Dutchman Trail #104 • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 04 2025
		00blackout • Triplogs 197

Hiking	17.50 Miles	3,266 AEG

Hiking	17.50 Miles
	3,266 ft AEG

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DesertNymph

It's been a tough week for me personally, after learning on Tuesday that I had been laid off. One positive from that is I could hike more and possibly hit my personal goal for the year. I've done this loop multiple times, and after seeing Joe and The Eagle do this loop last week, I thought it would be good to hit it up again. S and I arrive at Peralta TH a little after 7 with only 3 other cars in the lot. I live 15 minutes away from the TH, and there was zero wind at my house, but the wind was pretty gusty when we got there, and it was freezing pumpkin cold with it. I had never done this loop CCW, so I figured it would be a nice change of pace, completely forgetting about the torturous climb up to Terrapin Pass, where I cussed and complained the entire way, good thing S was ahead of me and did not get stuck listening to it.

Bluff Springs
I despise cardiac hill (going up and down) as it gets your breathing heavy right off the start. A little brushy on the way down and a bit worse in Bluff Canyon, more grass than anything. The trail is good all the way through.

Dutchman
It's a Savannah near Bluff Springs with hidden rocks ready to snap your ankle every chance they get. Brushy near Holmes Spring, this section always drags for me; it's kind of blah and long. We did not stop at La Barge, but a little bit of color started there and at Oak Spring. Quick break at a nice camping site near Oak Spring, and we continued. S had never seen the master map, so we made a quick detour to check it out and then headed up to Charlebois. The spring is full of decent-looking water, like it always is; had lunch at the campsite near the spring and continued. A little before the Calvary junction, we hit the Siphon fire burn area, which fried the huge Saguro that was right off the Dutchman. The trail through the burn was good, as it's been travelled pretty frequently, it would seem. The burn ended a bit up the Dutchman, stopping just before some of the riparian areas before Terrapin; however, it did make it to the huge swimmer that used to be a pretty cool spot.

Terrapin
I have a love/hate relationship with this trail. The climb up to the pass completely sucks, but I really enjoy the rock formations on the Bluff Spring end. We took a break once we made it up to the pass to catch our breath and my legs. From the pass to Bluff Saddle, the trail is brushy, and you need to keep your eyes open for carins to help through some of the areas.

Uneventful hike back to the TH, getting back a little after 5. This is the most miles I've done on my ankle since injuring it. While it was very sore after 5ish miles, it felt fine the day after. It was good to get out in the Supes to try and clear my mind. Thanks S, for joining.

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

Bluff Spring Mountain Canyon

Pools to trickle

Medium flow

Charlebois Canyon

Medium flow

Charlebois Spring

Gallon + per minute

	Oak Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Tons of water in the creek.

_____________________

Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee.

Dec 01 2025

The_Eagle

Guides 42
Routes 1,699
Photos 15,295
Triplogs 2,830

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 01 2025
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,830

Hiking	16.19 Miles	2,932 AEG

Hiking	16.19 Miles	7 Hrs 53 Mns		2.23 mph
	2,932 ft AEG	38 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

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Charlebois from Peralta TH

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joebartels

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

It’s Superstition season again.

A 7:10 start with the sun just starting to rise, temps in the 50s, and a light breeze blowing—how does it get any nicer? There was a van in the parking lot with a camera crew of some sort just getting packed up; we would see them again at the end of our hike. Not a clue what was going on there. The road in to Peralta was in mostly great shape, with only a couple of areas where you needed to slow down to avoid some rutting.

Bluff Springs Trail #235
There’s been a bit of work at the beginning of this trail to fix some washouts. Cardiac Hill still gets the heart pumping. Sure feels like more than a 500' climb.

Terrapin Trail #234
We opted to do this balloon loop clockwise to avoid the steep, loose drop from Terrapin Pass to the Dutchman Trail. This worked out well. There are a few areas on the Terrapin Trail where we actually had to consult our GPS; it’s a bit thin in spots.

Dutchman Trail #104
The Dutchman is a collection of friendly grades, running water, large trail-side boulders, and hints of fall. We took a break for lunch in a dry spot across from Oak Spring in LaBarge Creek, amongst the colorful cottonwoods.

We took the Dutchman back to the Bluff Spring Trail, where we ultimately retraced our steps back to the TH.

We did not see a single person the entire day until we were within 2 miles of the TH. Temps were perfect all day. I don’t think we went more than 15 minutes without seeing and/or hearing water. There were quite a few areas of wildflowers of all types. Get out and enjoy all the greenness of the Supes.

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

Wildflowers Observation Light

	Barks Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle

	Bluff Spring Mountain Canyon	Light flow	Light flow

	Music Canyon	Light flow	Light flow

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

Dec 01 2025

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,823
Photos 14,705
Triplogs 5,922

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Joined Nov 20 1996

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 01 2025
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,922

Hiking	16.42 Miles	2,941 AEG

Hiking	16.42 Miles	7 Hrs 52 Mns	2.25 mph
	2,941 ft AEG	35 Mns Break

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The_Eagle

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Overall, the road in is of zero concern. Supa smooth for the majority. The second of two major washes slows down the low riders momentarily.

The trail up Cardiac Hill is easier for two-thirds because of trail work, erosion fill, and use. The turn off for Cave Trail #233 is distinctive. A little flow crossing Barks and less near Peralta Rock Gap. Summer sounds of crickets and large swarms of gnats, but they were not annoying. Yellow skipper butterflies.

Bruce was cool enough to do any hike I desired, short of a death march. He's long wished to do this loop clockwise, as he despises the North-South Terrapin ascent. Just passing the Terrapin turn, I figured, why not, so we turned around.

Clockwise was intriguing, as I haven't felt that disorientation in the Supes in eons. I'd rather hike either direction in warmer to hot weather with a breeze than calm fairweather, but to each their own.

White Rock Spring to Holmes is a jungle in areas. Luckily, we cruised by all the side trips. I enjoy checking them out when it's dry, but it's pointless with abundant pools and canyons trickling.

I had to stop about eight more times than Bruce. It became apparent he was not hydrated for a 26-30 miler.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Phlox Dodder Sacred Datura Wavyleaf Thistle

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated
Two to three more weeks for the cottonwoods.

Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Flattop buckwheat, wolfberry, Parish Goldeneye, lots of exhausted fairy duster. Hints of filaree, which typically means a better-than-average wildflower season. Indian paintbrush, isolated Calypso, large fields of the base leaves of invasive California poppies...

Bluff Spring Mountain Canyon

Pools to trickle

Pools to trickle

	Charlebois Canyon	Dry	Dry
	Dry at the trail crossing. Water is guaranteed on this date up near the spring and down in LaBarge.

	Music Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Didn't go close to it, but I guarantee there is water.

_____________________

- joe

Nov 27 2025

FOTG

Guides 37
Routes 567
Photos 10,963
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AZ

Whiskey West - Red Tanks Loop

Whiskey West - Red Tanks Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Backpack		Nov 27 2025
		FOTG • Triplogs 1,065

Backpack	21.00 Miles	3,264 AEG

Backpack	21.00 Miles	2 Days
	3,264 ft AEG

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Whiskey Spring Trail #238

Red Tanks Trail #107

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We did a clockwise variation of this loop with some exploring along the way for a nice little Thanksgiving overnight backpack.

We hiked in the Bluff Springs Trail and then camped at the nice site near Oak Spring and then did some exploring towards the Charlebois Spring area on day one. On the second day we did some off trail exploring along the Red Tanks Trail before starting our hike back to the car. We spent most of the day on the hike out, but that included extended breaks at several of the watering holes on the way out. All of the major drainages we encountered were flowing and most of the secondary drainages were still trickling water from the most recent precipitation event. We hardly saw anyone over the two days. A couple groups of hikers/backpackers each day. It’s tough to beat the western Supes as an easy overnight destination this time of year and with these current conditions. An excellent backpack on all accounts and in one of my favorite areas in the Supes.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bark at Dutchman Crossing

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated

Light flow

Peralta Creek at #102 Crossing

Light flow

Pools to trickle

Trap Canyon

Light flow

Upper LaBarge Box Canyon

Medium flow

	Whiskey Spring	Gallon per minute	Gallon per minute
	The entire wash is flowing lightly in the spring area with nice pools.

Whiskey Spring Canyon

Light flow

_____________________

2 archives

Nov 25 2025

CannondaleKid

Guides 44
Routes 163
Photos 25,509
Triplogs 2,458

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Joined May 04 2004
Mesa, AZ

Dutchman to Coffee Flat, AZ

Hiking		Nov 25 2025
		CannondaleKid • Triplogs 2,458

Hiking	8.40 Miles	1,359 AEG

Hiking	8.40 Miles	4 Hrs 36 Mns		1.89 mph
	1,359 ft AEG	10 Mns Break	18 LBS Pack

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trixiec

First time starting from Peralta TH in nearly 5 years and well over 12 since hiking this part of the Dutchman Trail so it was about time. At least we gave it time to recover somewhat from the fire... what was it, the Woodbury Fire?

Whatever, it was nice to experience the running washes (on the way out anyway, not so much on the return) and the greenery.

Once on the Coffee Flat Trail things got a bit rougher... instead of the trail following the somewhat straight line Eastward of the original route (from DECADES AGO) which only crossed smaller washes, now it follows an eroded drainage more-or-less Southward before heading East, so the wash crossings are deeper and almost hard to follow, and the climb after the last wash is a mass of baby-head rocks. Needless to say, this part of the hike was not fun and nor was the return through this section.

On RE Satellite view before the hike some distance out Coffee Flat Trail I had noticed a line heading off to the South with something round at the end, which I thought was heading downhill, but when we arrived in the vicinity (Yup, I neglected to set a waypoint) there was no track/trail/cowpath in that direction and it was going UP, so that was the end of any idea of checking it out.

While scanning the area, we noticed a few large boulders that seemed like a good spot to take a lunch break, so we did just that. After the break we noted the distance to the next feature (Reed's Water) along the Coffee Flat Trail was farther than we cared to go for this out-and-back hike, so we headed back.

As I mentioned, we noticed already there was less water flowing (sometimes just pools) in the washes compared to 2-3 hours earlier, so I guess in a day or two with no additional rain they will be dry again.

While the hill on the return wasn't nearly akin to cardiac hill, from the low point of the last wash up to the top before the last descent felt like it, especially at the end of the hike.

Thankfully, for the most part Peralta Road was in great shape so as long as the 10 mph low-slung cars let us pass, it wasn't a half-hour drive in either direction.

_____________________

CannondaleKid

Nov 22 2025

TooOld2Hike_EP

Routes 14
Photos 680
Triplogs 29

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Joined Feb 11 2023

Trail Legs w/ a side of Marinara Sauce, AZ

Backpack		Nov 22 2025
		TooOld2Hike_EP • Triplogs 29

Backpack	14.00 Miles

Backpack	14.00 Miles	2 Days 2 Hrs
			32 LBS Pack

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Miners Needle Loop

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KabukiMan

@KabukiMan and I intended to spend three days/two nights backpacking Charlebois Loop II, camping out at Charlebois and then at a campsite east of Miner’s Summit.

Spoiler Alert: We didn't make it to either.

(Stayed at the Oak Spring campsites instead, which, as another backpacker told us earlier that day, is better than Charlebois. But I'll let Bob tell the story.)

Important stuff first:

- The road to the Peralta TH was different driving in than driving out. It had rained in the interim, and I think the rain made the road smoother on the way out. Except that there were ruts in the road now. One so deep (about a foot down and foot wide) that I don’t know how the low clearance sports cars I saw coming in Monday could have crossed without bottoming out. Until the ruts are repaired, they can only become deeper & wider. HC w/ big tires recommended.

- Water was night and day difference after a night of rain. Although it had rained in the area earlier in the week (and so I was expecting water everywhere), most of the washes/drainages were dry Saturday. But there was water everywhere Sunday. For example, on Saturday, the big wash north of the Bluff Spring/Red Tanks Trails junction (La Barge Creek) was completely dry. Whereas on Sunday, it was so full that we couldn’t rock hop. (And further contrast to last month after three days of heavy rain where I was able to hop that Creek then.)

- There was very little scat anywhere. BUT, a big cat paw print at Barks like the one that someone here posted in a photo last month. (About 3 inches wide. Sorry, I didn’t take a photo.) Since it had rained Saturday night, and this was Monday morning, this was a fresh print. I think that there's a big mountain lion there.

- Apparently inch worms/green caterpillars can smell wet wool. Found one in the morning eating one of my socks that, the night before, I had hung up high on my tent to dry. (Am amazed that the little guy was 1) there, 2) could smell the wool and, 3) made the effort to climb my tent on the chance that he could eat my sock.)

----------------------

Now, regarding Trail Legs in my title: In the past, while doing sections of the AZT, when I’ve told thru-hikers I met how exhausted I was, almost all of them told me that I would feel better after I had gotten my “Trail Legs.”

What are Trail Legs? I don’t think that anyone can know what it means to have your Trail Legs until it happens to you. Now I think I know.

This particular trip seemed remarkably easier than any backpack trip I’ve done so far. And specifically easier than hiking Loop II a month before. To borrow from “My Fair Lady,” it was like I could have danced all night. Still slow. But felt strong and didn’t start to feel tired until the 2.5 day mark.

I’m guessing that having trained hard the week before, bulking up with carbs the week before, and having made two other backpacking trips in October all contributed to feeling “In the Zone.” (Another nebulous term that I’ve only experienced once or twice in the distant past.)

So that was nice. Now if I can just move a little faster than 1 mph.

Regarding w/ Marinara sauce: It started to rain when we arrived at Oak Spring. (5-ish.) I set up my tent in the rain (while wearing my poncho) and then boiled water, in the rain, for my meal. (Using my new alcohol siphon stove - more on that in a review later.)

Bob showed me a koozie that he had made to keep his food hot while it was rehydrating. I told him that I used the footbox of my sleeping bag instead - with the added safety of putting my food pack in a larger foil bag in case of a leak. (Per an Influencer’s Pro-Tip.)

It was still raining, a little colder, and now dark when it was time to eat my dinner.

Bob was eating his dinner in the rain. But he’s from Oregon and perhaps used to being rained on. I am not.

I desperately wanted to get out of the rain and enjoy my meal in comfort.

So I knelt down at the door to my tent, pulled off my poncho and now had rain raining on my back. I tried to find my meal in my sleeping bag before crawling into my tent. But with glasses fogging and my headlamp not aimed right, I grew impatient and figured I would find my meal from inside my tent. So I crawled into my tent and sat down. On my sleeping bag.

I suddenly felt something hot oozing around my right butt check.

Rats.

Yep, I had sat on my meal and marinara sauce had gushed out all over the inside of the footbox of my sleeping bag.

Looking back on it now, I made another mistake by trying to wipe up the mess with a rag as quickly as possible. Which drove some of the liquid further into the bag. In retrospect, I should have pulled the bag out of the tent and held the affected part upside down while trying to clean it that way. (But in addition to be being dark outside, it was raining outside.)

So now I was worried about two things: 1) staying warm in my now wet bag/dying of hypothermia during the night and 2) that animals would be attracted to marinara sauce.

Fortunately, no animals came by. And I managed to stay warm by sleeping with my bag inside out. (Since it was the inside that had saturated, wetting the liner and some down.) I used my SOL Escape Lite Bivvy (Tyvek based) to separate me from the wetness of the marinara sauce.

The next morning I put the footbox of my sleeping bag in the nearby stream to try to flush out as much of the sauce as I could before the next night. That helped. But after my return home, I spent about fifteen hours and a half bottle of Nikwax’s Down Wash Direct to clean the rest of the sauce out. (It took about 50 iterations of "rinse & repeat." But I think it's out.)

_____________________

Be careful. It's not quite "a jungle out there." But history shows that it can be dangerous out there.

Nov 02 2025

Vashti

Guides 19
Routes 310
Photos 1,955
Triplogs 289

female

Joined Mar 11 2002
Gilbert, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Nov 02 2025
		Vashti • Triplogs 289

Hiking	9.23 Miles	1,149 AEG

Hiking	9.23 Miles	7 Hrs 27 Mns	1.41 mph
	1,149 ft AEG	55 Mns Break

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Whiskey Spring Trail #238

Red Tanks Trail #107

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Day 2 of dripping springs super loop backpack.

The best surprise was seeing a desert tortoise on the trail!! My first time seeing one in the wild. I almost stepped on him. He was chilling out right on the dutchman trail, only about 1.5 miles from the Peralta TH.

We took bets as to how many cars would be at the Trailhead upon our return. I guessed 10, but at our arrival at 320p,there were actually 14.

Wildflowers Observation Light

	Bark at Dutchman Crossing	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Water running into a large pool.

Brads Water

Quart per minute

	Dripping Spring	Dripping	Dripping
	Sad spring. Pool nearby but not great looking.

	Randolph Canyon	Light flow	Light flow
	Lots of pools and flowing water.

	Red Tanks Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Lots of pools after the huge rain a few weeks ago.

	Reeds Water	26-50% full	26-50% full
	Water underneath the windmill. No water elsewhere.

	Whiskey Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	Lots of water. Big pool. Nice and clear.

_____________________

2 archives

Nov 01 2025

Vashti

Guides 19
Routes 310
Photos 1,955
Triplogs 289

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Joined Mar 11 2002
Gilbert, AZ

Dripping Springs from Peralta

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Nov 01 2025
		Vashti • Triplogs 289

Hiking	12.09 Miles	2,253 AEG

Hiking	12.09 Miles	9 Hrs 31 Mns	1.58 mph
	2,253 ft AEG	1 Hour 51 Mns Break

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Whiskey Spring Trail #238

Red Tanks Trail #107

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Great backpack around dripping springs super loop! Went with a first time backpacker. In 20/20 hindsight, this was not a good choice. Never the less, we enjoyed our adventure. We did the loop ccw.

In general, there was pretty much water everywhere! It was beautiful and resulted in a very green desert! Lots of grass, leafed out ocotillos, and quite a bit of wild flowers.

We headed out at 7a and arrived at Reeds Water before 11a. We enjoyed a snack on the grass by the windmill. It was very green and very humid and buggy in this area. We headed back on trail out to Randolph canyon which is currently a beautiful water wonderland! So much water. We crossed the canyon and checked out the massive camping area which is currently a green meadow full of grass. Lots of great flat giant campsites.

We headed back to Randolph canyon and down towards dripping spring. This was my first time going from Reeds water to dripping spring. The canyon was amazing with so much water. There is a nice campsite just prior to dripping springs, but it is rather in vegetation and was quite buggy in the heat. The trail goes right past the campsite, and lets out at the confluence of Randolph canyon and Fraser canyon. We headed back a bit to check out dripping spring which is very underwhelming. I would hate to have to rely on that spring for water! There was a pool next to it, but it didn't look great. Currently, this is not an issue because of the massive amount water flowing in Randolph canyon.

We thought about modifying the original plan to do an out and back to dripping springs backpack, but after arriving at dripping springs at just before noon, we decided to keep going as we had the whole day ahead of us. We headed out on red tanks in the canyon. So much water around, it really is a site to behold. We stopped and filtered water at a pretty water fall before taking the trail up and out of Randolph canyon. The trail in red tank canyon was okay, just not regularly used and overgrown and rocky in parts. The red tanks trail guide written 20 years ago is still spot on for accuracy of trail conditions.

The trail gets higher but the canyon (and the pools of water currently within) remain visible. The last mile before the red tanks divide is an uphill slog. The views from the divide are definitely nice. While heading down we were just looking for a campsite near water. We ended up on a nice bench with grand views just lower than the trail. There were accessible large clear pools just down in the drainage. We were only about half mile from the nice large sandy campsite at Brad's water, but having never been to the area before, we were unaware. Our campsite had great views. The moon was between half and full, and it made for a pretty night.

The next morning we were off again. The trail is nonexistent in the wash areas just after Brad's water. The route was helpful, and once out of the wash, the trail picks up again. Red tanks in general has a lot of catclaw, and sadly we did not escape unscathed. After more time in the wash, the trail goes high on the ridge making for some phenomenal views of the canyon below, the ridge, and the surrounding area. There are impressive unburned saguaros in this area, and after a while Herman Cave comes into view. About a half mile before the cave is a nice campsite. Even high up in the ridge, running water can be heard from the canyon below. We enjoyed seeing fragile arch when looking out across the canyon.

Heading down near the cave, the trail crosses the wash a couple times. This area is overgrown and has a lot of dead fall. There was also a huge pool of water, as well. The junction with whiskey springs was more of the same, water everywhere and lots of green!

The trip back to the car was uneventful. Green desert, hotter temps than desired, and no people to speak of! We didn't see any people our entire hike, woo hoo! I thought for certain we would see someone on Dutchman, but no. There were more wild flowers than I expected to see, so that was fun. The whiskey springs trail from the high point down to the junction with Dutchman is really a delight. The views in that area never fail to inspire.

A great backpack in the supes. I can't wait to get back out there!

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Tortoise

Wildflowers Observation Light

Peralta Creek at #102 Crossing

Light flow

Light flow

Upper LaBarge Box Canyon

Pools to trickle

Whiskey Spring

Quart per minute

Whiskey Spring Canyon

Pools to trickle

_____________________

Oct 11 2025

ddgrunning

Guides 3
Routes 646
Photos 8,650
Triplogs 620

55 male

Joined Apr 13 2011
Gilbert, AZ

Charlebois from First Water TH

Charlebois from First Water TH

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Oct 11 2025
		ddgrunning • Triplogs 620

Hiking	19.56 Miles	2,758 AEG

Hiking	19.56 Miles	7 Hrs 46 Mns	2.67 mph
	2,758 ft AEG	27 Mns Break

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Charlebois from First Water TH

Black Top Mesa

Bull Pass Trail #129

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With the influx of rain, I wanted to get out in the Supes. Thought about waterfall hunting, but opted to avoid the crowds who undoubtedly had similar plans. Based on my observations, I don't think there was enough water as of Saturday to get much sustained waterfall action (though there might be now, as I'm writing this up).

Arrived at First Water TH a bit before 6:30 in the rain. Crossed several running washes along the way. From the get-go, it was just me, and I had total solitude for the next 16 miles.

I hadn't done any extensive hiking in this area since the last fire, and it was depressing to hike through mile after mile of pretty thoroughly charred wilderness.

Evidence of the char continued all the way until about a mile from Charlebois.

I had been up to Bull Pass before, but hadn't descended the east side, nor hit the Black Top Mesa summit. The summit is a real gem, with fantastic views all around. There is a nice flat spot for a camp on the southern tip which would make for a great viewing location at sunset/sunrise, with Weaver's on display. After returning, I read about some Spanish hieroglyphs, but didn't know to look for them. Another time.

On my way down from Black Top Mesa, I was treated to a lovely rainbow off to the north. Definitely the visual highlight of the day.

Descending from Bull Pass, I clipped through the upper end of Needles Canyon, where I'd been previously after some solid rain. As with other washes, it wasn't really running, but there were lots of pools.

I continued on to rejoin the Dutchman trail. Originally, my plan was to loop back north along the Cavalry trail, which I haven't done before, but the draw of getting the Charlebois Spring and covering that section of Dutchman proved to strong, and I ended up heading that direction.

It was nice to be out of the burn area, and the sporadic cottonwoods along the creekbed stand testament to the stronger water sources in the area.

Charlebois, as always, is a lovely oasis in the Supes. No one camping there, and I again made a mental note of my desire to do so one of these days.

By that point, I was 10 miles in and realized I needed to hightail it back, as I had to pick up my wife from the airport by 3 pm. So, I turned on the jets and abandoned any thought of the Cavalry loop on the return, and instead opted to follow Dutchman proper from the eastern Bull Pass junction.

The trail through this section of Dutchman was brushy, and with the rain, ended up soaking me thoroughly. No matter. It wasn't cold and I just embraced the wet. This section also avoided the fire scar.

Saw a snake in a tree (looked like a garter) and several small orange frogs, but didn't have time to get my phone out--and with everything wet, I probably couldn't get it to respond to my swiping anyway.

The final several miles from the Black Mesa Junction back to FW were a grind. In the last couple of miles, I finally saw signs of life with one single hiker and a couple out for an afternoon jaunt in the Parker Saddle area.

Back to my car, I headed back towards Mesa just in time to get my wife's text that she had landed. Headed straight to the airport and arrived just as she was exiting the terminal. Perfect timing!

_____________________

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Sep 28 2025

00blackout

Routes 31
Photos 4,989
Triplogs 197

51 male

Joined Mar 14 2016
Gold Canyon, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Sep 28 2025
		00blackout • Triplogs 197

Hiking	5.60 Miles	690 AEG

Hiking	5.60 Miles
	690 ft AEG

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adilling

Still on the mend from my ankle injury, but I wanted to get out for something short and easy. Andy recommended a stroll on the Dutchman, and a hike in the Supes is always good, so off to the Peralta TH we went. A small handful of cars in the parking lot when we arrived just after sunrise. The Dutchman has a small climb initially before crossing Barks Canyon wash (which was flowing nicely). The remaining part of the Dutchman to the Coffee Flat junction (which was our turnaround point) is an up-and-down rollercoaster. The temperature wasn't bad, but the humidity was cranked way up, which made it a bit unpleasant. The ankle felt okay with the brace on, but was a bit sore when we finished. Thanks, Andy, for the invite, it's always nice to get out in the Supes.

Medium flow

_____________________

Hiking is just walking where it’s okay to pee.

Sep 28 2025

adilling

Guides 2
Routes 273
Photos 10,016
Triplogs 411

62 male

Joined Dec 02 2014
Mesa, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Sep 28 2025
		adilling • Triplogs 411

Hiking	5.77 Miles	720 AEG

Hiking	5.77 Miles	2 Hrs 52 Mns	2.25 mph
	720 ft AEG	18 Mns Break

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00blackout

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

A quick hike with Jason along the Dutchman from Peralta TH to the Coffee Flats junction in Barkley Basin. He's still nursing his messed up ankle, so this one worked for him.

It was very pleasant starting off a little after sunrise. A few clouds and some humidity as well.

Signs of recent rains was evident from Peralta Road in and along the trail. A few muddy puddles and a wet path all the way in and back. We came across some cat prints on the way down to the basin. Not sure if it was a big bobcat or a smaller lion, but they were definitely cat paws (along with some deer tracks as well)

Barks Creek was flowing very nicely. That was a treat.

We made it to the junction and turned around. We saw one hiker with a doggy going in and another hiker coming back out. Other than that, it was a nice and empty trail.

The parking at Peralta Trailhead wasn't very busy when we got back. Considering how nice the weather was, that was surprising. After months of heat, a little break was nice. Nice to hike with Jason again and it's always good to hike in the Supes.

_____________________

"Jobs fill your pockets, adventures fill your soul."

instagram: @andydilling

Sep 27 2025

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 845
Photos 22,401
Triplogs 2,021

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Sep 27 2025
		chumley • Triplogs 2,021

Hiking	16.27 Miles	2,747 AEG

Hiking	16.27 Miles	6 Hrs 24 Mns	2.76 mph
	2,747 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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Charlebois from Peralta TH

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John9L

Stormy weather and cooler temps made it seem like a few miles in the soup could be nice. Not as humid as last weekend and temps stayed in the 70s all day with cloudiness dominating about 75% of the time (the other 25% happened whenever we were climbing a big hill

)

Wasn't sure what to expect with water, and was happy to find flows in places I wouldn't have expected. Peralta was dry. Barks was producing nicely. Bluff Spring Canyon and all the side drainages were nice higher up, less lower down. Surprisingly, LaBarge canyon was bone dry and had not even seen a hint of flow over the duration of the storm. It must just be a sponge of sand down there after a summer of little rain.

Charlebois had nice flow and downstream of there LaBarge was intermittent. The nicest flows of the day were on the way up Terrapin with flow in the drainages on all sides (and trail) all the way to within a few feet of Bluff Saddle, and then immediately flowing again on the south side and down from there.

I'm sure I had seen Wally's photo recon, but forgot or didn't realize the location ... the Marsh Valley, Calvary, Bull Pass, Dutchman area is absolutely obliterated. Pure moonscape. I didn't realize the burn had extended this far south. Ouch.

A good storm passed just to our east as we finished up, grazing us with wetting rain, but not quite enough to be completely drenched. Lightning stayed about 3-4 miles away which was nice. I rarely head out this way anymore unless conditions provide something unusual. Today worked for that.

Light flow

Peralta Creek at #102 Crossing

Light flow

	Bluff Spring Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Occasional pools, especially upstream. Fewer pools farther down.

	Bluff Spring Mountain Canyon	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Some of the strongest flow seen on the day.

	Charlebois Canyon	Light flow	Light flow
	Flowing nicely. LaBarge Canyon below Charlebois was flowing intermittently with numerous deep pools.

	Crystal Spring	Gallon + per minute	Gallon + per minute
	Canyon was flowing lightly

	LaBarge Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute
	A thicket of growth if you try to get to it. Ground was wet, sound of water dripping from spring above.

Dry

_____________________

I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Sep 20 2025

DarthStiller

Guides 27
Routes 688
Photos 12,333
Triplogs 872

56 male

Joined Jul 05 2006
Mesa, AZ

Miners Needle Loop

Miners Needle Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Sep 20 2025
		DarthStiller • Triplogs 872

Hiking	9.79 Miles	1,749 AEG

Hiking	9.79 Miles	5 Hrs 51 Mns	1.69 mph
	1,749 ft AEG	4 Mns Break

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Ely-Anderson Trail

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wallyfrack

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

We saw Scott at the trailhead and he said he planned to check out Middle Canyon. Wally thought we might run into him at some point on our hike but we never did.

did the loop clockwise, getting the big climb up cardiac hill out of the way early. In Barks Canyon I saw 2 carcasses, one of which was torn apart, which made me think a mountain lion might be lurking. Wally pointed out some scrawlings on the rocks near the Peralta rock and the saddle above the Terrapin Trail that I hadn't seen before. The ones above Terrapin Trail seemed interesting to me because it says "Lost Dutchman Mine" and "no trespassing", which seems to imply that the mine is right there. Closer inspection of that one seemed like some kind of acid was used on the rock to make the marks, they weren't etched like petroglyphs.

The 2nd climb before the junction with the Terrapin Trail was in the shade because it was still early and the sun was low. Along the LDT it leveled out and I was feeling pretty spry after the uphill slog. I had originally wanted to try to add the Ely-Anderson Trail and once we got to it I suggested we hike it.

We only got about a quarter mile in when it became obvious that it wasn't a good idea. The sun was beating down and it was starting to warm up quite a bit. That trail is also very steep, faint, and has some loose rock. I was almost completely out of water once we did finish our hike, so if we had hiked all of it, the last couple of miles would have been really rough.

The descent from Miners needle has the best views on this hike. Barkley Basin has a lot of saguaro skeletons, but still a lot of saguaros left. Older pics I have show more from before, but so soon after the fire, this area doesn't look that bad at all.

Clouds started to roll in the last couple of miles, but didn't offer much shade. Humidity was up more than the weekend before, and it was still pretty hot. Finished up without incident.

_____________________

Aug 15 2025

Tortoise_Hiker

Guides 1
Routes 149
Photos 10,074
Triplogs 3,729

64 male

Joined Apr 02 2005
Mesa, AZ

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Aug 15 2025
		Tortoise_Hiker • Triplogs 3,729

Hiking	5.70 Miles	689 AEG

Hiking	5.70 Miles	2 Hrs 19 Mns	2.46 mph
	689 ft AEG

no routes

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wallyfrack

I joined Wally for a leg stretcher out in the Supes. The sprinkles stopped about 5 minutes in and the weather was great for the hike. Nice cloud cover and a breeze! Haven't been out Dutchman from Peralta for awhile. The trail is still rocky. There are more Saguaros standing then I thought there would be after the last fire in the area. Turned around at Coffee Flat trail junction. It was a nice morning to be in the Supes! Very enjoyable outing! Thanks for driving and the hike, Wally! Like HAZ, you rock!!

_____________________

Tortoise Hiking. Stop and smell the Petrichor.

1 archive

May 17 2025

wallyfrack

Routes 93
Photos 7,874
Triplogs 1,727

64 male

Joined Mar 11 2003
AZ

Marsh Valley Loop

Marsh Valley Loop

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		May 17 2025
		wallyfrack • Triplogs 1,727

Hiking	15.28 Miles	1,870 AEG

Hiking	15.28 Miles	6 Hrs 54 Mns	2.23 mph
	1,870 ft AEG	3 Mns Break

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Second Water Trail #236

Bull Pass Trail #129

Cavalry Trail #239

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DarthStiller

The real heat hasn't started just yet but when Chris mentioned Marsh Valley Loop I was thinking of a plan B if it got too hot. We started early and is was still nice and cool. There was even shade in Boulder Canyon for much of the way so I knew it would be good to finish the entire hike.

There was one hiker that hiked Battleship. Het passed us on the way in but I got back to the trailhead about 6 minutes before him. He said he spent a lot of time trail finding.

The trails were easy to follow. The burned out sections of Cavalry trail were open for the most part but there was some downed brush to hike around. It didn't really warm up until we hit Dutchman trail.

We saw fuana on this trip. A javelina, two deer, a rat, squirrels, a hawk and the circling vultures.
I rested a few times in the shade but once the shade disappeared I kept moving. Not a lot of hikers out but it was a nice day. I still had water left at the end. It was still frozen or I would have drank it.

_____________________

2 archives

Apr 18 2025

DesertNymph

Routes 62
Photos 3,205
Triplogs 105

female

Joined Dec 09 2024

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Apr 18 2025
		DesertNymph • Triplogs 105

Hiking	10.36 Miles	1,095 AEG

Hiking	10.36 Miles	4 Hrs 45 Mns	2.20 mph
	1,095 ft AEG	2 Mns Break

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[ checklist ] Brittlebush Coulter's Lupine Desert Globemallow Desert Ironwood Fairy Duster Narrow-Leaved Popcorn Flower Ocotillo Pelotazo Plumeseed Rattlesnake Weed Slender Janusia Strawberry Hedgehog White Ratany

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Life has been getting in the way of my getting outside...with the drop in temps, I figured I had to take advantage of it, even if it meant getting a late start and a lot fewer miles than typical for me. Was looking for something relatively easy but scenic where I could just walk and enjoy - I figured either the lost goldmine trail (again) or a walk as far as I could get taking into account my available daylight out the Coffee Flat trail from Peralta Trailhead. @00blackout suggested I hit Coffee Flat for a change in scenery, and the recommendation didn't disappoint.

Arrived at the trailhead at about 1:15 to find the main lot with a handful of spaces available, with more people coming off trail than heading in. Gathered my things, signed the register and headed off with the skies full of puffy clouds and variable winds. On the initial climb up out of the parking lot, a group of equestrians passed me on their way out. Hiking onward, I soon passed two more hikers heading out in quick succession - I had the trail to myself for the remainder of my day.

The clouds made for interesting skies, and the changing breeze made flower photography a bit dicy. Unfortunately I discovered a number of my photos were blurry (gold poppies, wirelettuce/skeletonplant, and some small purple blooms that I'm not convinced were scorpionweed. Also got a photo of a saguaro with blooms, but alas, it was too far away to be worth including). The scenery along the hike was beautiful, especially when entering areas that had stands of saguaro and ocotillo. In addition to the views, the geology underfoot proved plenty interesting, with shale, quartz, and even some obsidian making an appearance, in addition to a bunch of other rock types that I wasn't certain of.

Once I hit my designated turn around time (just shy of hitting Reeds Water / Randolph canyon), I turned around to retrace my steps - I made better time heading back, since I wasn't stopping as frequently to try to take photos of plants

. Made it back to the lot to find just a handful of cars remaining. Seems I started heading home just in time as my drive home was spent battling strong crosswinds and flying debris.

Wildlife: plenty of birds, mostly quail, especially in the later hours, a couple of lizards, and numerous butterflies (none of which were photographed). Spied a couple of cows close to the trail...they failed to startle me

It was fantastic to get back out on a trail, I was clearly missing it and was suffering from withdrawl. I'll definitely need to head back out along Coffee Flat when I have more time to cover more distance!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Velvet Ant

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Obsidian

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Miners Needle

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Not very many...the cholla, prickly pear, and saguaro look like they are getting ready to put on a show, but there aren't very many buds on the plants this year.

_____________________

Happier when hiking....I may not move fast (and I'm often distracted by wildflowers), but I'll get there eventually

Mar 18 2025

Tortoise_Hiker

Guides 1
Routes 149
Photos 10,074
Triplogs 3,729

64 male

Joined Apr 02 2005
Mesa, AZ

Black Mesa - Superstition Mountains

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 18 2025
		Tortoise_Hiker • Triplogs 3,729

Hiking	9.00 Miles	1,125 AEG

Hiking	9.00 Miles	3 Hrs 30 Mns	2.57 mph
	1,125 ft AEG

no routes

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wallyfrack

Wally and I hit the trail around 6:30 to cool temps. Half a dozen cars already at the trailhead and we saw a camp here and there. We saw a young coyote in the first mile and may have saved a bunny from being eaten!

We saw No wildflowers today but we did see a couple green mountainsides about 4 miles in. I haven’t done this loop for awhile and it was nice to get back on it. You can’t get away from all the burn but I still really enjoy being in the Supes!! Of course remembering many previous Supes hikes and planning future ones is always on the menu!

Always enjoy hiking with Wally and the great temps and almost constant breeze made it for a very enjoyable outing! Good times!!
Thanks Wally! Like HAZ, you rock!

_____________________

Tortoise Hiking. Stop and smell the Petrichor.

1 archive

Mar 18 2025

wallyfrack

Routes 93
Photos 7,874
Triplogs 1,727

64 male

Joined Mar 11 2003
AZ

Black Mesa - Superstition Mountains

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 18 2025
		wallyfrack • Triplogs 1,727

Hiking	9.00 Miles	1,125 AEG

Hiking	9.00 Miles	3 Hrs 30 Mns	2.57 mph
	1,125 ft AEG

no routes

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Battleship Mountain - Superstitions

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Tortoise_Hiker

A morning stroll with Denny to beat the heat. With the forecast warming up we hit the trail early and the breeze provided us with a cool hike. Black Mesa loop has a lot of burn but the recent rains are producing a nice green carpet. We kept a decent pace and saw several people out enjoying the trail on a weekday.
Thanks for coming out Denny.

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2 archives

Mar 16 2025

John10s

Guides 28
Routes 414
Photos 6,529
Triplogs 381

41 male

Joined Mar 01 2018
Chandler, AZ

Battleship Mountain - Superstitions

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 16 2025
		John10s • Triplogs 381

Hiking	12.68 Miles	2,247 AEG

Hiking	12.68 Miles	10 Hrs 39 Mns	1.65 mph
	2,247 ft AEG	2 Hrs 59 Mns Break

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Boulder Canyon Trail #103

Second Water Trail #236

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TboneKathy

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Today was a return to an old Superstition favorite--I've been up Battleship a few times, but it had been more than five years since my last visit. And it would (hopefully) be a redemption hike for TboneKathy--last time she tried Battleship in March 2017, we ran out of time and didn't make the top, and she took a tumble in the creek bed on the hike out that resulted in a fractured wrist. She hadn't been back since. So the goals today were simple: (1) get TboneKathy to the peak, and (2) don't break anything.

We started ~7AM from First Water TH, which was surprisingly empty for a weekend. This was my first time back there since the fires, and it wasn't great--the area around the trailhead and the first few miles along Second Water were all burned to varying degrees, and the smell of ash and charcoal was a constant until we got closer to Boulder Canyon. There were a few pools along Second Water Trail on the descent, but Boulder Canyon was almost completely dry despite the recent rain.

The use trail leading up to the south end of Battleship was more defined than I remembered and was easy to follow, then we started the fun with the first scramble up onto Battleship and continued north into the obstacles. In March 2017 we turned around just before the bridge/wall not too far from the peak, but TboneKathy was convinced today that most of the top of the ship was uncharted territory for her: "Are you sure I climbed up this before?!" Yes, you did

.

We scrambled through the various boulders and cracks and eventually crossed the bridge and reached the wall, the last big obstacle. With some pack shuttling and creative teamwork, TboneKathy made it up first, and with some further encouragement and some minor complaining through the last few obstacles, we reached summit, goal #1 complete. We had the peak to ourselves, a pleasant surprise given Battleship's popularity. There was no register on top--the pink ammo box that had been up there for years is gone. We ate lunch and enjoyed the views, then took some pictures and started down.

[ youtube video ]

As we reversed through the obstacles on the return, TboneKathy thought she saw a fox or wolf down below on the west side of Battleship, but I never caught more than a glimpse of a tail that looked a lot like a squirrel, so her sighting remains in dispute

. We heard voices and saw two guys down in La Barge Canyon, but other than one person coming down on our way up in the morning, we didn't see anyone on Battleship. The views of La Barge, Peak 2830, Weaver's Needle, Malapais, and the Ridgeline were fantastic as always and better than I remembered.

[ youtube video ]

The hike out was blissfully uneventful with no fractured bones, successfully completing goal #2. Weather-wise, the day was just about perfect, and I was happy to see TboneKathy reach the peak after waiting 8 years. Lots of great memories hiking Battleship with friends over the years, and it was fun to be back after a long time away for another memorable day.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Phainopepla

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cairn

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Boulder Creek at #103 / #236 Jct Canyon Lake Four Peaks Garden Valley Golden Dome- 3185ft La Barge Box Malapais Mountain

	Boulder Creek at #103 / #236 Jct	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	A few small pools, but mostly dry

	La Barge Creek - E of Battleship Mtn	Dry	Dry
	Viewed from above, no obvious water in the creek bed, but some pools in La Barge Box

1 archive

Feb 05 2025

wallyfrack

Routes 93
Photos 7,874
Triplogs 1,727

64 male

Joined Mar 11 2003
AZ