Hike | Massacre Falls – Arizona Hikers Guide

This short but sweet trail leads hikers to natural waterfalls and is best if hiked right after a rainstorm.  Massacre Falls has been given it’s name from legends of murders between Apache and Mexican families that occupied the Superstition Mountain range in the 1800’s.

History

Now, let’s get something straight.  There are dozens of stories about the Massacre Grounds in the Superstitions and few, if any, are reliable.  I speculate just as much as the next guy so take what I post with a grain of salt on this one.  Here is a nice write up about the mystery grounds from AZ Central;

During the middle years of the 19th century, the wealthy Peralta family of Mexico operated several mines in what is now Arizona. In the aftermath of the Mexican War and the Gadsden Purchase, which shifted the border far to the south, the Peraltas decided to extract as much ore as possible before their mines became U.S. territory.

That last expedition, laden with rich gold ore, was on its way back to Mexico when Apaches attacked, slaughtering the miners on the northwestern flanks of the Superstitions. Years later, the single survivor of the attack revealed the location of the family’s richest mine to a prospector who had saved another family member from harm.

That prospector, of course, was Jacob Waltz, the central character in the tales of the Lost Dutchman Mine.

Lending some credence to the story is a report that in 1912 a couple of prospectors found gold ore worth $18,000 in the area where the massacre allegedly took place.

Whether or not the stories are accurate just adds to the charm of the Superstitions.

Hike

The hike begins at the Crosscut Trailhead on the road to First Water Trailhead.  There used to be a road that took you directly to the fence line but has since been bulldozed over and returned to desert.  There are two trails at the trailhead, find the one that says Massacre Grounds Trail and continue on this trail until you meet the fence.  Go through the fence and begin heading southeast towards the mountains.