Tonto National Forest: Superstition Wilderness: Peralta Trailhead: Bluff Springs Trail

Looking East from anywhere in Phoenix the landscape is dominated by imposing forests and rugged mountains. Much of this area falls within Tonto National Forest, the fifth largest forest in the United States, and also one of the closest to a major metropolitan area. Tonto also boasts eight federally designated wilderness areas, including the Superstition Wilderness, which encompass over 160,000 acres of area protected by federal law as, "...an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain(Wilderness Act, 1964)."

Access to several excellent trailheads in the Superstition Wilderness are within an hour from southern Phoenix. For this one night backpacking trip we would be parking at the Peralta Trailhead, located just past Apache Junction and 8 miles off highway 60, and hiking on parts of the Peralta Canyon, Bluff Springs, and Cave Creek trails. From these trails we would see excellent views of Weaver's Needle, Miner's Needle, as well as panoramic shots of Peralta and Barks Canyon. 

The Peralta Trailhead is one of the most popular trails in the area, however, the interior of the wilderness remains one of the most unexplored and difficult to access. From the beginning of the hike up 'heart-attack' hill one is astounded by the views and fascinating geology of the region. There were fantastic stand of 'balance' as well as massive spires of red-rock. 

After a 45 minute initial ascent up Bluff Springs Trail and onto the Cave Creek Trail we left the sunshine of the open trail and starting picking our way over boulders and around larger rock formations. Views into Barks Canyon from above were outstanding

Views from the pass behind Fremont's Saddle were expansive; Weaver's Needle absolutely dominated the landscape. This imposing spire of weathered lava, named after famed frontier scout Pauline Weaver, appeared to draw rain and wind to it, as a mild late afternoon storm made its way up the valley.

And after overcast skies had contributed to great photos throughout the afternoon, the sun appeared in time to wash the Superstition Mountain in a glowing sunset that burnished red rock intoto a shimmering glow.

For more great information check out the Forest Service's Page: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tonto/specialplaces/?cid=fsbdev3_018739