Arizona Trailblazers Hiking Club
Hieroglyphic Canyon Day Hike
when January 5, 2014
  Trip Report : January 30, 2011
  Trip Report : December 31, 2001
where? Superstition Wilderness
the hike     The trail is a steady climb through the Sonoran Desert, a bit rocky but not difficult. There are good views of the Superstition Mountains and surrounding desert. The hieroglyphs are visible in the rocks up above the spring, which, if we’re lucky, will have water in it. It’s a nice place to rest, have a snack, and enjoy the views. The history of the hieroglyphs seems to be a bit mysterious, but the carvings are believed to be Hohokam in origin and carved possibly between 700 and 1100 A.D. If you’ve never seen them, it’s worth the hike.
    This hike is described in Hiker’s Guide to the the Superstition Wilderness by Jack Carlson and Elizabeth Stewart, pages 125-127.
distance 3 miles
time 2 hours
EC +-700' elevation change
elevations 2090' (Cloudview Trailhead) to 2700' (Hieroglyphic Canyon)
type round trip
starting at
Cloudview Trailhead 33° 23.370' N,  111° 25.444' W  [NAD27]
on trail 100% — Hieroglyphic Trail #101
dogs? no
rating "C"     Rate yourself as a hiker.
cost Sharing gas expenses with the driver.
The club also allows voluntary contributions of $5 per non-member.
weather Apache Junction
meet 8:30 AM at Home Depot in Mesa on the southeast corner of Power and US 60.
drive •   US 60 / Superstition Freeway east to Gold Canyon, AZ.
•   Turn left on Kings Ranch Rd.
•   2.9 miles, turn right on Baseline Ave.
•   0.2 mile, turn left on Mohican Rd.
•   0.4 mile, turn left on E. Valley View Dr. (becomes S. White Tail Rd.).
•   0.5 mile, turn right on Cloudview Ave.
•   Continue 0.4 mile east to Cloudview Trailhead.

15 miles from Home Depot to Cloudview Trailhead (30 round trip).

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updated February 12, 2019 © Copyright 2019, Arizona Trailblazers.  All rights reserved.