one night in the Superstitions

[wonderwoman78]

Hi, my husband and a friend want to backpack for just one night (out and back or loop-no shuttle) in the Superstitions mid December...starting super early the first day and leaving the trail in the afternoon the 2nd day. They would prefer it to be less desert-y if possible. Husband is an experienced backpacker but does need an easy trail to follow as he gets lost sometimes. Would like the drive to the trailhead from North Phoenix to be between 1 and 2 hrs. Can do higher mileage as they both are in great hiking shape and carry low weight in pack. I've been looking at the loops and trails in the Superstitions and am just getting confused as to what would work best for them. A link to a route would be the most helpful!! You all rock! Thank you!

[xsproutx]

"Less Deserty" really isn't going to happen in the Supes. A little less on the Eastern side but I wouldn't be recommending that to anyone right now; those trails are often overgrown in normal years and with this monsoon season, they're probably super special.
What do you consider higher mileage? Have they been before or is it all new to them?
I personally think this is one of the best "intro to the supes" backpacking trips; would recommend doing it clockwise, though. Camp at Charleboi or La Barge Spring.

Edit: had a link here to a route. Maybe that's not allowed? Any rate, the route I suggest goes Peralta to Dutchman, with a stop in Charlebois or La Barge for the night, continuing on Red Tank, to Whisky, rejoining Dutchman back to Peralta. Roughly 20 miles of well maintained trail for the most part; some overgrowth on Red Tank and Whisky but not too bad.

[hikeaz]

May exceed the stated drive time, but the eastern sups fit the 'less deserty' bill.

[nonot]

The two hour limit on your driving limits you to the western Superstitions. A loop using Dutchman trail and Peralta trail from Peralta TH will fit your parameters, but all the western Superstitions are Sonoran desert, so meeting your criteria of "less-desert" is not possible. The Dutchman trail tends to be the best maintained trail in the Supes and hence the easiest to "not get lost", but you can still go wrong and turn in the wrong direction so please bring a map/compass, GPS and know how to use them.

Dutchman trail: [ Dutchman Trail #104 ] (Note that you will not do the entire dutchman trail , but only the southern/eastern half of it.)
Peralta trail: [ Peralta Trail #102 ]

Another similar loop option, using Bluff Springs instead of Peralta to close the loop, reducing mileage slightly
[ Charlebois Loop II ]

Access to eastern Superstition THs requires longer drives, better vehicles equipped for off road driving, but the benefit is that it will allow you to get into patches of pine forest, though most of that pine forest was devastated by a recent wildfire and the trails are generally in poor condition in most areas because of that.

[ShatteredArm]

Haunted Canyon is probably about as close as you can get to fitting the stated requirements. The drive is probably pretty close to 2 hours, depending on where you're coming from.

[ajfish]

@wonderwoman78

The drive is a bit on longer side of what you're looking for but I've done Reavis Ranch from Roger's Trough as an overnight, once with a six year old and a novice backpacker in tow so it's definitely a feasible for that time frame, particularly with strong hikers. When I've camped there that time of year, it usually gets around or below freezing so I'd just be prepared for that. It used to be super easy to follow the trails however I haven't been there since the fire so I'd read the recent reports.

[ALMAL]

@wonderwoman78
From north Phoenix this is just under the two hour drive mark. [ West Clear Creek Trail #17 ]
Nice trail, couple of easy creek crossings, superb creek-side campsites, trout if anyone likes fishing, not desert-y...