Superstition Mountains

Proposed National ParkArizona
Brittlebush blooming below the ridges and red cliffs of the Superstition Mountains
All proposed National ParksSuperstition MountainsNo active campaign
Location
Arizona
Current protection
Tonto National Forest, Apache Trail, Superstition Wilderness
Status
No active campaign
Tier
Tier 1 · National Park
Undiscovered America
Featured in the film and the book

Why should it be a National Park?

The Superstition Mountains are a starkly beautiful range of peaks and valleys located roughly 40 miles east of downtown Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert is inhospitable to those not equipped to meet nature on its own terms. Elevations range from 1,300 to 7,900 feet with wildly different animal and plant life found at different heights. Searing heat and a shortage of water are typical conditions in the summer. Bitter cold, rains, and even blizzards may occur in the winter.

The remote and barren landscape provides a feeling of experiencing the 'Old West'. The Superstition Mountains are home to the western legend of the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. According to this legend, a man named Jacob Waltz discovered a massive gold deposit in the mountains. Today, these rumors fuel a cottage industry of selling treasure maps to unprepared fortune seekers. The tale has also helped to define the area with a state park named 'Lost Dutchman' protecting a prominent mesa at the southwestern edge of the mountains. Also, the nearby Weavers Needle rock formation features as a landmark in the tale of the search for gold.

The history of National Park Campaigns

No National Park or monument has ever been proposed for the range; protection came through the Forest Service (Superstition Primitive Area 1939 → Superstition Wilderness 1964, expanded 1984), Tonto National Monument (1907) for the cliff dwellings, and Lost Dutchman State Park (1977).

Distinct National Park attempts
0
Other designation attempts
monument 1907; primitive area 1939; wilderness 1964/1984; state park 1977

Sources

  • Tonto NF history
  • Arizona Wilderness Act (P.L. 98-406) legislative history
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  1. 1905

    Tonto National Forest; December 19, 1907 — Tonto National Monument (Roosevelt) for the Salado cliff dwellings.

  2. 1911

    Roosevelt Dam completed; Apache Trail built (1905).

  3. 1939

    Superstition Primitive Area (USFS) designated; September 3, 1964 — becomes one of the Wilderness Act's original units; 1984 — Arizona Wilderness Act expands it to ~160,000 acres.

  4. 1977

    Lost Dutchman State Park.

  5. 2019

    Woodbury Fire; Apache Trail (SR-88) closure between Fish Creek Hill and Apache Lake (closed after the fire).