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| Hiking | 7.76 Miles |
933 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.76 Miles | 3 Hrs 16 Mns | | 2.59 mph |
| 933 ft AEG | 16 Mns Break | 4 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | Hiked a portion of Dutchman trail #104 with Victoria Juan and Alyssa.
We were looking for a good training hike to start getting geared up for the Grand Canyon. With the super bowl this weekend we wanted to stay as far away as possible from Glendale or anywhere else likely to be mobbed with tourists. The Superstitions was the obvious choice and having done Massacre falls several times before we opted for a nearby alternative.
The trailhead was pretty busy but there was a parking spot open in the main lot when we got there. A ranger was hanging out and confirmed that our planned hike to the creek ~ 4 miles in (just past Parker Pass) was a good day hike. He reported that there was a good amount of water from recent rains and that we would be crossing the water course several times.
The hike was exactly what we were looking for with enough elevation to be interesting but it was well spread out so no one spot was particularly tough. It was good to rack up some mileage.
As the ranger said there was lots of water (for the Superstitions) we crossed the creek numerous times (enough that I stopped marking the creek crossings on route scout). The creek was actually flowing although slowly. Each of the crossings was straightforward rock hopping; nothing challenging, and no one got their feet wet.
The views were pretty, there wasn't a particular spot or lookout that was the highlight just occasional rises that gave showed the contrast between the Saguaros, tan rock, and other greenery.
Studying the map at the trailhead, this trail goes to the Battleship mountain/Black Mesa/Weaver's Needle area where we did a multi-day backpacking trip previously. This would be a viable (and possibly shorter) route to where we camped but the views of canyon lake and the more impressive scenery probably made up for it.
The creek past Parker Pass was legitimately flowing (not just a trickle) but was still easily passable. We rested here for a bit before heading back.
This was a good trail, probably not as pretty as Massacre Falls but much less crowded and also has utility as a backpacking route. |
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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