Although ‘volcano’ and ‘Arizona’ are two words that seem like they shouldn’t go in the same sentence, in fact it’s a very appropriate combination. Most of central Arizona is volcanic in origin, including the Superstition Mountains, which formed about 20 million years ago when three supervolcanoes deposited a 1000 foot (305 m) thick layer of tuff on top of much older and harder rock. Later, pressure pushed the rocks upward more than 2000 feet (610 m).
In the years since, weather and water has eroded these layers to form this mountain range, including the jagged profile of Superstition Mountain that is visible today.
One of the many spires is called The Flatiron due to its resemblance to a flatiron building. Despite its appearance from the west, though, it’s actually fairly flat on top and its summit can be reached without technical climbing – though lots of scrambling is required. This summit was our destination on Thanksgiving morning.
We began our hike at Lost Dutchman State Park, in the desert at the base of Superstition Mountain. The hike begins by walking through the campground, alternately on trails and roads; we kept thinking we were off route, but we weren’t.
Beyond the campground, the trail becomes much clearer as it leaves the state park and enters the Tonto National Forest and Superstition Wilderness. It’s initially a relatively flat hike, a nice easy warmup for the difficulty that lies ahead.
As we approached the base of the mountain, we began to gain a bit of elevation and the trail grew rockier. In total, it was about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) to the start of the scrambling. From here, we had just 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to go but almost 2000 feet (610 m) of elevation left to gain. It was up up up with no reprieve.
It was the fun kind of scrambling, though, so we actually really enjoyed it.
Well, mostly…
I’d read up on this hike prior to our trip, because once you exit the state park the trail is no longer maintained. The detailed account I read stressed the importance of staying left, so we did exactly that, taking the left route whenever it was an option.
Naturally, we ended up on the right, something we didn’t realize until we were already committed to this less-than-ideal route.
The good news is, the right route also gets you there. The bad news is, it’s comprised of slippery dirt and small rocks, with some thorny bushes – though fortunately not cacti – thrown in for good measure. I came home from the hike with souvenirs in the form of scratches on my legs and little poky twigs in my hair.
On the way down, we located the correct trail and were able to determine where we’d gone wrong. In fact, my husband had even snapped a photo of me unknowingly leading us astray. It was here. The right side of this section looked easier, so I scrambled up that way and followed the only visible path at the top.
I should have gone left near the top and followed a completely different path that we couldn’t even see from the right side.
So… rather than just saying “stay left,” I’m going to amend this advice to say, once the landscape narrows, actively hug the left wall of the gully. Stay absolutely as close to it as you possibly can. It’s much easier, and also a lot more fun when you aren’t constantly worried about slipping and falling down a mountain.
Nonetheless, we did make it up to the summit trail. From here, it’s just a quick walk out to the edge of the Flatiron summit.
Many lists rank this as one of the best hikes in Arizona, and while I haven’t hiked enough in Arizona to make such a definitive statement, I can say with certainty that it was my favorite hike of our trip!
Up next: our experience renting an electric car
The Important Stuff:
- Getting there: follow signs to Lost Dutchman State Park, about 30-60 minutes east of Phoenix on AZ Highway 88 (the Apache Trail). Past the entrance station, stay right until you reach the parking area for Siphon Draw Trailhead. Park trails are open 6am to 8pm daily.
- Fees and passes: There is a $10/car entry fee to Lost Dutchman State Park. No permits or passes are required in the Tonto National Forest or Superstition Wilderness portions of this hike.
- Hiking: Roundtrip distance is 6.4 miles (10.3 km) with 3120 feet (950 m) of elevation gain, mostly as scrambling. This would not be a good hike for beginners or those with a fear of heights or exposure.
- Where to stay: Given that the hike begins in the Lost Dutchman State Park campground, you could camp there for easy access. It’s also only about a 30-60 minute drive from the Phoenix metro area to the trailhead so this can easily be done as a day trip from there.
- Other: STAY LEFT! Once you get to the scrambling portion, if there’s ever lower ground to your left, you’re on the wrong side. Also, there is no water source along this trail, so bring all you’ll need (which is probably more than you’d expect given the desert climate).
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