Who: Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park
What: Arizona Trail Centennial Adventure
When: October 8, 2011; 9:30 AM
Where: AZ Trail – Section #18c – Forest Service Road 650 to Roger’s Trough
The Friends of Lost Dutchman State Park will be participating in the Arizona Trail Centennial Adventure (http://www.aztrail.org/centennial/epicenter.html). We are committed to walking the 2.4 mile (one way) section of trail from Forest Road 650 to Roger’s Trough. The access to the trailhead is an unmaintained Forest Service Road that requires a high clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicle. In order to accommodate all who wish to participate we will require the following:
1) Participants must indicate their desire to join this hike by September 24, 2011. Please e-mail Georgy at moabmud@live.com.   If you have a high clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicle and are willing to help transport hikers to the trailhead please indicate that in your e-mail.
2) We will meet at 9:30 AM on Forest Road 357, ¼ mile from the junction of Queen Creek Road. There is a large parking area on the right just past the first railroad crossing. To reach FR 357 take Highway 60 east from Apache Junction. Just past the Florence Junction turnoff take a left turn onto Queen Creek Road. Drive 1.9 miles to FR 357 (Hewitt Station Road) and turn right.
3) From the parking area on FR 357, we will car pool, using 4 wheel drive vehicles, and all travel together to the Roger’s Trough Trailhead on Forest Road 72A.  It is a 12 mile drive from the parking area to the trailhead on an unmaintained road and will take at least 1 hour to complete so be prepared for an all day event.
4) Hikers will be responsible for providing their own water and snacks. Please wear hiking appropriate clothing and footwear. Our hike will be primarily along Forest Road 650, but it is a rough and windy road so be prepared for primitive hiking conditions. We will begin at the Roger’s Trough Trailhead hiking southeast 2.4 miles to the junction of Forest Service Trail #509 (AZ Trail). We will return by the same route. The hike itself will take approximately 4 hours.
For more info:
USGS Topo Map : Iron Mountain, AZ
(http://superstitionsar.org/downloads/iron_mountain.pdf)
Tonto National Forest – Superstiton Wilderness Map
Beartooth Publishing : Superstition Wilderness
This will be an awesome day for all of us to enjoy the wilderness we work so hard to protect!