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| Hiking | 9.00 Miles |
1,125 AEG |
| | Hiking | 9.00 Miles | 6 Hrs | | 1.50 mph |
| 1,125 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | The hike starts out at the First Water Trailhead and follows the Second Water Trail (236) for about 1.5 miles through a couple of washes until you enter Garden Valley. Here you should find a sign indicating that Black Mesa Trail (241) turns to the right.
From the top of Black Mesa you'll encounter a forest of Jumping Cholla Cactus that live up to their name in a slight breeze.
Working your way down from Black Mesa the trail will descend into Boulder Canyon. Here things get a little tricky. There is the main trail, which is indistinguishable from the horse and foot trails worn down by campers. If you are on the main trail, you should run into another sign indicating the junction of Black Mesa Trail with Lost Dutchman's. But if you are on one of the alternative paths, you may see a large circle of rocks and continue walking past it. If you do miss the sign, you should bump into a second one marking the junction of Boulder Canyon and Lost Dutchman's. Should you do that, backtrack away from Weaver's Needle to the circle of rocks and turn left on the footpath. You should then find the main sign about 200 yards away.
In Boulder Canyon, you have a very good view of Weaver's Needle. From here it looks a lot larger than from Freemont Saddle on more traveled Peralta Trail on the other side. Other sites in the canyon include Battleship Mountain and Geronimo Head.
From this point you will have about 4.5 miles to follow Lost Dutchman's Trail back to the First Water Trailhead. If you started the hike in mid-morning, the cliffs will block some of the afternoon sun and will give you a break from the heat.
The aforementioned Hiker's Guide to the Superstition Mountains also mentions an alternative return path that is about 2.5 miles longer that follows Boulder Canyon Trail back and connects with the Second Water Trail.
http://hikearizona.com/decoder=11 |
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