Overnight backpack near Phoenix in February

[bmaaske]

I have just replaced ALL my backpacking gear with new ultra-lightweight stuff. I'm itching to try it out, but I normally only day hike around Phoenix and do most of my overnight stuff up in the mountains. I'm looking for a low desert hike (so I don't freeze) in the 8-10 mile per day range for 2 days. I was thinking of something in the Superstitions but can't find a lot of overnight information. I prefer to get away from people and campgrounds. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

[berkforbes]

I did an overnighter in the white tanks back in december, good times.. just get a backcountry permit from the office.. the lady working there said almost noone ever stays overnight, so yer bound to have the place to yourself.. I did a loop starting at ford canyon and looping around to the goat camp trail, it ended up totalling like 12-13 miles i think..

[bmaaske]

I did an overnighter in the white tanks back in december, good times.. just get a backcountry permit from the office.. the lady working there said almost noone ever stays overnight, so yer bound to have the place to yourself.. I did a loop starting at ford canyon and looping around to the goat camp trail, it ended up totalling like 12-13 miles i think..

Funny. I hike those trails at the Whitetanks all the time. I didn't know you were allowed to stay overnight. Where did you camp?

[rally_toad]

Really?? you can backpack in the White Tanks?? I had no idea!!

[Four Peaks xpert]

You can drive part way up the Apache Trail and parrk near the Canyon Lake Marina. If you climb over a hill you can enter Boulder Canyon. It's very cool back there, no trails really. You just follow the canyon.

Be careful about getting lost if you hike for more than a day or so. Since you're down in a canyon, you can't see landmarks very often and one canyon starts to look like another.

Good luck!

[berkforbes]

You pretty much just camp wherever you can find a spot.. i found an old mesquite tree to hang my hammock from and made a night of it.. the only downside is no fires are allowed in the park... the lady at the office there said a lot of ppl camp up by the damn, theres some flat spots there for a tent..