Roblas Butte, AZ | HikeArizona
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Roblas Butte, AZ

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Statistics
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Difficulty 2.5 of 5
Route Finding 3 of 5
Distance Round Trip 1.2 miles
Trailhead Elevation 2,298 feet
Elevation Gain 791 feet
Accumulated Gain 791 feet
Avg Time Round Trip 2-3 hours
Kokopelli Seeds 5.16
 Interest Off-Trail Hiking & Peak
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35  2022-10-04 joebartels
13  2017-03-08 Steph_and_Blake
7  2016-01-01 rayhuston
14  2016-01-01 kingsnake
24  2016-01-01 Oregon_Hiker
8  2016-01-01
5th Annual New Years Day Topper
Barrett
28  2016-01-01
5th Annual New Year's Day Topper
outdoor_lover
40  2016-01-01
5th Annual New Year's Day Topper
tibber
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author avatar Guides 264
Routes 2,350
Photos 13,528
Trips 5,441 map ( 27,517 miles )
Age 53 Male Gender
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Preferred Mar, Nov, Feb, Apr → 7 AM
Sun  6:38am - 6:31pm
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 Water
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🔥 2020 Sawtooth Fire24.7k
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Fauna  Nearby
Flora  Nearby
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Meteorology  Nearby
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Bathed in smiles and fine dust
by joebartels

 Likely In-Season!
Overview
Rugged off-trail summit hike with views of the Superstition Wilderness and Picketpost Mountain. Explore the playground mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, and javelina call home.
Prologue
You do not need to haul a backpack and filter water, pump iron chugging protein shakes, or run marathons to explore the rugged Superstitions. Bouncing along, en route to the designated wilderness through Hewitt Canyon, Roblas Butte has undoubtedly been placed on someday lists since one of the first paved highways in Arizona is nearby.

Gear
Long pants will likely increase your speed. Shorts or lederhosen will suffice if you are careful.

Hike
Beginning from a space to park immediately after crossing Peacock Creek take the path of least resistance through the mesquite bosque to the sandy wide wash of Hewitt Canyon. The route to the top is arbitrary. Current satellite imagery paints an illusion of simply weaving around bushes. Add in steep, loose footing with cacti and moderate route finding. The predominant shrub is friendly/dependable jojoba and can be used to steady your balance.

Halfway up from Hewitt wash to the saddle goes by quickly. The second half deals with more brush, route finding, and foot placement in areas. Just below and above the saddle you get a few strides of relief. The initial slot to the top that comes into view looks like a bucket full of pain based on Barrett's view from nearby 3,048. The wider and reasonable-grade slot to the east appears to be the choice.

Heading up the east slot you do get close to saguaro, barrel cactus, and Teddy-bear Cholla, but are avoidable with careful foot-placement. Continue up the path of least resistance. Rock scrambling is minimal and easy if you are on the easiest route.

When you reach the top, a 300+ drop off the edge is yards away. Summit ridge as Barrett described it is fitting. The butte that catches your eye to the northwest is Buzzards Roost [ zoom ]. The slanting high point, three summits to the right of Buzzard, is Fraser Peak [ zoom ]. There is a register about 20 feet to the north. Be careful near the edge and return by the same route or explore other variations and nearby high points.

Synopsis
Lack of balance and inability to catch a fall is my kryptonite. Others find it a moderately quick and intimate sojourn up a dabbled blob of Superstition geology. Staying near the posted Official Route is certainly the shortest and most used option. A scary southwest slanted ravine may or may not be doable. A longer south-southwest approach does not appear better than the above based on satellite. I only encountered and pushed aside one catclaw bush on the edge of Hewitt wash so it must have been a great day!

Nearby Adventuring
Elephant Arch is worthy since it's only 1.3 miles up the road and 1-mile Roundtrip. Byous Butte is further, more gnarly and less teeny bopper(Tik Tok y).

44-second Video2m 47s Narrated Video

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2022-10-04 joebartels
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    guide related
WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

 Permit $$
None


 Directions
or
or
 Road
FR / Jeep Road - Car possible when dry

To hike
From Phoenix/Mesa: take US 60 east to N Queen Valley Rd and follow 1.9 mi
- Right onto E Hewitt Station Rd, follow 3.1 mi
- Left at ghetto Forest sign to Rogers Trough, follow 2.8

Parking for about three vehicles immediately after Peacock Creek. Other options further up the road. High-clearance vehicles and beater sedans should be able to make it in dry conditions. The biggest obstacle is the ditch on the far side after crossing Queen Creek. If water is flowing in Queen Creek or the deep ditch to get out of Queen Creek, forget it without 4WD unless trickling and you can keep momentum.

I suggest the spot immediately after Peacock Creek because a couple of options further up have softer soil that might get non-4WD in trouble. There is a potentially better spot 0.2-mi up the road.
page created by ssk44 on Dec 27 2010 9:37 am
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