The Lost Dutchman

Looking North from Blacktop Mesa: Yellow Peak, Black Mountain, Malapis Mountain, Weavers Needle (left to right)

We did a two day overnight backpack on the northwest side of the Superstition Mountains this weekend. We started at Second Water Trailhead.  The Superstition Wilderness is 160,000 acre wilderness area located east of Phoenix and South of the Salt River. It is another example of how some of the best adventures are in your own backyard. There are a variety of opportunities to hike through some of the most unique, beautiful and wild landscape anywhere. We hiked into Boulder Canyon and found absolute solitude in a really nice site below towering sandstone cliffs and a flowing creek with a nice, sandy beach.

Jeronimo Head, from Boulder Canyon Trail

Malapis Mountain

Green as it gets in the Superstitions

Creek below camp, in Marsh Canyon

On the second day we hiked making a side trip to Black Top Mesa offering fantastic views of much of the western half of the range including Weaver's Needle. We returned back down the Dutchman Trail to complete the circuit. 

Looking West, descending Black Top Mesa

Petroglyphs, on the rim of Black Top Mesa, overlooking the north face of Weaver's Needle

It was a little warm and a bit crowded at the Trailhead but the crowds thinned out quickly past the 4 mile mark. The weather was just about perfect from 5pm the first day until about an hour until we got back to the car.