The Garden Valley, Garden Arch and Hackberry hike was delayed one day due to rain, but twelve people make it anyway.

Michael, Sana, Quy, Wendy, Tony, Nancy, Becky, Mark, Monika, Deirdre, Debbie, Bilja

There are just puddles left from the previous day’s rain, but the desert is green from the rain. This loop hike provided panoramic views of the western part of the Superstitions. We start down the Dutchman’s Trail and hop over the flowing First Water Creek a couple of times to get to the Second Water Trail. It is time to start the uphill climb to Garden Valley. As we go uphill there is someone looking at us from on top.

Who’s down there?

We get to Garden Valley and start the off trail part of this hike. Go up the nearby hill to get a look at the First Water valley that we just hiked though. This is the highest point in this hike. It is time to cross over the saddle to the next hill that has the arch. There are some small caves that we walk by: they show the volcanic nature of these mountains.

Lots of little homes.

We continue around the hill until we get to the arch and our lunch/snack spot.

Can I get down?

From this spot you can overlook the whole First Water valley and see that everything is green.

Desert after being watered.

After lunch we take the old military trail over to the Hackberry Trail. This will lead us down to Hackberry Spring. Hackberry Spring is one of the few permanent water sources in the Superstitions. The flow from the spring joins First Water Creek as it flows to Canyon Lake.

There’s water in them thar hills!

This is a nice oasis in the desert. It has shade and water, a good place to rest and get ready for the final sprint back to the trailhead. We follow the creek back up to the valley. We pass the slab that was the ranch building. The corral is still there, with its tin roof. We continue up the valley back to the intersection of the Second Water and Dutchman’s Trails. Then it is back to the cars.