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Hackberry Springs

Today I took a hike into the Superstitions to Hackberry Spring. There a couple of different ways to get there, but I decided to take the one that was least difficult to get lost on, which turned out to be the one that is most difficult to walk :). From First Water Trailhead I took the Second Water Trail to First Water Creek and then I walked the First Water Creek bed all the way up to Hackberry. It was an interesting hike, since I basically had to trail find the entire way. The amazing thing is that one can do that IN the creekbed all the way there. You have to get your feet wet occaisionally, but the water is generally less than 6 inches deep (although in some pools it was about 4 ft deep) so it is not too tough.

However, let me say this. Do not attempt to walk this trail without a walking stick. The creekbed is nothing but head and torso sized stones the entire way and I would have easily fallen many times without my walking stick. A lot of times you can get by without one, but this hike is not one of them in my opinion.

About 40 minutes into my hike I ran across a King Snake. Scared the crap out of me too because the rattlers are starting to come out and I was trying to be careful of them, and here I go and almost step on a king snake. That said, the snake was quite pretty. A dark black with yellow rings. I tried to take a picture of it, but it had hidden in a hole by the time I got my camera out and not knowing at the time if it was venomous or not I decided not to mess with it.

I actually missed Hackberry Spring the first time I went past it, despite the fact that someone was camped there even. My map shows a green area near the words Hackberry Spring. I naturally thought they were one and the same, but it turns out they are not. In close up, it is easier to see the words are pointing to a dot on the creekbed, but when I was looking at it on the trail, it was less easy to see. Hence, I hiked right past it for a good 30 minutes before realizing I had gone too far. So I promptly hiked back and rested in the shade for a good bit before heading back out.

I had planned to hike out through Garden Valley, but somehow took the wrong creekbed. However, it worked out quite nicely since I was able to get out much faster than I had planned. I actually walked back OVER First Water Creek without even realizing it and on the way out I realized that on the way in, I’d actually gone past the Windmill and Corral without seeing them. I obviously still need some work on this hiking thing, but hey, practice makes perfect. And it was a lot of fun. Next up will probably be a hike from Tortilla Flat trailhead, which is closer to the Lost Dutchman’s gold 🙂
Photos from the hike are up here.

7 comments to Hackberry Springs

  • Jean

    Hey Chris:

    looks like a good trek. Glad you didn’t get too lost – what would a hike in AZ wilderness be without getting lost at least once? You better start your training for the climb to Flat Iron when I get back from my worldwind tour!

    Jean

  • Pug

    Cool-sounding trip — I really like the trail route you posted! It’s little things like that which make reading these accounts so entertaining!

  • Jones, too

    You are going to have to make more noise so ALL the S-N-A-K-E-S know you are coming! Why weren’t you singing? That probably would have done it! (just kidding!)

  • Jones, too

    I can’t believe I misspelled NOISE. Can you fix it?

  • Pug

    I find it fairly amusing, actually.

  • site admin

    Apparently I can.

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