Peralta Trail — Adventures from Arizona to Alberta

Wow—I had no idea. Where has this gem been hiding? If you can get there to see the sunrise—do it. Peralta Trail to Fremont Saddle is a mesmerizing, challenging hike with a dramatic reveal.

The Superstition Wilderness in Gold Canyon offers many hiking opportunities. It is hard to believe that these towering hoodoos are the product of over 20 million years of erosion.

We arrived before dawn, and it was COLD and WINDY. Although dressed in layers, we wore shorts, which initially was quite unfortunate. Dave and I sat quietly in the jeep, toasting ourselves before venturing outside. We hit the trail at first light.

Frankly, I don’t remember much of our adventure’s very beginning—we were too busy trying to warm up. Eventually, we stopped and took a look around. Massive columns of volcanic rock enveloped us as the sun broke over distant peaks. Phenomenal.

The roundtrip is a rocky 5.8 miles, with a total elevation gain of 1,330 ft. Allow at least four hours (more or less) to navigate the rocky terrain and soak in the beauty of the canyon.

Dave and I wound our way to the saddle’s base, where the real climb began. Switchbacks led to a smooth granite pass scattered with large boulders—a perfect place to grab a snack and pull out the iPhone. Splendiferous.

Smooth granite slabs (lower right), made the ascent easier.

The pièce de résistance awaited at the saddle—Weaver’s Needle. This spire of fused volcanic ash rose from the valley below. A large remnant formed from over 20 million years of erosion, it climbs a thousand feet from the desert floor, with a summit of 4,555 feet. Rumors have it that the needle’s shadow casts the location of a cache of gold—part of the lore of the Superstitions.

By the time we made it down the rocky path to the parking lot, the lot was full. Even though the sun’s glare took some of the magic away, and our ankles and feet were stiff and sore, a brief scroll through our photos made us realize just how memorable this hike was.