| when | Trip Report : November 30, 2019 | ||
| Trip Report : December 2, 2017 | |||
| Trip Report : November 27, 2015 | |||
| Trip Report : February 2, 2013 | |||
| Trip Report : December 17, 2011 | |||
| Trip Report : February 6, 2010 | |||
| Trip Report : December 23, 2006 | |||
| Trip Report : February 4, 2006 | |||
| Trip Report : March 19, 2005 | |||
| Trip Report : November 9, 2003 | |||
| where | Superstition Wilderness | ||
| the hike |
We will do the loop clockwise, starting at First Water trailhead.
Take the Dutchman’s Trail #104 going east for a ½ mile or so and bear
left onto the Second Water Trail #236. At just shy of 2 miles we will be at Garden
Valley, where we will find the junction for Black Mesa Trail # 241 to the right.
The Black Mesa Trail climbs to the top of Black Mesa, elevation 2750'.
The trail follows a wash as it climbs gently.
Towards the top the climb becomes steeper, then flattens out.
The Black Mesa Trail cuts through a dense cholla forest on top of the mesa, then descends steeply towards Boulder Creek, which is just before the junction with the Dutchman’s Trail #104. As you are descending you can see some great views of Weaver’s Needle. Be careful, as the trail consists of loose chalky dirt that can made the steep descent a little slippery. We will go right at the junction and take Dutchman’s Trail #104 going northwest as it climbs over Parker Pass. From there we are a short 2.5 miles from the trailhead, crossing First Water Creek five times before getting there. This hike is described by Jack Carlson and Elizabeth Stewart in Superstition Wilderness Trails West, Clear Creek Publishing, Tempe, AZ, 2012, pages 278-286. |
||
| distance | 9 miles | ||
| time | 5-6 hours | ||
| cost | Sharing gas expenses with the driver. The club also allows voluntary contributions of $5 per non-member. |
||
| EC | +-1050' elevation change | ||
| elevations | 2220' (First Water Creek) to 2760' (Black Mesa) | ||
| type | loop | ||
| starting at |
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| on trail | 100% — Dutchman’s, Second Water, and Black Mesa Trails | ||
| rating | "B-" Rate yourself as a hiker. | ||
| dogs? | no | ||
| weather | Apache Junction | ||
| meet | 7:00 AM at Home Depot in Mesa on the southeast corner of Power and US 60. | ||
| drive | 15 miles from Home Depot to First Water Trailhead. (30 round trip). |
| Schedule of Events | Arizona Trailblazers Home Page |
| updated December 6, 2019 | © Copyright 2019, Arizona Trailblazers. All rights reserved. |