The Treasure Loop Trail sits inside Lost Dutchman State Park, just east of Phoenix near Apache Junction, Arizona, right at the base of the Superstition Mountains. I rated it 6.5/10 overall. It’s not the most technical or scenic trail I’ve run in Arizona, but it’s runnable, well-marked, and one of the few spots this close to Phoenix where you can actually avoid the crowds.
The base loop runs 2.4 miles, but it connects easily to Prospector’s View, Jacob’s Crosscut, and Siphon Draw, so you can string together a longer run without much effort. My own version came in at 3.01 miles after linking in a couple of those connectors.
Treasure Loop Trail at a Glance
- Route type
- Loop with optional connectors
- Start → finish
- Treasure Loop trailhead → same trailhead
- Highest point
- Approximately 2,575 ft
- Terrain
- Well-groomed, mild and consistently runnable
- Exposure
- Open Sonoran Desert with very little shade
- Water
- No water on trail · carry more than you expect to need
- Landmarks
- Praying Hands Rock · Green Boulder · Saguaro cacti
- Extensions
- Prospector’s View · Jacob’s Crosscut · Siphon Draw
For a complete list of trails, be sure to check out my Trail Running Route Database where I add, review, and recommend every trail I’ve run around the world.
Should you run it?
This is a good pick if you want an easy, runnable trail near Phoenix without dealing with Camelback-level crowds. It’s not the most scenic or technical trail in the area, but it’s well-marked, low-stress, and easy to extend if you want more mileage.
Run the Treasure Loop Trail if you:
- Want a runnable, well-marked trail close to Phoenix without fighting for parking or trail space.
- Like the option to extend your run by linking into Prospector’s View, Jacob’s Crosscut, or Siphon Draw.
Skip the Treasure Loop Trail if you:
- Want a technical, hands-on trail. This one is mild, with almost no scrambling or route finding required.
- Are chasing the biggest views in the area. Camelback and the Superstition high points deliver more.
Treasure Loop Trail trailhead directions
The trail starts inside Lost Dutchman State Park, east of downtown Phoenix. Take Route 60 through Apache Junction, then follow signs into the park. The address is 6109 N Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85119.
There’s a park entrance fee: $7 per vehicle (1 to 4 adults) on weekdays, $10 Friday through Sunday and holidays, or $3 for individuals and cyclists. Parking itself is rarely an issue since this trail sees far fewer visitors than the big-name Phoenix trails.
The route
- Start at the Treasure Loop trailhead and begin the loop along the base of the Superstition Mountains (~1 mi)
- Continue past Praying Hands Rock and the Green Boulder toward the far side of the loop (~0.7 mi)
- Optional: link onto Prospector’s View, Jacob’s Crosscut, or Siphon Draw to extend your run
- Close the loop back to the trailhead and parking lot (~0.7 mi)
The base loop: The trail is well-groomed and mild the entire way, with the Superstition Mountains dominating the view in front of you and downtown Phoenix visible in the distance behind you if you look back. You’ll pass Praying Hands Rock, the Green Boulder, and saguaros old enough to have grown multiple arms, which takes close to 80 years.
- Liked: Consistently runnable footing, with real views the whole way and almost none of the crowds you’d find at Camelback.
- Watch for: The trail can get exposed and hot fast in summer. Morning or evening starts are worth planning around.
Extending onto connector trails: The Treasure Loop Trail connects directly into Prospector’s View Trail (0.7 mi), Jacob’s Crosscut Trail (0.85 mi), and Siphon Draw Trail (1.6 mi to the Basin, 2.5 mi to the Flatiron). On my own run, linking in a couple of these connectors before rejoining the loop pushed the total to just over 3 miles.
- Liked: Easy to build your own route on the fly. The trails intersect often enough that you can add distance without much planning.
- Watch for: If you want more elevation and a bigger challenge, Siphon Draw is the one to add. It’s noticeably harder than the base loop.
Photos from the Treasure Loop Trail
Logistics
- Entrance fee: Lost Dutchman State Park charges a day-use fee. Bring cash or a card for the fee station at the park entrance.
- Water and heat: Summer temperatures get brutal here. Run early morning or evening, and carry more water than you think you’ll need.
- Best season: The park stays hikeable year-round and rarely drops below 68°F even in winter, which makes this a solid cool-weather option when other trails are too hot.
- Navigation: The trail is well-marked, but grab a park trail map at the entrance if you plan to link connector trails, since the junctions come up faster than you’d expect.
- Leave No Trace: The park enforces Leave No Trace principles. Pack out everything you bring in.
Nearby trails
If Treasure Loop has you wanting more of the Phoenix area’s trail scene, here’s where to go next:
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