The Superstition Mountains () is a range of mountains in

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the

Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona. With over 1.6 million residents at the 2020 census, it is the ...

, area. They are roughly bounded by U.S. Route 60 on the south, Arizona State Route 88 on the northwest, and Arizona State Route 188 on the northeast.

History and description

The mountains were once known in Spanish as ''Sierra de la Espuma'' ("Foam Mountain"). The range has a maximum elevation of and prominence of at Mound Mountain in the far eastern section of the range. The mountains are in the federally designated Superstition Wilderness and include a variety of natural features in addition to its namesake mountain. Weavers Needle, a prominent landmark and rock climbing destination set behind and to the east of Superstition Mountain, is a tall eroded volcanic remnant that plays a significant role in the legend of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. Numerous hiking trails cross the mountains from multiple access points, including the Peralta Trailhead, the most popular. Peralta Canyon, on the northeast side of Superstition Mountain, contains a popular trail that leads up to Fremont Saddle, which provides a very picturesque view of Weavers Needle. Miner's Needle is another prominent formation in the wilderness and a popular hiking destination. Lost Dutchman State Park, located on the west side of Superstition Mountain, includes several short hiking and mountain bike trails. Circlestone includes ancient stone monuments. As with most of the terrain surrounding the Phoenix metropolitan area, the Superstition Mountains have a desert climate, with high summer temperatures and a handful of perennial sources of water. The elevation in the more remote, eastern portion of the wilderness is higher than the western portion, which lowers temperatures slightly.

Legends

The legend of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine centers around the Superstition Mountains. According to the legend, a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz discovered a mother lode of gold in the Superstition Wilderness and revealed its location on his deathbed in Phoenix in 1891 to Julia Thomas, a boarding-house owner who had taken care of him for many years. Several mines have been claimed to be the actual mine that Waltz discovered, but none of those claims have been verified. Waltz was a miner at Vulture Mine, where he likely stole the gold and came up with the secret mine to explain his theft. The legends and lore of the Superstition Mountains can be experienced at the Superstition Mountain Museum on the Apache Trail where artifacts of the Lost Dutchman are on display. Some Apaches believe that the hole leading down into the lower world, or hell, is located in the Superstition Mountains. Winds blowing from the hole are supposed to be the cause of severe dust storms in the metropolitan region.Vitaliano, Dorothy. 1973. ''Legends of the Earth'', Bloomington: Indiana University Press, pp. 170–171.

Nearby towns and cities

* Apache Junction, Arizona * Gold Canyon, Arizona * Mesa, Arizona * Superior, Arizona * Tortilla Flat, Arizona

Gallery

File:Miners Needle from Bluff Spring Trail, Superstition Wilderness.jpg, Miners Needle from Bluff Spring Trail. Note prominent bedding planes in the volcanics. (2010) Image:flatironpeak1.jpg, View from the Flatiron hiking trail (2008) File:2021 Superstition Mountains from U.S. Route 60 at Apache Junction, Arizona.jpg, Superstition Mountains From Route 60 at Apache Junction (2021) File:Goldfield Ghost Town (14540063576).jpg, Mining – of gold, silver and especially copper – has historically been an economically significant activity in the mountains (2014) File:2016 Arizona Superstition Mountains 01.jpg, A view from the Apache Trail (Arizona State Route 88) in 2016 File:Superstition Mts SW02.jpg, Boulder Canyon Trail – Weaver's Needle in distance (2011) File:Superstition Petroglyphs.jpg, Petroglyphs in Superstition Wilderness (2007) File:Flatiron Panorama.jpg, panorama, taken from Flatiron, in the Superstition mountains. File:Ironview Peak.png, Ironview Peak (peak 5024), background, left File:Superstitions.jpeg, Western Superstition mountains, viewed from Siphon Draw trail. File:Rock formations2.jpg, Rock formations, Siphon Draw trail. File:Rockformation.jpg, Rock formation, Siphon Draw trail. File:Superstition ridgeline.jpg, view from Superstition Ridgeline Trail File:GS_0304_%282%29.jpg, Panoramic view from Siphon Draw, basin area. . File:GS 0300 (2).jpg, Panoramic view from Siphon Draw Trail. File:GS_0298_(2).jpg, Panoramic view from Siphon Draw Trail.

References

External links

HikeArizona.com: Numbered Trails Map

Official Apache Trail website: Superstition Mountains

Tonto National Forest: Superstition Wilderness Area
Forest Service information
Wilderness.net: Superstition Wilderness Area

Ajpl.org: History of the Superstitions

JustRoughinIt.com: Superstition Wilderness Average Climate
{{Authority control Arizona transition zone mountain ranges Mountain ranges of the Sonoran Desert Mountain ranges of Maricopa County, Arizona Mountain ranges of Pinal County, Arizona Mountain ranges of Gila County, Arizona Madrean Sky Islands mountain ranges Phoenix metropolitan area Religious places of the Indigenous peoples of North America Wilderness areas of Arizona Protected areas of Gila County, Arizona Protected areas of Maricopa County, Arizona Protected areas of Pinal County, Arizona Mountain ranges of Arizona IUCN Category Ib Tonto National Forest Protected areas established in 1939