Weather: 65°, partly cloudy, breezy
About this Hike: Many reviews of this hike describe it as being a boring walk through the desert. Today we were looking for a Superstitions hike that wasn't overly strenuous, nor had too much elevation gain.
The Tortilla Trail was a perfect option. The trailhead is about a mile from where the pavement ends on AZ-88, Apache Trail. The hiking path follows FR-213. The rocky ledges at the start of this road require some serious high clearance and other off-road accessories in order to climb over. I wouldn't even think of taking my Tacoma over it. However, through the course of this hike we did encounter a Chevy truck that was surprisingly unmodified and a heavily modified Subaru Forester. While infrequent during our visit, vehicle traffic is something to keep in mind if you opt to hike on this route.
The views of the Superstition Mountains and Four Peaks were breathtaking, as were the views down into Tortilla Canyon. Tortilla Creek was flowing steadily.
Upon reaching the old Tortilla Ranch, we marveled at the good condition of the infrastructure and historic artifacts. I am hoping to research the history of this place some more.
We continued past the ranch a ways and explored the beginnings of JF Trail and Peter's Trail. There are some interesting artifacts right after you junction with Peter's Trail. These include an old cistern, and a windmill that has fallen over. Sadly, many of these artifacts are riddled with bullet holes.
Past the cistern the trail descends into the creek, and the views of the Tortilla Canyon walls are spectacular. Sycamore trees line the creekbed. With the creek flowing, and muddy evidence of a recent flash flood in the area, we weren't able to go far. This became our turnaround point.
Upon arrival back at the Tortilla Trailhead parking area, we opted to drive one more mile up the Apache Trail to watch sunset at the Fish Creek Overlook. This is as far as you can go on Apache Trail, and a large gate bars vehicles from going beyond the overlook site. Apache Trail was damaged severely in a post-fire mud slide a few years ago and has yet to reopen.
As of Sep 17, 2024, AZ-88 (Apache Trail) is now open all the way to Roosevelt reservoir. The road is listed as primitive and restricted to 4x4 vehicles, although I saw some SUVs and motorcycles driving it.
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