I love looking east from Scottsdale and seeing the Superstition Mountains. It has been awhile since I hiked the Superstition Wilderness Area on the eastern side of the Valley of the Sun. I was reminded of that Saturday when reading an article in the Republic by John Stanley listing some of the more popular hikes: Boulder Canyon Trail, Peralta, Hackberry Springs.
Perhaps I’ll take a day off sometime soon while the weather is nice and the Sonoran is in bloom, and revisit a trail or two. Meanwhile, check out John Stanley’s article and slideshow on AZCentral. I also note great advice posted at the end of the article by commenter Mark Feldbauer. This is great advice for out-of-town visitors and a good reminder for us locals:
If you plan to hike the Superstition Wilderness you may wish to pick up a map from the Tonto National Forest. I found “Superstition Wilderness” at Wide World of Maps in Mesa for $14.95.
The map is very detailed including “Trail Profiles,” all primary and many secondary trails. We hike the area frequently and notice many hikers who are not properly prepared to hike in the desert. We use 2 liter hydro packs and a snack as well as map, compass, utility knife and mini flashlight. Dress in layers and wear a hat as the wind, sun and temperature changes are quick and frequent in the desert. Sunrise & sunset are spectacular in the desert, particularly in the Superstitions.
I’ll also add this article to our “Take a Hike” tab. You can get a lot more AZ hiking info there, including trails in Scottsdale’s own McDowell Sonoran Preserve.