From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Superstition Mountains
Superstition Mountains
Superstition Wilderness the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Su-
perstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area) recreation destination for residents of the Phoenix, Ari-
zona area.
The mountain range is in the federally-designated
Area,
Superstition Wilderness Area and includes a variety of
natural features in addition to the mountain that is its
namesake. Weaver’s Needle, a prominent landmark and
rock climbing destination set behind and to the east of
Superstition Mountain, is a tall erosional remnant [1] that
plays a significant role in the legend of the Lost Dutch-
man’s Gold Mine. Peralta Canyon, on the northeast side
of Superstition Mountain, contains a popular trail that
leads up to Freemont Saddle, which provides a very pic-
turesque view of Weaver’s Needle. Miner’s Needle is an-
other prominent formation in the wilderness and a pop-
ular hiking destination.
The Flat Iron peak
As with most of the terrain surrounding the Phoenix
Location Maricopa / Pinal / Gila counties, Arizona, USA metropolitan area, the Superstition Mountains have a
Nearest city Apache Junction, Arizona desert climate, with high summer temperatures and a
handful of perennial sources of water. The altitude in
Coordinates 33°28′41″N 111°14′20″W / 33.47806°N 111.23889°W more remote, eastern portion of the wilderness is
the
/ 33.47806; -111.23889Coordinates: 33°28′41″N
higher than the western portion, which lowers temper-
111°14′20″W / 33.47806°N 111.23889°W / 33.47806;
-111.23889 atures slightly. Numerous hiking trails cross the moun-
tains from multiple access points, including the Peralta
Area 159,757 acres (64,651 ha) Trailhead, the most popular.[2] The Lost Dutchman State
Established 1939 Park, located on the west side of Superstition Mountain,
includes several short walking trails.
Governing body U.S. Forest Service
The Superstition Mountains are bounded roughly by
U.S. Route 60 on the south, State Route 88 on the north-
west, and State Route 188 on the northeast.
Superstition legends
Miners Needle from Bluff Spring Trail. Note prominent bedding
planes in the volcanics.
The Superstition Mountains (O’odham: Wiʼikam
Gakoḍk),
Gakoḍk popularly referred to as "The Superstitions",
View from the Flat Iron hiking trail, February, 2008
are a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Superstition Mountains
The legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine centers
around the Superstition Mountains. According to the leg-
See also
end, a German immigrant named Jacob Walzer discov- • List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
ered a mother lode in the Superstition Wilderness and • List of Arizona Wilderness Areas
revealed its location on his deathbed in Phoenix in 1891 • List of mountain ranges of Arizona
to Julia Thomas, a boarding-house owner who had taken • Wilderness Act
care of him for many years. Several mines have been
claimed to be the actual mine that Walzer discovered, but
none of those claims have been verified.[1]
References
Some Apaches believe that the hole leading down in- [1] ^ Kollenborn, Tom (1990). "Weaver’s Needle or
to the lower world is located in the Superstition Moun- Picacho?". Archived from the original on
tains. Winds blowing from the hole are supposed to be 2004-10-30. http://web.archive.org/web/
the cause of severe dust storms.[3] 20041030050018/http://www.ajpl.org/aj/
superstition/1eedle.htm. Retrieved April 2007.
[2] Carroll, Doug. "Hiking the Supsertitions".
Nearby towns and cities http://www.azcentral.com/travel/arizona/
features/articles/archive/superhiking.html.
Retrieved April 2007.
[3] Vitaliano, Dorothy. 1973. Legends of the Earth,
Bloomington: University of Indiana Press, pp.
170-171.
External links
• Apache Trail | Superstition Wilderness - Sunset
Route 88
• Superstition Wilderness Area - Tonto National Forest
• Superstition Wilderness - Wilderness.net
• Superstition Wilderness - GORP
• Superstition Mountain Hikes
Petroglyphs in Superstition Wilderness • History of the Superstitions
• Apache Junction, Arizona
• Tortilla Flat, Arizona
• Superior, Arizona
• Phoenix, Arizona
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Superstition_Mountains&oldid=458283512"
Categories:
• IUCN Category Ib
• Phoenix metropolitan area
• Superstition Mountains
• Religious places of the indigenous peoples of North America
• Wilderness Areas of Arizona
• Mountain ranges of the Sonoran Desert
• Arizona transition zone mountain ranges
• Landforms of Gila County, Arizona
• Mountain ranges of Maricopa County, Arizona
• Mountain ranges of Pinal County, Arizona
• Mountain ranges of Arizona
• Protected areas of Gila County, Arizona
• Protected areas of Maricopa County, Arizona
• Protected areas of Pinal County, Arizona
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Superstition Mountains
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