Hiking the Superstitions

I love the Phoenix area because there is so much to do. And I don't mean town things, but within just a short distance there is hiking, biking or geocaching. In the week I've been back in the area I've been hiking twice. First I did a 5 mile round trip on Peralta Trail. Not long, but over 1000 foot elevation on the hike. Even through I huffed and puffed going up, it was worse coming down, the knees. But what a view once you got to the saddle. Not just the Superstitions, but Weavers Needle too. My second hike was the Massacre Grounds Trail, again, not real long, about 5.5 miles and only a 900 foot elevation change. But I did get pictures.

 

This was about where the trail started, but the road has been closed and you now have to walk .7 miles just to start the trail. Make note of this little rock knoll.

Here is the same rock peak, but I am now 1/2 mile away.

Much of this trail you have to follow the cairns. And we even found the local watering hole.

Right in the middle, the darker area, is Massacre Falls. There is only water after a hard rain. And even though it rained a lot just two days earlier, you can see it is already dry again.

Way off in the middle is the peak again. Now I am a mile away.

Even though it is just a rock pile, it looks like a large trail marker (cairn). Maybe the Jolly Green Giant put it there!

We are at the end of the trail looking down onto the massacre grounds. The story says a group of Mexican miners, back in the 1800s, were killed by a group of Apaches in this area.

Behind me is Four Peaks.