Ten of us set out for the Superstition Mountains on a very cold morning. Though the drivers had been warned of a rough road to the trailhead, none were expecting just how rough it is. A high clearance vehicle is an absolute must!

We were all bundled up against the cold but once on the trail, we warmed up and stopped to take jackets and gloves off. It was a beautiful, sunny day – perfect hiking weather!

The trail begins to climb almost immediately and continues to climb for nearly 1000 feet before reaching the destination of Massacre Grounds.

The trail is rocky and steep in some parts but maintains a pretty steady climb.

Though it is fairly easy to follow the trail, in sections it is only marked by rock cairns so care must be taken to stay on it.

There has been a lot of rain and the mountains were in full leaf though not yet in bloom.

The top of the mountain was laced with snow and waterfalls could be seen from the snow melt.

This is a beautiful hike and it behooves the hiker to stop frequently to take in the views.

Though not overpopulated, we did encounter other hikers.

The trail is narrow and so we got a chance to practice our trail etiquette along the way.

Once at Massacre Grounds we were rewarded by an absolutely magnificent vista and a perfect spot to have a snack and some Hike Leader Training presented by Debbie, Ted and Chuck.

Michael contributed pink M&M’s to celebrate Valentine’s Day and Ted regaled us with the history of the massacre that took place here in the 19th century.

After soaking in the view and some valuable information, we started back down the mountain, slipping and sliding on the loose rock in some areas but without mishap.

Along the way we encountered a heart shaped rock broken in two – looking just like a broken heart on Valentine’s Day.

Though only a short three miles, this is a moderately strenuous hike and highly recommended.

Pictures by Michael Humphrey [broken heart] and Ted Tenny [others].