How far are the Superstition Mountains from Scottsdale?

The Superstition Mountains, around Apache Junction and Lost Dutchman State Park, are roughly 45 to 60 minutes east of Scottsdale. It's an easy half-day or full-day trip into some of the most rugged and legendary desert country in Arizona.

Is the Apache Trail open?

Partially. The historic Apache Trail (State Route 88) is a scenic drive past Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat, but sections beyond Tortilla Flat (past Fish Creek Hill) have been closed since storm damage in 2019. Always check the current Arizona DOT road status before you go, and enjoy the open lower stretch to Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat.

What is there to do in the Superstition Mountains?

Hike in Lost Dutchman State Park beneath the cliffs, drive the open stretch of the Apache Trail to Canyon Lake, visit the Goldfield Ghost Town, take a Dolly Steamboat cruise on Canyon Lake, and soak in the Old West history and legends of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine.

How hard is the Flatiron hike in the Superstition Mountains?

Hard. From Lost Dutchman State Park, the Siphon Draw Trail climbs to a rock basin in about 2 miles, and the Flatiron is another mile of unmarked, hand-over-foot scrambling above it, roughly 6 miles round trip with close to 2,800 feet of gain. Budget 4 to 6 hours, start at first light, and carry at least 3 liters of water. It's for fit, experienced hikers only.

Do you need a 4x4 to drive the Apache Trail?

Not for the part most people drive. SR-88 is paved from Apache Junction past Canyon Lake to Tortilla Flat and a few miles beyond, so any car is fine. Past that the road turns to dirt and drops down Fish Creek Hill, and that section has had long closures since 2019. Check ADOT's current status first, and leave RVs and trailers in town.

When is the best time to visit the Superstition Mountains?

October through April. Highs mostly sit in the 60s to 80s, and you can hike most of the day without heat risk. Late February into March brings poppies at Lost Dutchman State Park in a wet year. In summer, highs of 100 to 115 degrees make the exposed trails dangerous, so start at dawn, keep it short, or stick to the drive and the lake.

Superstition Mountains & Apache Trail: A Day-Trip Guide

Name: Desert Dog Offroad Adventures
Address: 17212 E. Shea Blvd., Fountain Hills, AZ, 85268, US
Telephone: (480) 837-3966
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.9

East of Phoenix the desert gets steep and spiky. The Superstition Mountains wall off the horizon behind Apache Junction, the Apache Trail twists past a blue lake to a town with a single-digit population, and it’s all close enough to Scottsdale to do before dinner. Here’s the day, stop by stop.

Getting There From Scottsdale

Take the Loop 101 south to US-60 east, exit at Idaho Road in Apache Junction, and head north to State Route 88, the Apache Trail. From central Scottsdale that’s roughly 45 to 60 minutes; from Mesa, closer to 30. Fill the tank in Apache Junction; there’s no gas on the Apache Trail.

Start at Dawn: Lost Dutchman State Park

About five miles up SR-88 you reach Lost Dutchman State Park. There’s a per-vehicle entry fee, and the trailheads sit right under the cliffs.

Pick your trail:

Treasure Loop Trail: 2.4 miles, about 500 feet of climbing, rated moderate, done in about 90 minutes with big views of the Flatiron. The right call for most people.
Siphon Draw Trail: about 4 miles round trip and around 1,000 feet of gain to a smooth rock basin. Steeper, with slick stone near the top, but no scrambling if you stop at the basin.
The Flatiron: the hard option. Above the basin the route is unmarked in places and turns into hand-over-foot scrambling: roughly 6 miles round trip, close to 2,800 feet of gain, 4 to 6 hours. Start at first light, and only go if you’re fit and carrying plenty of water.

Spring poppies (late February into March in a wet winter) and late-afternoon light on the cliffs are what the park is known for. Either way, go early.

The Legend of the Lost Dutchman

The park is named for Jacob Waltz, a German-born prospector (the “Dutchman” is a mangling of “Deutsch”) who died in Phoenix in 1891, supposedly leaving clues to a rich gold mine hidden somewhere in these mountains. People have hunted it ever since, and nobody has found it. It’s the kind of Old West story that makes the scenery feel even bigger.

Mid-Morning: Goldfield Ghost Town

A mile back down SR-88, Goldfield Ghost Town is the easy family stop. The original town boomed on an 1890s gold strike and died when the ore ran thin; today it’s a rebuilt Old West main street with a mine tour, a narrow-gauge train ride, gunfight shows, a saloon, and shops. Walking the street is free, the attractions charge separately, and 1 to 2 hours covers it. The view of the Superstitions from the hilltop is the photo everyone takes.

Drive the Apache Trail to Canyon Lake

The Apache Trail (SR-88) was built between 1903 and 1905 as the supply road for Roosevelt Dam, and it still drives like one: narrow and slow, with pullouts that are the point. Needle Vista Viewpoint, a few miles past the park, gives you a clean look at Weavers Needle, the spire at the heart of the gold legend.

Canyon Lake, about 15 miles from Apache Junction, is a reservoir on the Salt River squeezed between cliffs; you cross it on one-lane bridges. There’s a marina with boat rentals, picnic and beach sites (day use needs a Tonto Pass; buy it in town), and the Dolly Steamboat, a narrated cruise under the canyon walls, with bighorn sheep if you’re lucky.

Lunch at Tortilla Flat

A couple of miles past the lake, Tortilla Flat started life in 1904 as a stagecoach and freight stop for the dam crews. Its population is in the single digits, and it’s the last stop with food before the pavement ends. The saloon has saddles for barstools and dollar bills stapled over every wall, and the store sells prickly-pear ice cream. Budget 45 minutes from Apache Junction, and expect a full lot on winter weekends.

Past Tortilla Flat: Check ADOT First

Pavement ends a few miles beyond Tortilla Flat. From there the historic route turns to dirt, drops down Fish Creek Hill (steep, one lane, long drop-off), and runs past Apache Lake to Roosevelt Dam, roughly 40 miles out.

Here’s the honest part. The Woodbury Fire burned across the range in June 2019, and the flooding that followed tore up the road. The unpaved section has had long closures ever since, so check ADOT’s current status (az511) before you plan on driving through, and treat the paved stretch to Tortilla Flat as the trip. If Roosevelt Lake is the goal, the paved way around is SR-87 to SR-188.

Other Trailheads Worth the Detour

Two more Superstition hikes start off US-60 around Gold Canyon; either works as a swap for the state park.

Hieroglyphic Trail: about 3 miles round trip with roughly 600 feet of gain, a gentle climb to a canyon with seasonal pools and a wall of Hohokam petroglyphs. Free, off Kings Ranch Road, with a small lot that fills early on winter weekends. Look, don’t touch.
Peralta Trail to Fremont Saddle: about 2.3 miles each way with around 1,400 feet of gain, moderate to strenuous, ending with Weavers Needle filling the view. The trailhead is 7 miles up Peralta Road, mostly graded dirt (fine for a normal car when dry), with vault toilets and no water. Arrive before 8 on a winter weekend.

Prefer to hike closer to your hotel? See our best hikes near Scottsdale.

When to Go

October through April is the season. Highs mostly sit in the 60s to 80s, and a midday hike won’t hurt you.

Summer is a different animal: highs of 100 to 115 degrees on trails with almost no shade. If you must hike, start at dawn, be off the trail by 9, and stick to Treasure Loop. Better still, save the hiking for cooler months. July through September also brings monsoon storms that can flash-flood washes and close the Apache Trail without warning.

What to Carry

Water by the liter: at least a liter per hour of hiking, more in warm weather, plus a spare gallon in the car. There’s no water on any of these trails.
Sun protection: hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, long sleeves. Shade is a rumor out here.
Grippy shoes: the slick rock in Siphon Draw is not flip-flop terrain.
A paper map or a downloaded offline map: cell signal drops in the wilderness and along stretches of SR-88.
Salty snacks and a check-in plan: tell a friend your route and your turnaround time.

For clothing, see what to wear on an Arizona outdoor adventure.

A Sample Day, Stop by Stop

6:30 am: leave Scottsdale.
7:30 am: Lost Dutchman State Park. Treasure Loop, or Siphon Draw to the basin.
9:30 am: Goldfield Ghost Town for the mine tour and the train.
11:00 am: Apache Trail to Needle Vista and Canyon Lake.
12:30 pm: lunch at Tortilla Flat.
2:00 pm: Canyon Lake for a swim or the Dolly Steamboat, or head home.
4:30 pm: back in Scottsdale.

More escapes at this distance: our Arizona day trips guide.

Want the Same Desert Without the Hiking?

For the saguaros and open country without the summit, there’s an easier way closer to your hotel.

Our guided U-Drive sand buggy tours run in a different corner of the Tonto National Forest, past Saguaro Lake at the Butcher Jones OHV Staging Area, 45 minutes from central Scottsdale via the Beeline Highway (AZ-87) and Bush Highway (turn-by-turn on our maps and directions page). You drive your own 2-seat 800cc side-by-side, roll cage and seatbelts included, while a guide leads the whole 2-plus-hour route. Helmet, neck gaiter, bottled water, snacks, a safety briefing, and free adventure photos come with it. Drivers need to be 16 with a valid license; passengers ride from age 8. It’s $299 per 2-seat buggy, $150 per person, or $199 solo.

To be clear, we don’t run in the Superstitions. This is a different part of the forest, with the same desert and a fraction of the sweat. Every way to tour the Sonoran Desert puts buggies, Jeeps, horses, and hiking side by side.

Ready to get into the real desert? Call us at (480) 837-3966 or book a desert tour, and we’ll handle the trails.