Lost Dutchman State Park

Nov. 28: Rod Villemaire's Feathered Friends

Join park volunteer and bird expert Rod Villemaire for two special bird shows at the campgound amphitheater:

1-3 pm. “Birdie Bingo”. This lecture is geared for 5 to 12 year olds. Kids get to learn about birds as they play a fun “birdie bingo” game. Live birds 2:30-3 pm.

7 pm. Studying our Feathered Friends. Learn about working as an oologist/ornithologist, geared for ages 11 and up. Also, learn all about having and taking care of a pet bird. Live bird demonstrations, weather permitting.

Learn more about Rod at his website http://birdplanettv.com/

Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman is located in the Sonoran Desert at an elevation of 2000 feet.

Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, 40 miles east of Phoenix. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. Take a stroll along the Native Plant Trail or hike the challenging Siphon Draw Trail to the top of the Flatiron. Depending on the year’s rainfall, you might be treated to a carpet of desert wildflowers in the spring. Enjoy a weekend of camping and experience native wildlife including coyote, javelina and jackrabbit.

The park offers a variety of hiking trails, nature trails, picnic facilities, 70 campsites, a dump station, restrooms, showers, and group use areas. The visitor center sells maps and other publications.

Before you hike, be prepared with enough water and proper footwear as the trails are steep and challenging.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 14: Starstruck Program (Astronomy)

7 pm. Learn about the night sky, constellations and planets with local astronomer Bill Dellinges. Parking and seating at campground amphitheatre. Free program.

Nov. 28: Rod Villemaire's Feathered Friends

Join park volunteer and bird expert Rod Villemaire for two special bird shows at the campgound amphitheater:

1-3 pm. “Birdie Bingo”. This lecture is geared for 5 to 12 year olds. Kids get to learn about birds as they play a fun “birdie bingo” game. Live birds 2:30-3 pm.

Dec. 1: Moonlight Hike

7 – 9 pm. Join us for a guided 2.5 mile hike at the base of the mysterious Superstition Mountains, starting at sunset and returning by moonlight. Hikers should dress appropriately and wear trail shoes or boots. Some parts of the trail are rocky and uneven with occasional steep grades; participants should be in good health with no walking or night vision difficulties. After the hike gather round the campfire for a marshmallow roast (marshmallows and sticks provided). All ages welcome. No pets, please. Call (480) 982-4485 for more information. Large groups of 25 or more need to call in advance for special arrangements. $5 per vehicle. Pay at drive-up door. Public parking in the Cholla day use area.

Dec. 12: Starstruck Program (Astronomy)

7 pm. Learn about the night sky, constellations and planets with local astronomer Bill Dellinges. Parking and seating at campground amphitheatre. Free program.

Mystery and Legend

The Superstition Mountains have been a source of mystery and legend since early times. The area is dotted with ancient cliff dwellings and caves, many showing signs of former habitation by a number of different Native American groups, up until the 1800s. Even the name is inspired by Pima Indian legends.

During the 1840s, the Peralta family of northern Mexico supposedly developed a rich gold mine in the Superstitions. According to legend, an Apache ambush ended the family's last expedition, and the gold remained in the area. In the 1870s, Jacob Waltz ("the Dutchman") was said to have located the mine through the aid of the Peralta descendant. Waltz and his partner, Jacob Weiser, worked in the mine and allegedly hid one or more caches of gold in the Superstitions. Most stories place the gold in the vicinity of Weaver's Needle.

After Waltz's death in 1891, several people attempted to seek out the Lost Dutchman's Mine, all without luck. Later searchers have sometimes met with foul play or even death, contributing to the superstition and legend of these mountains.

The legend of the "lost mine" has been fueled by a number of people who were supposed to have known the mine's location or even worked it. Maps have surfaced over the years, only to become lost or misplaced.

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