Flat Iron, the highest point of Superstition Mountain (home of the legendary Lost Dutchman's Mine of Jacob Walzer), may not sound like the place to take a porcelain statue, let alone a 7-year-old human. But that's what my brother-in-law & a group of others did, taking my 7-year-old niece on the 3-hour up, 3-hour down journey.

Here's a newspaper description of what lay ahead of us:

HIKE OF THE WEEK

The Siphon Draw Trail offers breathtaking views, but it's not for novice hikers.

Hikers' rewards are hard-earned
on Siphon Draw

By Christine Maxa

The hike: There are several footpaths in Lost Dutchman State Park, and most of them, located in the shadows of Superstition Mountain, can be easily strolled. The Siphon Draw Trail, however, will test your hiking mettle. After rising to meet the base of Superstition Mountain, the trail disappears into the heart of the mountain. Engulfed by a strange mix of smoothly sculptured canyon walls and chiseled columns of ruddy tuff, the trail picks over rubble and climbs sternly up slopes covered with crushed rock that works like tiny ball bearings.

After a relentless 1,000-foot climb (amid gorgeous scenery), the trail officially ends. But don't let that stop you. There's a hint of a path that covers the next 1,700 feet to the top of the mountain in about a mile. It climbs up boulder heaps, squeezes through narrow chutes, runs across steep swirls of slickrock and brushes past countless thorns. This is not an easy hike, but it is fun.

Special considerations: Do not take the trail unless you are in good physical condition. This is not a trail for novice hikers or those subject to vertigo.

Trailhead: Lost Dutchman State Park
Length: 1.6 miles, at least
Difficulty: 4-5
Scale:

  1. Easy (generally flat, anyone can do it)
  2. Moderate (few or moderate inclines, some hiking experience helpful)
  3. Average (some steep or challenging terrain, best for experienced hikers)
  4. Hard (challenging terrain, route-finding skills necessary, experienced hikers only)
  5. Expert (a challenge even for advanced hikers)