location clues. Like I said before, the trails are well marked and in great shape, which added to the pleasure of exploring the Supes’. 
Abundant water, warm sunshine, wildflowers blooming everywhere, and lack of other humans created 3 great days of backpacking! There were lots of springs, boulder fields, and tree-filled riparian areas, plus plenty of archaeological and historical sites to explore and learn about along the way. Dutchman’s Trail, for example, is named after a gold miner who supposedly hit it rich in the Superstitions in the late 1800’s – which is not a likely story due to the area’s volcanic geology, but many other gold seekers have tried to locate his mine since then, creating a wealth of adventure stories and crazy happenings.
As you explore the Wilderness, the canyons, mesas, and cliffs are spectacular and make for great photographs. Weaver’s Needle was especially striking, as it towered over the surrounding mesas – our loop took us around it, and we were able to see it from all four sides and at different times of the day. For the climbing types out there, there are several trad routes up Weaver’s Needle, most within the 5.1 to 5.4 range. It’s a popular day destination for locals, while others choose to haul up camping gear and spend the night atop the summit. We think the rest of the Wilderness is just as worthwhile and less crowded. So pack up your bags and go, even if it’s only to see the Needle (and don’t forget your Crocs).
