Superstition Mountains While rescuers found a strange note he had written stating "P.S Have found the lost Dutchman," when his body was found in 1932, things got even more strange. After carefully scoping out the area, we headed down the road as there was so much to do and only so much daylight. Depending on the years rainfall, you might be treated to a carpet of desert wildflowers in the spring, but there's plenty of beautiful desert plants to see year-round! These steep, jagged volcanic mountains were formed over 29 million years ago and they cover an area of 160,000 acres. Time for bed boys. A deeper dive - Related reading from the 101. This was a challenge and disappointing for us, but now we know what to expect so we could plan for the next trip. Cursed, blighted, tainted, whatever you want to call it. The Jesuit Treasure of the Superstition Mountains (Part 1) When the Spanish explorers discovered and began the exploration of the Americas the King of Spain required that a priest accompany the conquistadors. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the Phoenix, Arizona, area. KRISTOF: Technically you If this were true, it would substantiate the allegation. In later years, in 1945, a would-be treasure hunter named Barry Storm would claim that as he had been out looking for the treasure he had been fired upon by a mysterious sniper who he called Mr. It is said to be one of the most famous treasures in America. These two work hard to stay in shape and keep up with their training because there are so many places they get sent to climb down into like shafts, caves, & more. One of the few ghost towns in the Southwest, Goldfield showcases a gold mine and authentic-looking historic buildings on the main street, along with gorgeous views of the Superstition Mountains. 6109 N. Apache Trail poppy wildflowers that is. Todd,Antonio,andIwere in one truck, whileShaun, David, andRyan were in the other. The location is generally believed to be in the Superstition Mountains, near Apache Junction, east of Phoenix, Arizona. Babcock relates of a book by James Swanson and Tom Kollenborn, who went looking in the Superstition Mountains for an underground civilization and a huge treasure dating to the Inca or Aztec. I could hear the rest of the crew talking about how beautiful the sunrise was and I didnt want to miss out. We got in the trucks and made our way back down the mountain. Stay safe out there and Find Your Adventure! When we reached our destination area, we found an old abandoned ranch and it remains. Most recently, in 2009 there was a would-be treasure hunter by the name of Jesse Capen, a 35-year old bellhop from Denver who was in his free time by all accounts fascinated and obsessed with the legend of the Lost Dutchmans mine. While rescuers found a strange note he had written stating P.S Have found the lost Dutchman, when his body was found in 1932, things got even more strange. Meet in the Saguaro day use area to learn how to distinguish between birds and seek out hawks to hummingbirds all throughout the trail! Lets go, get up, its 7 a.m. I spent a minute or two getting my eyes to focus on the trailer and my surroundings. Excellent hiking opportunities. The Superstition Mountains ( Yavapai: Wi:kchsawa) is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Situated just outside of Phoenix in the shadows of the legendary Superstition Mountains, and at the foothills of the Tonto National Forest, this private, gated community features 850 acres of lush Sonoran landscape surrounded by over 50 miles of trails and . Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 13 min to complete. Initially, there were next to no clues which could have identified him. These characteristics have earned the Superstition Mountains the designation of a Protected 3 Sights Not to Miss Along the Apache Trail 1. Lost Dutchmans Mine, here we come! JULY 14, 2010 -- The search for three missing treasure hunters in a deadly, mountain area near Phoenix, . Out in the remote badlands of the U.S. state of Arizona, just to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area lies a sun scorched, dried up, arid moonscape of twisted peaks and sprawling expanse of badlands called the Superstition Mountains, at one time called the Sierra de la Espuma by Spanish settlers. unique features like the Weavers Needle stand at 4,000 feet. After eating breakfast I called my cousin Court and talk to him we were ready to pack up. To learn more about our adventures and treasures, please visit our blogs to learn more. A month later the rest of the body was found about three-quarters of a mile away, with severely broken legs, and it was supposed that he had fallen and then after his grievous injuries died of starvation and the elements. More than a destructive force, fires promote growth and revitalization. That night, we sat around the campfire to talk about our day and to plan the rest. We soon found an area that Ryan and I thought would be agreatspot for Antonio to do his interview. The Star Party scheduled for Saturday, February 25 has been canceled due to weather. View of two Native American Apache women outside their cloth covered wickiups in a camp in Arizona. Join MU Plus+ and get exclusive shows and extensions & much more! Here, we decided to split up again. The underground tours last about 25 minutes. I jumped out of bed, had a good stretch to shake off the night and I quickly got dressed and headed outside. We parked the trucks in the area we were to search, only to find that there were a LOT of people around. . His body would later be found with a bullet hole to the head. HOA Superstition Mountain - a great place to live and play. I told Antonio and Shaun to be mindful of man-made structures and I was on my way once again. Read another story from us: Legends Surrounding Devils Tower Americas First National Monument. The curse of the treasure would continue in the 1940s, when a 62-year-old treasure hunter by the name of James A. Carvey journeyed into the Superstition Mountains and also ended up dead and with his head separated from his shoulders. In June 1931, Dr. Adolph Ruth set out on a two-week voyage through the legendary Superstition Mountains in search for the lost treasure. Opened in 1977 at the foot of Superstition Mountain, Lost Dutchman State Park offers the perfect introduction to this desert wilderness. Get the latest on your favorite shows, plus updates on HISTORY events and more. In any case, that surviving member is then told to have confided in Jacob Waltz, a man whose mistaken nationality was used to christen the hidden treasure, telling him where exactly in the Superstition Mountains that he could have found it. He'd go out there looking for the mother lode. Experts say theyre not haunted theyre enormous. The Prime Rib was very good and its a fun atmosphere. What an awesome find! Arizona is host to one of the great treasure legends of not just America, but of the world: The Lost Dutchman Mine. Arizona's birds have adapted and evolved to thrive in desert habitats, and have made an impact on the environment and even the local cultures. Superstition Mountains, Tonto National Forest In the 1930s, you might have seen Arthur Weber wandering around Peralta Canyon. It was a job well done. You can stay overnight at the foot of Superstition Mountain, at the state parks campground. This in-person casual presentation invites you to empower yourself and your community - because knowledge is power! I mean, youre trying In one of their episodes, Larry Hedrick talked about a lost shipment of Dragoon pistols. We took this hike in a counter clockwise direction, so the write up reflects this. At the time he had ventured out into the Tonto National Forest in search of the legendary treasure, having looked for it on several occasions in the past and accumulating hundreds of books and hundreds of pages of research on the matter. The road that led up to Canyon Lake was a winding road with many switchbacks. looking to find one of the oldest legends: a gold mine. August 16, 1896: George Carmack finds gold in the Yukon | History 101 Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. For the last 150 years, people have risked their lives to go in search of Arizona's lost gold, silver and other buried treasures. Shrouded in mystery, the mine is not only allegedly rich in gold but is also said to have a curse upon it, leading to a number of strange deaths, as well as people who mysteriously go "missing . The legend says there are millions of dollars in gold in those mountains. Brent Swancer is an author and crypto expert living in Japan. claimed he found the gold in the Superstitions that had been run by some Be sure to catch a glimpse of Weaver's Needle, a rock formation in these mountains that serves as a monument to all who have searched for gold here and lost their lives seeking riches that may or may be hidden within. He had back surgery that morning but was determined to see us and show us how to work and manage the camping trailers. As I stepped out of the trailer, I could see that Ryan was loading up the truck with his camera and filming gear, Todd was getting his gold pan and metal detector packed up for the day, Antonio had his backpack sitting in front of him, and Dave was leaning against the truck with that look on his face, the look that clearly expressed the excitement that we were all feeling. Kristof, says these has become the Superstition Mountains golden attraction today. The Superstition Wilderness was declared a National Wilderness Area in 1964. wildflowers and plants. He was then led along a harsh, meandering route of an estimated 20 miles, after which they removed the blindfold and he was met with the sight of a pile of gold sparkling in the sun near an entrance into the presumed lost mine. A scouting trip is a way for us to cover a lot of ground and to look for evidence of many possible clues in an area of interest. While this is speculation and not necessarily factual, there was a report released indicating that in 1912, some lucky persons discovered $18,000 worth of gold ore in the general vicinity where the alleged murders happened. Praying Hands to Slot Rock. He had allegedly made many forays to this mine, taking gold as he pleased and boasting of its discovery, but all who tried to follow him or learn his secret were said to get hopelessly lost, or end up vanished or dead. There can be all kinds of clues to be found and explored under the water e.g., possible man-made structures, old trail routes, treasure symbols, and much more. When they finally reached me, back at the trail, Shaun pulled out his camera and said, You have to see this! Initial Lost Dutchman's Mine's Deaths. Theres more to this trip for us than it may seem. Roosevelt, AZ. We'll be in touch if we look into your question. Superstition Wilderness Area This Wilderness was designated in 1939, and was expanded to its present size in 1984. exist. Mysterious bodies turned up in the Superstition Mountains all through the 1960s and 70s, with at least five people found dead with bullet holes to the skulls, and with other bodies found minus the heads, which were never found. 46 reviews of Superstition Mountain Museum "Here in the shadow of Superstition Mountain, you will find a museum of artifacts, history and folklore of the surrounding region, in central Arizona. from simple to very rugged. An easy to moderate day-hike, Treasure Loop is a must-do for all outdoor enthusiasts. The Superstition Mountains (their name inspired by Pima Indian legends) have been a source of mystery and legend since early times. #5. Id like to rewind a bit to explain why were here so that you may understand a few things. Yet the mountains and their cursed treasure would get their most well-known mystery with the arrival of a German immigrant named Jacob Walz, also often spelled Waltz, who was a gold prospector in the Phoenix valley in the late 1800s. It was a fairly short hike, only 1 1/2 miles to the search area. E Superstition Mountain Drive Property Records (Gold Canyon, Arizona) View property records for 20 addresses located on E Superstition Mountain Drive in Gold Canyon, Arizona, including property ownership, deeds, mortgages, titles & sales history, current & historic tax assessments, legal, parcel & structure description, land use, zoning & more. There we met up with Antonio and made our way down to pick up Dave in Logandale, Nevada. After some time on the lake, we had located and made our way to our first area of interest. Societys Gregory Davis, theres some truth to that legend. That night, we sat around the campfire and planned out the next day. Formed 25 million years ago and involving violent steam-blast eruptions caused by magma pressure deep within the earth, the Superstition Mountains are a collapsed volcanic caldera. Yes, the famous Dutchman mine and its glory Legend is well known, but thats not exactly the real reason were here. After a few hours of guy talk and singing along with many songs on the radio, I knew we were getting close to where we could see the famous Superstition Mountains from a distance. A Spanish Arrastra After docking the boat, no time was wasted in loading up the truck to head out to our next destination, a possibly lost Spanish arrastra site within the Superstition Mountains. Pretty soon., When we saw it for the first time, it was like there was already a feeling of accomplishment. As to why his head had been carried off no one knows. "This book is a compilation of topographical maps that are required by any hiker attempting to hike . He then explained that he was hurting from surgery he had on his back a few days prior and that he wouldnt be able to help us load everything up. Whats touching me? All Rights Reserved. After a few minutes, we noticed that the area looked like it had been worked. The thing that happened next is very common for Treasures in Americas attitude towards things. Superstition Mountain, Arizona by Kathy Weiser-Alexander. Petroglyphs at Hieroglyphic Canyon in the Superstition Mountains. majestic views, others come to get rich trying to find the Lost Dutchmans Gold When we all met back at the trucks, we had many stories to tell each other. Wildman Phil will bring a number of live and preserved creatures including spiders, scorpions, lizards, and snakesfor the enjoyment and education of park visitors. The group of men and women, young and old, emphasized the importance of preserving the history of the legend and the mountains. Sign up to get adventurous offers and the latest news on Treasure Hunting! We decided to abandon our search because we were losing daylight and we still had to get to the next destination where Shaun and Antonio needed to reach a peak to do some climbing. The group initially was made up of young men from . Then, Jacob Waltz comes along a Germany-born prospector who, according to Grunge, was mistaken as being Dutch. The trail is well defined and every trail junction is well signed. I jumped out of bed, had a good stretch to shake off the night and I quickly got dressed and headed outside. Theres more to this trip for us than it may seem. Besides TravelAwaits, you can find her travel articles in Lonely Planet, Roadtrippers Magazine, Matador Network, and GoNOMAD, among other publications. Now let me remind you, this was late February and even in Arizona, this water was COLD! 3 Beds. But this mountain range, less than an hour east of Phoenix, is famous for more than its beauty. Since the surrounding area is relatively flat, it offers spectacular views less than 0.5 miles up the trail. Evening view of Superstition Mountains near Phoenix, Arizona. Legend tells of the Lost Dutchman's gold mine hidden somewhere within the 160,000 acres of brutal Arizona desert known as the "Superstition Mountains." The promise of a $200 million mother lode has lured thousands of treasure hunters and continues to claim the lives of those eager to decipher the . Yet it is also a place of fabled mysteries, talk of dark curses, strange disappearances and deaths, high strangeness, and a secret treasure that it allegedly holds close to it, reluctant to ever give it up. The mans campsite would be found to hold many books on the lost mine, and this would join a further three more mysterious deaths in 2010 and 2011 in the same area, all of whom had been seeking the legendary Dutchmans Mine. The Superstition Mountains in Arizona are bound to be home to at least a few good stories by virtue of their name alone. Depending on the season, youll see not only gorgeous desert vegetation but also wildlife. According to the story, the Apaches quickly descended upon the family to ruthlessly slaughter all of them but one, left alive solely to tell the tale not to mess with the lost mine to anyone who would listen. Members of Liberty Wildlife will be showing birds and desert critters that are out and about at this time of year and discussing their habitat. This was a scouting trip for us and that meant we needed to get to know the area, and also put some legends and theories to the test. How many parks have you been to? And you couldnt do anything about You dont have to rush to experience all that the Superstitions have to offer in one day. This was our first stop for the day. A native Hungarian from Transylvania (Romania), Emese grew up surrounded by multiple cultures and speaks several languages. Subscribe for only $12 per month. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. One of the most prominent such tales is that of an affluent mining family from Mexico, the Peraltas, although some versions of the story say they were ranchers. 8. The name came from area farmers, who heard tales from the Pima Indians. We spent at least 2 hours looking and we had had no luck, not a clue! Dave! The elevation gain is also gradual. Superstition West Treasure Hunters Elk's Lodge 2455 N. Apache Trail Apache Junction, AZ 85119 www.superstitiontreasure.com. He would vanish into thin air for his efforts. Well pack and clean up and bring him his trailers. Following the Siphon Draw trail from the Lost Dutchman State Park lot, the trail starts out flat, but as you approach the mountain more technical features come underfoot. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015. The Apache warriors who had massacred them are then said to have reburied the entrance to this enormous trove of gold, and to this day the area where this is believed to have happened has been labeled the Massacre Grounds, and there are other places names that denote this grim history such as Massacre Falls and others. to dozens of deaths in the Superstition This trail will wind you through some amazing sights and scenes. However, the doctor did not know the path to the place as he was blindfolded by those accompanying him. While hiking, you might meet people who are still searching for the gold mine supposedly discovered by Dutchman Jacob Waltz. It turned out to be that we were about 6.5 miles into theSuperstition Mountains, and we were sunburned, hungry, and tired. The main thing is that they supposedly accidentally found this ancient Apache treasure somewhere in the mountains, but it was to spell their doom. A four mile mountain bike loop trail has opened at the park this is a great way to enjoy the park's beauty while experiencing the famed Superstition Mountains! We were to search, only 1 1/2 miles to the search.! Who heard tales from the Pima superstition mountains treasure at the foot of Superstition Mountains golden attraction today on!, we had had no luck, not a clue Waltz comes Along a Germany-born prospector who, according Grunge. Way back down the road that led up to get adventurous offers and latest. 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