Superstition Ridgeline

Approach

This hike starts from Carney Springs and ends up at Siphon Draw. To do this hike you need to park a vehicle at Siphon Draw and drive around to Carney Springs. This is about a half an hour to 45 minute drive.
For direction to Carney Springs check out the main page. For directions to Siphon Draw go to the Flatiron

Also check out Siphon Draw for the route description.

Route Description

This is just about the longest 10 miles you will ever see, and it is not a stroll through the desert. It's rugged desert landscape at its best. After your done you'll swear it was longer than 10 miles. It's up and down all day long along a faint trail through cactus, shrubs and other pokey things. If you wear shorts you will be torn apart at the end of your trekk. This hike IS one of the premeir hikes in the Phoenix area. This is one that only the die hard hikers do.
This hike can either be a long hike to Superstition Peak or a long hike from Superstition Peak, depending on where you start and end. The Trails that typically are used are Carney Springs Trailhead and Siphon Draw. I recommend starting at Carney Springs and ending at Siphon Draw. Although, some have used Peralta Trail instead of Carney Springs. From Carney Springs to Siphon Draw this hike is about 10 miles of hiking/bush whacking through steep, rocky, and rough terrain. For the most part this is a class 2 hike, but there are a few areas that you hit some class 3 scrambling. There is a trail that runs from end to end, but it is unmaintained and is often hard to spot. Some route finding skills are necessary here. Many times you will find yourself off trail and searching for it.
On your way along the Ridgeline you can bag 2 other peaks if you want to. The middle peak is unnamed peak at 4,869 feet, and you can do the unnamed peak above the Flatiron (5,027 feet), which is the true summit on that side of the Ridgeline. Weather you decide to hike these two mountains or not, be prepared for a very long day.
In my opinion this is the best way of doing this mountain, as it will give you a true Superstition Mountain experience.

Be sure to check out my trip report to have a good idea of what you will be up against.

Essential Gear

This is a very long hike, plan for 8-10 hours. If anything goes wrong than it can be a 12 hour hike. This hike is through brush, cactus, agaves, and is rough, so bring pants or something to cover your legs. Also there is very few areas with shade, most of this hike is in the sun. BRING PLENTY OF WATER!!!!

Images

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