Hiking Arizona's Superstition and Mazatzal Country

by Bruce Grubbs

Overview

Just east of the greater Phoenix area, the Superstition Mountains are a wild, rugged range of volcanic peaks, mesas, and canyons. A network of trails covers this wilderness, reaching into Sonoran desert canyons, pine forested valleys, mysterious volcanic rock formations, and jagged peaks. North of the Superstitions and still only a two hour drive from Phoenix, the Mazatzal Mountains are one of Arizona’s largest and most remote wilderness areas. You can hike for days here without seeing another hiker. Completely revised and updated, Hiking Arizona’s Superstition and Mazatzal Country, 2nd, is your ticket to exploring and enjoying this remarkable country, from the Verde River to the pine-forested peaks along the Mazatzal Crest, the jagged summits of Four Peaks, and the labyrinthine canyons of the Superstitions. This guidebook contains descriptions of enjoyable hikes from a few hours to a week in length, for everyone from family groups to ardent peak baggers. Many of the hikes are loops and have opportunities for side trips and exploration.

Look inside to find:

• Hikes suited to every ability
• Mile-by-mile directional cues
• GPS coordinates for all trailheads as well as critical points along the hikes
• Easy-to-read, up-to-date maps and elevation profiles
• Safety, technique, and equipment tips

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493001453
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/07/2014
Series:	Regional Hiking Series
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Bruce Grubbs is an avid camper, backpacker, hiker, mountain biker, and cross-country skier who has been exploring the American desert for over thirty years. A professional outdoor writer and photographer, he has written nine previous FalconGuides.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vi

Introduction 1

How to Use This Guide 2

Wilderness Hiking 5

Backcountry Safety 7

Backcountry Navigation 15

Trail Finder 23

Map Legend 25

The Hikes: Superstition Mountains 26

1 Jacob's Crosscut Trail 28

2 Siphon Draw 31

3 Massacre Grounds 34

4 Garden Valley Loop 37

5 Second Water Trail 40

6 Lower La Barge Box 44

7 Marsh Valley Loop 48

8 Peters Mesa 53

9 Tortilla Pass-Red Tanks Divide 57

10 Lower Rogers Canyon 61

11 Reavis Ranch 64

12 Upper Fish Creek 68

13 Lower Pine Creek 73

14 Pinyon Mountain 77

15 Fireline Loop 81

16 West Pinto Creek 86

17 Reavis Creek 91

18 Angel Basin 95

19 Randolph Canyon 99

20 Coffee Flat Mountain Loop 103

21 Bluff Spring Loop 107

22 Dutchmans Loop 111

23 Barks Canyon 115

24 Cave Trail 119

25 Needle Canyon 123

26 West Boulder Canyon 127

27 Superstition Mountain 131

Four Peaks Wilderness 135

28 Ballantine Trail 137

29 Alder Creek Loop 140

30 Lower Soldier Trail 144

31 Browns Peak 146

32 Pigeon Spring Loop 150

33 Rock Creek Loop 154

34 Four Peaks Trail 158

Mazatzal Wilderness 162

35 Marion Spring 165

36 Squaw Flat 168

37 Chopper Camp Creek 172

38 Mazatzal Divide Trail 176

39 Deer Creek 182

40 South Fork of Deer Creek 186

41 Y Bar Basin 190

42 Mazatzal Peak 194

43 Rock Creek 198

44 North Peak 202

45 Knob Mountain Loop 205

46 White Rock Spring 209

47 East Verde Confluence 212

48 Red Creek 216

49 Verde River Trail 219

50 Wet Bottom Mesa 223

51 Mountain Spring Loop 228

52 The Park 232

53 Club Cabin 237

54 Davenport Wash 242

Wilderness 247

Hike Index 248

About the Author 249