Maybe it’s all the snow and the cold Chicago weather that has me missing the Phoenix heat or the sunny beaches of Thailand. Silver lining is that it has given me the idea for this post! This week I’m going to tell you about my favorite hike in the Phoenix area- The Treasure Loop Trail at The Lost Dutchman State Park.
The first time I heard about this hike was when I visited my parents in Chandler- they had just moved there to escape the cold Iowa winters. They are now bonafide snow birds and they couldn’t be happier. My dad is a huge history buff and on my first visit he started telling me all about the legend of The Dutchman and his lost gold mine. German immigrant Jacob Waltz supposedly discovered the mine near Apache Junction, just east of Phoenix in the Superstition Mountains. Jacob kept the mine’s location a secret and to this day no one has found it. Plenty of people have tried and still try to this day but sadly a few have died trying to reach it.
I’m not much of a treasure hunter but I do love hiking and so I was in full agreement to take the hike with my 78 year old father. The park is easy to find and the staff at the entrance are great- they gave us recommendations about which trail would be best that time of day or year. I wish I could remember the name of the woman who told me t the only trail to take that day was The Treasure Loop Trail. It has become my favorite and I make a point of hiking it every year when I visit.
The Treasure Loop Trail is 2.4 miles with an elevation gain of 534 feet and it doesn’t take too long to complete- I usually budget about an hour and a half for the hike and pictures. There is a $7 fee per vehicle or a $3 fee per person/bike. We usually park in the Cholla Day Use lot. There is a bathroom, water access, and picnic tables, and we have always hiked up the left side of the loop and come down on the right. At the top there are some amazing views and picture opportunities that I always take full advantage of. One of the things I like most about the park is that dogs are allowed as long as they are leashed. I’ve taken my chihuahua, Lena, on the trail and she handled it just fine.
Once you’ve finished with the hike and the park I highly suggest heading just down the road to Goldfield. It’s a little ghost town and and at the bakery they have the best prickly pear lemonade I’ve ever had. There is also a little train that takes trips around the town- I’ve never been but there are always plenty of kids and families on it. I would also suggest grabbing some prickly pear candy- if you’re sensing a theme with my food and drink recommendations good catch. Prickly Pear is one of my favorites and if I see some form of it on a menu or in a store I will buy it!
While everyone knows the more popular hikes like Camelback- don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing hike and I would recommend it, but sometimes it can be nice to get away from the more crowded areas. Dutchman offers great trails, a way to get away from the city, and a chance to enjoy the desert without the crowds.
So if you’re in the Phoenix area and you’re looking for an easier hike and some great prickly pear lemonade afterwards check out The Lost Dutchman State Park. If you go let us know your thoughts, we would love to hear from you!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/treasure-loop-trail
https://azstateparks.com/lost-dutchman/explore/maps
Click to access LODU%20Park%20Map_2017.pdf
