Length: 5 milesOk, I guess the ghost of my Houston past came to visit me this morning when I decided to hike the Superstition Wilderness. I had hoped that by going at 6 AM I would be able to escape the heat of the day...and while the temperature only got in the mid-80s, the humidity was freakin' high!!! You know you're in trouble when you can feel the sweat begin to pool on your eyelids....
Anyway, the hike itself was quite rugged. While the Superstition Wilderness and Superstition Mountains make up the southern region of the Tonto National Forest, the environment is completely different from that of the northern regions of the forest. With its barrenness it's hard to imagine this a forest by anyone's standards; however, that's not to say the Superstition Wilderness doesn't have it's own beauty.
With rugged cliffs, tons of cacti, and clear blue skies,the Superstition Wilderness is likely to be what most people picture when they imagine Arizona. However, let me be the first to say that that Wilderness will beat the crap out of you! I began the Boulder Canyon Trail with a two-mile hike straight up! (It was the mountain that would NEVER end!) Once I finally made it to the top, the view was pretty amazing. Unfortately, by the time I made it up there, the heat and humidity were just too much...I had to give up my hopes on continuing further (although with 5 miles round trip, my trip wasn't any too short!) However, I will definely return later this fall once the temperatures in central Arizona cool down a little!
To see more photos of the Boulder Canyon Trail, click here.
Oh my gosh, I am so impressed that you are keeping up with the hiking. I have to say, looking at your pictures makes me so jealous. Texas has nothing like that.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunte enough to hike that trail yesterday, and it IS brutal. We took it from the Boulder Canyon trailhead all the way to First Water, and even though it is 9 miles, every step was torture and we were wiped out at the end. I read that other people do not advise taking a horse down this trail because it is too steep...
ReplyDeleteYou should go back for more, because it is gorgeous right now with millions of flowers blooming. However, if you are allergic to bees, bring your allergy kit wth you!