This is an easy to moderate hike of 5.6 miles in the Superstition Wilderness. The trail starts at the NE end of the Peralta Trailhead parking lot and we take trail #104, The Dutchman's Trail.
The trail goes up and over the ridge directly ahead, looping around the nose of it to a saddle and into a broad valley. The trail goes generally in an easterly direction across the valley until after about one hour and twenty minutes and 2.6 miles. Here you will see Miner's Needle. This trail meets the Coffee Flat Trail at the junction. As this point, we travel north a short distance for a better view of Miner's Needle and have lunch. We return back on the same trail. Pit toilets are available at the trailhead.
Directions, Distance and Time to the Trailhead: Go north on Hwy 79 out of Florence. Drive west on Hwy 60 at Florence Junction. About 8 miles from the junction, at milepost 204.1, is the frist traffic light and a sign, Peralta Trail. Turn right as this light and proceed trhought the residential area and past the school, then on the gravel road ot the trailhead at the end, about 7 miles. It is 62 miles and took 1 hour and 1 mintues.
All hikers meet at the central mailboxes at about 7:30 am to sign up and pay their membership fee of $10.00 per season, sign a waiver, receive their hiking sticker and have vaccination cards validated. We leave at 8:00 am sharp and return approximately 2:00 -3:30 pm.
