Winter Superstition Mountain Backpacking – Need Help!

Great route, if you get a chance for a couple of side trips, both Music Canyon and Trap Canyon are really beautiful.

I see that both Music Canyon and Trap Canyon are south of Charlebois Spring. Is the idea to just start off trailing up the canyon a bit to explore? Or is there a specific thing to see “X” miles up the canyons?

The prettiest parts of both canyons are where the walls constrict and the canyons get narrow, lots of pretty greenery in both of them, they’re just very quiet and serene places, and feel like an oasis in the otherwise barren landscape.

The neatest part of Music canyon is about 1/2 mile up from the trail. Trap Canyon is more rugged, and it’s about a mile from the trail to get up into the heart of it.

Very nice route, pretty close to one I day hike. Since it will be one month since any rain Charlebois could be iffy.  LaBarge Spring is always the better bet. Suggest reaching out on hikearizona.com you may find someone with a current report.

I have had the same issue in the Cottonwood Marble Canyon road being washed out.  We hiked it from the West side.  Longer dirt road to the “trailhead” at Quackenbush Mine.  If the road is not wet, 4wd is not necessary. If its wet, it can be ugly with clay.  Trail is often called the Upper Marble Canyon Trail to the big loop.  Some minor bushwacking due to lack of use, but no big deal and easy navigation. I’ve done the Supes area you are talking about many times and the other posters have covered it well. Understand in the last 4-5 years 120,000+ acres of the 160,000 acres of the Superstitions have burned. Little news coverage because Ca was burning and the Supes have no human structures to burn so it was left to burn.   Many annual and hearty small woody plants are coming back, I will not live long enough to see the grand saguaros and other cactus recover. It’s still beautiful and I still recommend it.