Garden Valley Loop Photoset • WildForAZ • 2024-03-05 • HikeArizona.COM

Garden Valley Loop, AZ

	2024-03-05
	19 by WildForAZ

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Garden Valley Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Garden Valley Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking	7.76 Miles	935 AEG

Hiking	7.76 Miles	5 Hrs 15 Mns	1.48 mph
	935 ft AEG

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After parking at the main First Water Trailhead, I started on the Dutchman's Trail and soon turned off the trail, heading north along First Water Creek. The creek was flowing nicely, and the sounds of water and singing birds were wonderful. Went past First Water Ranch and turned east on an unmarked, well-worn horse trail that goes on up to Garden Valley.

I've walked around here many times and found a lot of interesting things - pieces of pottery, mortars, bedrock metates, cupules, and small caves. And I'm always amazed at the enormous chollas.

Today I was hoping to find some petroglyphs. I've never hiked up Hackberry Mesa, which borders Garden Valley to the north. The large basalt rocks on top seemed like good candidates. I hiked up and checked hundreds of rocks on high points of the eastern half, but I didn't find a single one.

Went back down the mesa to the valley and noticed a couple of painted potsherds, which are always nice to see and photograph. I spooked a jackrabbit, and it took off across the green grass-covered desert floor. Stopped to visit some mortars and bedrock metates that I had seen before, and then I headed back.

It's always a great day in the Superstitions.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Dichelostemma capitatum Desert Anemone Firecracker Penstemon Teddy-bear Cholla

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Natural Arch

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cupules

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Black Mesa First Water Creek First Water Ranch Garden Valley