Boulder Canyon with younger kids

tcrowder · Post by **tcrowder** » Nov 01 2006 12:35 pm

I'd like to hike the Superstition area in a few weeks with younger kids and older kids.

Is Boulder Canyon a good hike with younger kids.

Thanks!

te_wa · Post by **te_wa** » Nov 01 2006 1:12 pm

Boulder Canyon trail is mostly free from sticky things, although there may be scorpions and other nasties hiding out. Dont let them stray too far, you should be fine. Give 'em a hat. 1 quart h2o per child is fine-

domromer · Post by **domromer** » Nov 01 2006 2:07 pm

Would boulder canyon have dependable drinking water this time of year?

CannondaleKid · Post by **CannondaleKid** » Nov 01 2006 6:30 pm

I hiked it just yesterday, and sticking to the trail there was NO water. If you don't believe me, check out the deep cracks in the mud in the first picture of the fourth row:
http://www.changephoenix.com/BoulderCan ... 10-31.html

Don't be fooled by the "400 ft elevation change" in the description... over the round trip my GPS logged over 1700 ft accumulated elevation gain. It is not a simple walk in the park. If the kids get tired by time you turn around, the return climb will not be pleasant, for them or you.

Unless you have some kids ready to tackle it, I'd recommend Black Mesa or Lost Dutchman or something where you can turn back at any time without too tough a return trip.

Nighthiker · Post by **Nighthiker** » Nov 01 2006 6:40 pm

You may want to try Garden Valley Loop with a visit to Hackberry Springs. Late October and November are some of the driest months for the desert.

Trishness · Post by **Trishness** » Nov 01 2006 9:44 pm

How young are the younger kids?

Boulder Canyon Trail starting at Canyon Lake is a heck of a climb and they might get bored/tired right at the start so I wouldn't recommend going in that way. Going in from First Water TH to Second Water trail might be a better choice but it's still a good 3 miles to Boulder Canyon. Black Mesa is an option but there is that lovely cholla forest on top of the mesa. And once you descend that mesa, you have to climb back up it or loop around to the Dutchman and that's a 9 mile loop!

Maybe a better introduction to the Supes would be Hieroglyphic Canyon....a relatively mild 3 mile round trip to some petroglyphs. I've seen lots of families out on that trail.

:mrgreen:

Hoffmaster · Post by **Hoffmaster** » Nov 01 2006 9:53 pm

No doubt! I wouldn't take a bunch of kids down Boulder Canyon. I think they would find it to be a rather miserable experience. (That is not to say that Boulder Canyon is miserable; it's not.)

With kids, I would stick to some of the options mentioned above. Gardern Valley/Hackberry Spring would be my first choice, followed by Hieroglyphic Canyon. Maybe an out and back to Coffee Flat. Maybe.

Perhaps the Lost Goldmine trail (I think that's what it is called) that contours along the bottom of Superstition Mtn, just outside the wilderness boundary, would be good option. It connects the Hieroglyphic Canyon trail to Peralta Rd, just before Peralta trailhead. It's 5 miles one way, so you could do a shuttle or just hike part of it out and back. I think it is a nice trail.

tcrowder · Post by **tcrowder** » Nov 01 2006 9:55 pm

In response to Trishness' reply:

The younger kids are 4-5. We've done Hieroglyphic, so I'd like to try another that goes deeper in the Superstition Wilderness, if possible.

How about First Water TH to Parker Pass. The description and rating make it seem easier than Boulder Canyon.

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback.

Nan · Post by **Nan** » Nov 02 2006 2:55 pm

Another nice hike from First Water is to take the left fork instead of the right and do an out-and-back on Second Water Trail. It's a bit more of a leg-stretcher, and has a good variety of terrain.