Superstition Wilderness
Although there is no guarantee that you'll find buried treasure, you are sure to discover miles and miles of desolate and barren mountains, seemingly endless and haunting canyons, raging summer temperatures that can surpass 115 degrees Fahrenheit, and a general dearth of water. Even the area's earliest known inhabitants, the hardy Hohokam and Salados peoples, established only very small villages and cliff dwellings in this harsh and fabulous country between 800 and 1400 a.d. The Wilderness value of the Superstitions has long been recognized. Established as a Primitive Area in 1939, it was named a pre-Wilderness Act "wilderness" in 1940, and became an official Wilderness in 1964.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 160,164 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.48° N, 111.24° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 22) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 12 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 8 miPeralta Trailhead ↗Trailhead · January
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
34 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 179 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Dutchmans ↗ | 18.2 | |
| Reavis Ranch ↗ | 16.2 | |
| West Pinto ↗ | 9.3 | |
| Red Tanks ↗ | 8.9 | |
| Campaign ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Haunted Canyon ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Two Bar ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Coffee Flat ↗ | 7.6 | |
| Boulder ↗ | 7.3 | |
| Peters ↗ | 7.2 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0.1 miLewis and Pranty Creek Bridge ↗Tortilla Flat, AZ
- 0.1 miMormon Flat Bridge ↗Tortilla Flat, AZ
- 0.2 miBoulder Creek Bridge ↗Tortilla Flat, AZ
- 0.3 miFish Creek Bridge ↗Tortilla Flat, AZ
- 0.5 miPine Creek Bridge ↗Tortilla Flat, AZ
- 1.1 miMormon Flat Dam ↗Phoenix, AZ
- 2.8 mi
- 3 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Superstition Wilderness and Arizona
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Superstition Wilderness?
160,164 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Superstition Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Superstition Wilderness in?
Arizona.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Superstition Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Superstition Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Superstition Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.477° N, 111.240° W. Tonto National Monument is 3 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Superstition Wilderness?
Tonto National Monument (3 mi) and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Superstition Wilderness?
The National Register has 41 listings within 15 miles, including Lewis and Pranty Creek Bridge and Mormon Flat Bridge.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.