The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
at The Superstition Mountains and
Lost Dutchman State Park
Apache Junction in Arizona
September 20, 2022 and May 17, 2015

Below: Travel heading past The Superstition Mountains to Lost Dutchman State Park in 2015

The Superstition Mountains is a range of mountains in Arizona located to the east of the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are anchored by Superstition Mountain, a large mountain that is a popular recreation destination for residents of the Phoenix, Arizona, area. They are roughly bounded by U.S. Route 60 on the south, Arizona State Route 88 on the northwest, and Arizona State Route 188 on the northeast. They can be seen while traveling and also from Lost Dutchman State Park. The mountains were once known in Spanish as Sierra de la Espuma ("Foam Mountains").

Below: Travel heading passing The Superstition Mountain in 2022

Below: Primitive road

Lost Dutchman State Park is named after the fabled lost gold mine. The park is located in Apache Junction in the Sonoran Desert, 40 miles east of Phoenix. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. The area was first developed as a day use recreation area by the Bureau of Land Management in 1972. The 292 acres abutting the Tonto National Forest was transferred in 1977 via legislative action to the state of Arizona, creating the Lost Dutchman State Park. The park was expanded to 320 acres in 1983.

Below: In 2015, it cost the two RV Gypsies $7.00 to enter Lost Dutchman State Park in their car. So in 2022, when they just happened to be driving by this area again, they did not actually enter the park, but took a few photos nearby and combined them with their 2015 photos.

2015 sign

2022 sign - faded and cracked just a bit

Below: A 2022 sign that the the two RV Gypsies did not see in 2015

In 2015, The two RV Gypsies went to Lost Dutchman State Park because of the magazine shown below and its bright red photo of Superstition Mountain. (Talk about false advertising)

But as seen in the 2015 photos below, Superstition Mountain was NOT bright red, and actually lacked color. This was a nice state park for hiking, but Lee Duquette did not have his hiking shoes with him, and did not want to hike anyway.

Lost Dutchman State Park is a 320-acre state park located near the Superstition Mountains in central Arizona, USA, and named after the Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, a famous gold mine legendary among the tales of the Old West.

Below: 2022 photos