Passage #19 - Superstition Wilderness

Location:  Rogers Trough Trailhead to Roosevelt Lake

Length:  29.7 miles

Southern Trailhead:  Rogers Trough Trailhead - FR 172A
- GPS Coordinates:  33.42223° N, 111.17325° W

Northern Trailhead:  Roosevelt Lake Trailhead - Hwy 88
- GPS Coordinates:  33.67650° N, 111.16104° W

Trail Route Description:  The trail enters the Superstition Wilderness and descends into Rogers Canyon on trail #109. It reaches an intersection with trail #110 and then turns northeast and travels up on to Reavis Saddle and on to the ruins of Reavis Ranch. From the ranch area trail #109 heads north to a junction with trail #117 (the Reavis Gap Trail). The route follows this trail across Pine Creek towards Reavis Gap. At a trail junction with trail #119 (the Two Bar Ridge Trail) the route turns and goes past Walnut Spring, Two Bar Mountain and along the high Two Bar Ridge. Just beyond Pinyon Mountain trail #119 ends at the Black Bush ranch road (FR 83). The route follows this road and then turns north on trail #120 (the Cottonwood Trail). This trail goes through Cottonwood Canyon, by Cottonwood Spring and then onto FR 341. This road climbs out of Cottonwood Canyon and then descends to trail #121 (the Thompson Trail). Trail #121 parallels Roosevelt Lake, passes the Roosevelt Cemetary and then works its way over and down to the Thompson Trailhead. From here the route follows Highway 88 over the Roosevelt Lake Bridge to the Vineyard Trailhead.

Difficulty:  Difficult

Season(s):  Fall, Winter and Spring

Water:  Water can usually be found at Reavis Creek, Walnut Spring, Cottonwood Spring and Roosevelt Lake.

Notes/Warnings:

• All water along this passage should be purified prior to use.
• Mountain bikes are prohibited in the Superstition Wilderness.
• There are good campsites upstream and downstream from the Reavis Ranch site, but camp at least 300 feet from water and trails.

Resources:

• USGS Topographic Maps: Pinyon Mountain and Theodore Roosevelt Dam.
• Superstition Wilderness Map - Tonto National Forest.
• Tonto National Forest map.
• BLM Information Center maps.
• "Hikers Guide to the Superstition Wilderness" by Jack Carlson and Elizabeth Stewart, Clearcreek Publishing, Tempe, Arizona.

For more information, contact:

• The Passage Steward
• Tonto National Forest, Mesa Ranger District, 26 N. McDonald, Mesa, AZ 85211   (480) 379-6446.
• Tonto National Forest, Tonto Basin Ranger District, Hwy 88, HC02 Box 4800, Roosevelt, AZ 85545   (928) 467-3200.
• BLM Information Center, One North Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004   (602) 417-9300.

Current Trail Information:
4/2007 - At the northern end of this passage, some parts of the Cottonwood Canyon area suffer from the effects of a flash flood. It is passable by hikers using care. It is still restricted from use by horse and bicycle riders unless they are very experienced and exercise extreme care.