Out in the Superstitions, we haven’t seen too much blooming action.   Some thistle are blooming and the hedgehogs are blooming there as well. Still not many brittlebush with color yet and the Sumac still has a ways to go before we see any color there. But, we will be heading out there again soon, so we’ll see if anything has changed.

That’s the update for now.  Stay tuned as we head further into Spring!

View looking toward Superstition Mountains

I love when family and friends come to visit us here in beautiful Arizona!  It gives me the perfect excuse to do some more local sight seeing in my own backyard that I otherwise probably wouldn’t take the time to do.  Sound familiar?  Our latest “adventure” was taking a day to travel along the Apache Trail, one of my favorite scenic drives.   To begin this drive just head out on 60 East and take the Idaho Rd exit and follow the signs to Canyon Lake.

After a short drive down the Apache Trail, we started our day at Goldfield Ghost Town, the old mining town located right by the Lost Dutchman State Park.  We had a great time exploring the old town and taking lots of photos of the area.  Years ago, this little “ghost town” didn’t have much to offer, but it has since been rediscovered and tourists have been pouring in ever since.  As a result, it has gotten a little bit kitschy but it is still worth seeing especially with the kids!  I think we investigated every nook and cranny the town had.  We also spent a bit of money of some of the tours they offer there such as the mine tour.

The mine tour was a pleasant surprise. We learned quite a bit about how the miners spent their days and toiled under ground with only candle light to help them see.  Did you know that the miners were only given about 6 small candles on each shift to help them see what they were doing?  They would conserve their light by putting the candles out and eating their meals in the dark of the tunnels.  If I’m not mistaken, there are some restaurants that currently charge a pretty price for guests to eat in the dark now!  I guess the miners were on to something.

After our adventures at Goldfield, including a mock gunfight battle performed by volunteers, we hit the road again.  We drove towards Canyon Lake.  It is a gorgeous drive through interesting landscape with rock formations, plants, and animals not commonly seen in other parts of the valley.  We stopped at the Marina where Steamboat Dolly is docked.  We parked there and walked across the street to the Boulder Canyon Trail entrance.  We hiked up the trail to get some unbelievable views of the area.  We could see far into the Superstitions Wilderness and a good bit of Canyon Lake.  We saw some folks rafting up into one of the canyons that the larger boats cannot get into (add that to my list of things to do this summer!) and we saw plenty of collared lizards and a snake! 

After working up an appetite hiking, we got back in the car and continued down the Apache Trail.  Our destination was Tortilla Flats.  We made it just in time for dinner.  Even for a Saturday evening, the restaurant closes pretty early at 7:00pm so we felt fortunate to get in for last call (for food that is).  Tortilla Flats is best known for its decor of dollar bills covering every inch of space on the walls of the restaurant.  It is quite entertaining to read what people have written on the dollar bills and to see how old some of them are.  The food is pretty good too!  I will warn you though, if you plan to order the Nachos Grande, make sure you have someone to share them with!!

At Take A Hike Arizona, we love to share our experiences with our fans and we love to hear from you as well!  Tell us about some great adventures you have had whether it is here in the valley or in your hometown.  Just send us your experiences to info@takeahikearizona.com and we can share them with our readers as well!  Also, we offer great day hikes in the Superstitions area, described in this posting, during which our guides will show you some fantastic scenery and share many local legends and history with you along the way.  Just call us at 480-634-8488 to learn more about the excursions we offer!

So for those of you not familiar with the area, head up the Peralta Trail up to the Freemont Saddle that overlooks Weaver’s Needle.  Do not try to hike up to the cave first. From the saddle, head up and over the rocks to your right where many people go to get an even better view of the Needle.  If you look towards the Needle (twelve o’clock), a little to the right (about 1-2 o’clock) is a lone pine tree (a little one).  You can’t miss it. As our friend told us, look for “the tree”. I was a little concerned at first until I saw that is is indeed the ONLY tree up there.  That tree is actually on the trail that you want to pick up to head toward Geronimo’s Cave. However, the tree is in the opposite direction of where you want to head.  So, start hiking on the trail to the right of the saddle that looks like it will take you toward the tree eventually, and you are on the right trail (just don’t bear left to head to the tree when that option appears).

Almost immediately you are in for a scenic treat. The minute you turn the corner and start heading back in the general direction of the trailhead, you have gorgeous views of the other side of the Superstitions that y0u don’t get to see while hiking up the Peralta Trail.  It’s nothing but wilderness. At this point, I wish I could tell you to just follow the trail from here on out but it is not so easy. The “trail” is not a clear path or marked in any manner. You may see cairns once in a while that you hope point you in the right direction, but that is about it.  The only thing I can tell you is stay parallel to the Peralta Canyon that you hiked up earlier and eventually you may find your way back to the trailhead. Seriously. This hike back via Geronimo’s Cave is not for the faint of heart nor the ill-prepared. You know the rule of thumb used at the Grand Canyon….it takes twice as long to hike a mile up than it does down? Well, reverse that for this hike.

Do not attempt to go back this way if you are running low on water or snacks. It takes some time to return by this route.  You should also be concerned about returning this way if you have anyone in your group that has even a minimal fear of heights.  There is quite a bit of scrambling over rocks and sliding down steep inclines – often close to the edge of large dropoffs. So take your time.

The cave itself will be off to the left side of the trail in the area where the landscape/rocks have a yellow tint.  The cave is quite large and pretty open so you really can’t miss it. You have to leave the trail for a few yards to hike up to the actual cave entrance, but you should see some paths that are worn down a bit from others that have gone there before you.  This is a great spot to hang out and enjoy the view for a bit and take lots of photos!  After this point, the trail gets a bit scarce. You have to pick your way through the boulders – while staying parallel to Peralta Canyon. You will also have to scramble quite a bit to get back to an area that feels like an actual trail again.

With all that said, my best advice is if you are going to Geronimo Cave for the first time, go with someone who has been there before and can help guide you back to the Peralta Trailhead.  Also, be sure to bring lots of water, snacks and really comfortable, sturdy shoes. Some of the descents are pretty steep and can be hard on your toes if you don’t have the right shoes on.  I would not recommend bringing younger kids as some of the rock scrambling may be difficult for them to get up and it is a long hike for little legs.

If you are curious about the hike, please feel free to check out the photos we took. They are in our photo gallery on our website under the Superstitions hiking folder. If you would like more information about the hike or would like a guided hike out into the area, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@takeahikearizona.com. We love to share our experiences with you and keep you safe out in the desert!

One of our favorite hikes in the Superstitions is the ever popular Peralta Trail.  It is so popular that parking can be a problem on the weekends. But even on a busy weekend, the area is so large that you are not competing for space on the trail like you would on Pinnacle Peak, Camelback or Piestewa Peak. 

Right from the start, the Peralta Trail has beautiful scenery around every corner. The rock formations along the way are some of the most unique to be found in the valley and during the warmer months, we often see gorgeous collared lizards and blooming flowers of all kinds. From the Peralta Trail you can also find Geronimo’s Cave (if you know where to look).  We are heading out there tomorrow for a fun (day off) hike. We’ll be sure to take some more photos – especially of the cave – and post them to our blog. So stay tuned for some more info about the hike and a few other trails that you can find starting from the same trailhead.

Take A Hike Arizona, LLC is one of the very few companies/organizations that holds a commercial permit to hike in this area of the Superstitions.  If you’d like to learn more about the excursions we offer in the Superstitions Wilderness Area, just give us a holler at 480-634-8488 or email us at info@takeahikearizona.com. We’d love to take you out there and show you the beauty found in this special part of the Sonoran Desert.

We  just got back from a great hike out on the Peralta Trail in the Superstitions Wilderness Area. This 4.5 mile (roundtrip) hike is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. First, although you gain about 1,300 -1,400 feet in elevation, the trail meanders its way up to the saddle versus using steep switchbacks. This makes the trail very manageable for anyone wanting to head out on it. Second, I never get tired of admiring the dramatic volcanic rock formations along the way or coming up over Freemont Saddle for a fantastic view of Weaver’s Needle. I love the view of Weaver’s Needle so much that I used it as our backdrop for our holiday photos last year!

What’s cool about the Peralta Trail (and the Superstitions in general) is that you get a lot more than just scenic views on your hike. This area is rich in vegetation and wildlife. This year the Superstitions had some of the most beautiful Spring flowers, more so than anywhere else in the valley. As a matter of fact, there are a number of flowers still blooming out there this week. Then during the warmer months (like now), you will find plenty of lizards darting about.

The Peralta Trail is one of my favorite places to find gorgeous Common Collared Lizards such as the one in the photo above. These critters can be tricky to spot. I’ve found them most often on the upper third of the trail (up above the yellow tuff line that is on your right side as you head up). Look for them on the volcanic reddish brown pockmarked rocks. They seem to love hanging out in the sun on those particular rocks. If you move slowly enough, you may be able to get a few good closeup photos of the lizard before it runs and hides. You might also be lucky enough to be treated to the sight of it hopping as it moves away from you. It is amazing how graceful they can appear as they quickly hop from one rock to the next! I sometimes wonder if they have hidden springs in their legs!

If you like the photo of the lizard above and you just have to see more of them, check out our wildlife photos in our photo gallery. You will also find some great photos of the hikes we have done in the Superstitions as well. So, if this sounds like a hike you’d like to try, just head out east on US Highway 60 until the highway turns into a 4-lane road. Then look for the turnoff for Peralta Road. Turn left onto Peralta Road and follow that all the way to the end (about 8 miles on a dirt road). The trailhead is at the very end. Facilities (or some semblance thereof) are available at the trailhead. If you are heading to the trail from the Scottsdale area, leave yourself at least 1.25 hours for the drive and get there early! The parking lot gets full on the weekends. Of course, we at Take A Hike Arizona, always recommend you take a guided hike into this area as it is wilderness and rescues do take place there much too frequently. And besides, how else are you going to find those elusive Collared Lizards??