Top 8 Don’ts to Remember When Hiking Long Trails Like the ‘Death March’

How To Get There

As many hikers note, there are multiple ways to approach this route. My first—and only—experience was starting from Carney Springs and heading the Flatiron Trail (if you are unfamiliar with this trail, check out my write up here). I believe this was my first mistake, but more on that later. Also be aware that this hike is unique because it goes point-to-point along the ridgeline, so secondary transportation must be coordinated in advance.

If you decide to follow my route, one car will need to be parked at the Lost Dutchman State Park (take the US-60 to AZ-88/S Idaho Rd for 7 miles to the State Park. Then drive another car further east on the US-60 to Peralta Rd, exit north and follow the well-maintained dirt road (I drive a sedan and have never had issues here) for a little over six miles. Park at the Carney Springs Trailhead (pay this one in advance).

A Debrief

To put it plainly, this is a major hike. You should be experienced, in strong physical condition, and fully prepared. While this trail sees regular traffic, poor planning can leave you in uncomfortable—or even dangerous—situations. Expect numerous switchbacks, steep ascents, slow descents, boulder scrambles, unclear trail markers, false summits, potential wildlife encounters, and more opportunities for error than I can list. Be intentional, be prepared, and get ready for a grueling yet spectacular journey through the Superstition Wilderness. This is about the extent of detail I’ll share regarding the trail itself, as my focus is helping you avoid the mistakes I made.

To begin with, here are 2 important resources: a Map of the Ridgeline Trail and a Day Trip Gear List. Secondly, here is the beauty you can see while on this trail!

What Not To Do on the RidgEline Trail

My intent here is to share everything I did wrong on one of the toughest hikes in central Arizona. I clearly survived—and yes, I enjoyed large parts of it—but in total, it took me 15 hours from vehicle to vehicle and 19 hours of total traversal.

1. Don’t Hike Westward
   • As mentioned, we started westward via the 2-mile ascent up Carney Springs Trail. While I have not yet tested the opposite route, I believe this was the wrong direction. The key question is: Which major ascent/descent do you want to tackle on this hike? Considering that the Ridgeline route is often referred to as “The Death March,” I believe descending from the taller Superstition Peak over a longer approach would have benefited us. While you don’t need to summit either peak, consider that you are already on a long journey and you can either descend a) 5.8 miles from Flatiron (~4,860′) or b) 8 miles from Superstition Peak (~5,059′). For a first attempt, the latter may have been easier and faster. Ascending those endless switchbacks heading west was mentally draining; after a two-hour effort, it looked like we barely moved on the map.
2. Don’t Start Late
   • Many hikes allow a casual morning—stop for gas, breakfast, etc. This isn’t one of them. Ideally, everything should be prepared in advance except for the drive. This Gear Checklist will help you plan properly.
   • Ours was a two-vehicle operation. We had a 45-minute drive to the trailhead, stopped for gas and food, dropped one car at the Siphon Draw lot, then drove 30 more minutes to Carney Springs. As a result, we began our hike more than an hour later than planned.
3. Don’t Continue The Full Hike If You Are Set Back Early
   • Carney Springs and the Wave Trail share the same path briefly, but we didn’t monitor the split closely and continued too far on the Wave Trail. This mistake cost us over an hour. Spirits dropped—and someone even suggested not completing the entire Ridgeline Trail. But ego won, and we pressed on.
4. Don’t Spend Excessive Time Taking Photos
   • I often wonder what percentage of my hikes are spent on photography. Resist the urge. Prioritize progress over perfect shots, especially on a trail this long.
5. When A Seasoned Old Man Laughs At Your Plan, Don’t Ignore Him
   • We crossed paths with only three hikers that day. The last was an older gentleman—no backpack, one bottle of water—clearly someone who knew the mountain better than we did. He asked if we were headed to Superstition Peak, questioned our timing, chuckled, and wished us luck. We shrugged it off… and later learned why he was so amused.
6. Don’t Ascend The Peak If It’s Not Required
   • My experience in this section of the Superstitions was limited to Peralta, Dutchman’s Trail, and Bluff Springs, so I was excited to hike to the highest point: Superstition Peak. In hindsight, unnecessary. You do not need to climb the peak to complete the trail, and doing so cost valuable energy and time.
7. Don’t Be Fooled By The False Promises
   • I counted three separate points where I truly believed we were approaching the final stretch before Flatiron. Each time, I was wrong—and morale dropped accordingly.
8. Don’t Forget To Replace Your Headlamp Batteries
   • Our aim was to finish in daylight. With all the previous missteps, that didn’t happen. We began descending from Flatiron at 6:26 pm, just as the sun was setting. While I always carry a headlamp in my pack, I hadn’t checked the AAA batteries in quite some time. Unsurprisingly, they were dead. The final descent was slow and cost us more time.

This Was Not the End of Our Story

As if the day hadn’t been long enough, we returned to our vehicle only to find the battery dead. It was President’s Day, so there was nobody around to assist—plus we were the last group off the Siphon Draw Trail. We walked through Lost Dutchman State Park looking for help and eventually found a local dropping off a friend at their campsite. By the time we were back on the road to retrieve the second vehicle, it was already midnight. As we neared the second vehicle, we noticed an interior light was on! Bracing ourselves for the worst, the Honda Pilot started immediately. Finally, we were allowed to leave the Superstition Wilderness.

Our ABSURD timeline of Events:

• Woke up at 6 am
• Arrived at Lost Dutchman at 7:15 am
• Arrived at Carney Springs at 8:15 am
• Got on the correct trail by 9:15 am
• Reached the top of Flatiron by 6:30 pm
• Reached vehicle 1 by 9:30 pm
• Found someone to jump the vehicle by 10:30 pm
• Got a jump-start at 11 pm
• Reached vehicle 2 by 12 am
• Home by 1 am
• Total time dedicated to this hike: 19 hours

While I’m glad I completed the Ridgeline Trail, it was intense—mentally, physically, and spiritually. I learned a lot, and now I have a solid habit of charging my Braun Rechargeable Headlamp beforehand and always carrying a fully charged Anker power bank plus cord as a backup. We did successfully complete the hike, but not on our terms. If (or when) I return to this trail, I will control every controllable and treat the experience with the seriousness it deserves.

I definitely struggled but I know why; got any other hot tips for success on this hike? Do let me know!

In the end— STILL TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Ren Fou

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