Need 1 night Backpacking Suggestions!

[Trailbot]

I'll be visiting AZ next week and am looking for a good 1 night backpacking trip. I don't want to haul all my water so a place with reliable water availability at camp is key. I was looking at Hellsgate to Tonto creek or Reavis Ranch in the superstitions as options. Any thoughts or suggestions?
I'm having a tough time planning this without being from the area.

[SuperstitionGuy]

There is water at Reavis but no apples this year. We recommend the southern route on Forest Service road 172 and 172A but a high clearance rear wheel or four wheel drive vehicle is recommended. This drive in is worth the trip alone as it will take you from low desert to high. Bring your camera....

[Trailbot]

@SuperstitionGuy Unfortunately I'm going to have a rental sedan so no high clearance. Is it possible to park before the road gets rough and hike to the trailhead or will that add significant mileage? Thank you for your help!

[SuperstitionGuy]

No, do not drive this road with a rental car. You can access the north trailhead with a rental car but the hike in on the old road is sort of boring and nine miles long before you even get to the Reavis valley.

[Trailbot]

Hmmm do you (or anyone) have alternate suggestions in the area? Hellsgate looked like the trail head was car friendly but not sure about the hike and water. I'm open to other suggestions. Just looking for a solid overnighter in a picturesque desert setting.

[chumley]

I don't know if you saw this post yet: https://hikearizona.com/topic=9778
it offers some good options.

The forecast for this upcoming weekend is about 10 degrees cooler than normal, but by the middle of next week and the weekend of the 30th it should be normal to just above normal according to the long term forecasts. Hellsgate to Tonto is probably ok this time of year.

Haunted Canyon in the eastern Superstitions is a nice one as is Hells Hole in the Sierra Ancha. Hells Hole has no dirt road driving. Parsons Trail might be a good option too. There's a bit of dirt road driving with a couple of tough spots, but I see sedans there often enough, so it should be fine in a rental car! The western Superstition possibilities are probably still a bit warm for most people.

[joebartels]

Hellsgate looked like the trail head was car friendly but not sure about the hike and water. I'm open to other suggestions. Just looking for a solid overnighter in a picturesque desert setting.

https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=301 is a good moderate option in my opinion
perhaps moderate-difficult to an unseasoned backpacker
water is guaranteed in the creek
it's scenic but it isn't saguaro country, they grow under 4k ft elevation
a picturesque desert setting is less likely to have perennial water

check out the link in the previous post or we need to know what kind of mileage & elevation you are comfortable with to offer fitting suggestions

assuming you can handle Reavis / Hellsgate stats then these are ( typically ) rental car accessible with great desert terrain and a water option in all but the driest of times
https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=25
https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=237

hope you have a splendid trip!

[CannondaleKid]

@Trailbot RE:

We recommend the southern route on Forest Service road 172 and 172A but a high clearance rear wheel or four wheel drive vehicle is recommended.

I drove FR172 two days ago and the road is the best I've ever seen it... even met a medium-clearance car on the way back out.

UNLESS there is rain between now and when you go, rent a small to medium SUV and you should be fine.

(When I had a Honda CR-V six years ago I drove all the way up a number of times when the road wasn't as good and with just a bit of care in a few spots it was fine. I just avoided it when wet/muddy)

As far as rear-wheel drive vs front-wheel drive... for whatever vehicle I've owned, if it only had two-wheel drive and I needed traction, I'd rather have front wheel-drive every time.

[Trailbot]

@joebartels Thank you for the suggestions! I think Charlebois from Peralta is just what I'm looking for. I'm experienced with backpacking in the Northeast and have done a good amount of day hikes in the desert but never backpacked in the desert. I'm comfortable with hiking trails that gain 1000ft per mile but honestly I was looking for something more low key with about 7-10 miles per day and your suggestion seems just right. Hopefully I can grab a map at REI when I get out there and find a campground near the trailhead the night before.

[Trailbot]

@CannondaleKid Thanks for the road conditions update. At this point it would be way too expensive for me to change my rental arrangement plus the cost of fueling an SUV for all the driving around the state I'll be doing next week isn't ideal. But I'll keep this is mind for next time I'm out there as that hike sounds like a good one.

[Nighthiker]

First Water Trailhead and hike the Hackberry Springs Loop to Garden Valley and set up camp somewhere in the area. Enjoy the night sky and wander around the valley looking at signs of cultural resource sites. Your rental vehicle will have a sticker on it indicating a rental vehicle so a concern may be leaving it overnight at the trailhead. You could park at Lost Dutchman State Park (talk with someone from the park) and you would add several more miles to your hike. Another option is to park at Canyon Lake and hike into Garden Valley from the Boulder Trailhead. Or you could select another hike/camp out of Boulder Trailhead.

[nonot]

@joebartels Thank you for the suggestions! I think Charlebois from Peralta is just what I'm looking for. I'm experienced with backpacking in the Northeast and have done a good amount of day hikes in the desert but never backpacked in the desert. I'm comfortable with hiking trails that gain 1000ft per mile but honestly I was looking for something more low key with about 7-10 miles per day and your suggestion seems just right. Hopefully I can grab a map at REI when I get out there and find a campground near the trailhead the night before.

Charlesbois from Peralta is personally too hot for me until the temps start to dip to around 80 degrees in Phoenix, and if we return to average weather it should be in the mid to upper 90s or low 100s. You might want to have a backup plan if you are not a fan of hot weather hiking.

[SuperstitionGuy]

I agree with Nonot. Have a plan A and B. One for hot weather and one for hopefully cool weather. Keep us posted on your plans in case we can help you out.

[joebartels]

[ Wilderness of Rocks #44 ] is a nice cooler option
There is typically filterable water at [ Lemmon Creek @ WOR #44 ]
if not it's a short out-n-back else you might loop as [ gps route ]

see also [ Mount Lemmon / Lemmon Rock Loop ]

[nonot]

https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=244 is a nice cooler option
there is typically filterable water at https://hikearizona.com/dexcoder.php?PID=1666499
if not it's a short out-n-back else you might loop as https://hikearizona.com/map.php?GPS=37674

see also https://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=785

Hopefully I can keep this thread on topic, but I've wanted to backpack WOR area but am very confused by the parking situation and Catalina highway fee/permit. Is there a way to legally park overnight (for free) for a backpacking trip in this area? Most of the lots down near town seem day parking only and overnight (or any) parking on Catalina highway seems prone to fees/towing threats related to said permits.

[Trailbot]

I think I will keep Hellsgate as a backup option in case it's too hot. Looks to be about 15 dgrees cooler there and it's a simple out and back. I'm ok with 90 degrees but if it gets much hotter I'll fall back to plan B. I'd like to avoid higher elevations as it's just going to be too cold at night. I was originally going to do Kelsey/Dorsey until I saw the temps are now dropping to the 30's at night. I can freeze at home and don't need to come to AZ for that lol.

[azlaurie]

Charlebois from Peralta

So sad. Gone. Human cause fire. I hope you got to enjoy it. I did 2 times.

[chumley]

@azlaurie
where'd it go?

[nonot]

Charlesbois from Peralta was unaffected by the fire, except for the bushes on the mountain slopes above charlesbois?

[azlaurie]

@chumley fire. 115,000 acres gone. Still Bruning. So many trails gone.