Day #42

We have been riding the west side of the Superstition mountain wilderness the last couple days. Today was our final day and we decided to trailer over to the east side of the mountain range.

Last year we spent a couple weeks on the east side and enjoyed the Hackberry Trail most. So, today that is where we headed. The Hackberry Springs Loop is a 3.8 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Tortilla Flats. It is moderately challenging.

We discovered that the wilderness road to the First Water Trailhead

where we would be able to get on the trail, was really washed out during the big rain last week. They had graders trying to make it passable today. It was a slow bumpy drive.

There were many hikers for the first couple miles, then we were alone. One pass has a very narrow trail and a drop off. It is important that the horses place their feet carefully. The trail has large rocks with only a horse hoof width to step down into. Both the horses did great.

Getting down to the water is always a thrill. There is a stone wall and the creek flows right next to it. We could see that there was a difference in how we had to cross the water. When we came to the

other side the trail seemed to go to the right. We followed it for some time and once had to even get off the horses to lead them down and up a rocky incline. I held onto the saddle horn to have Blaze pull me up. There were so many small rocks that we both were stumbling around. Then the trail petered out.

We didn’t want to have to go back that incline, so we started bushwhacking up the mountain side. This is hard on everyone. The cacti were sticking onto us and the horses. As we climbed higher, Pearl started not following Dan, but running into him. That was when he decided he had better scout ahead and make sure the trail was on the top somewhere. It wasn’t. We had to go all the way back down to the bottom.

When we got there, we let the horses drink. Right then a guy on a

horse came down and between some rocks and trees. He was on the path we wanted.

The trail loop is only 3.8 miles. I don’t know how far we went with our bushwhacking expedition, but we were out four hours. After we drove out, Dan heard thumping and pulled over to see what was causing it. A rock was stuck between the dual wheels on the camper. He used a hammer and couldn’t get it out. It took his crowbar to do the job.

We were tired from our ordeal, but still needed to pick up a calming medicine from the vet and go grocery shopping. Tomorrow we will do laundry and then head to Catalina State Park for the last two weeks of our Arizona trip.

Catch up with us tomorrow to see if we can get a camping spot at Catalina.

Blessed again, Pam