Date: February 11, 2026 • Elevation: 3,059 feet ✳ • Prominence: 546 feet • Distance: 5.2 miles • Time: 3 hours • Gain: 740 feet • Conditions: Cool with high clouds

Arizona • Main • PB • LoJ

Last week, I was here twice on consecutive days, climbing Millsite Benchmark Peak & Peak 3145 then a day later, Peak 2839. I had planned to hike this peak along with Peak 2839 as they lie about a mile apart, but the wind was extremely strong and cold, making for very uncomfortable conditions.

This just left me an excuse to come back today to finish up this immediate clump of peaks. These peaks lie north of the small village of Queen Valley, northeast of Florence Junction, in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains. Today's Peak is on State Trust land.

I was up just before dawn and on the road, and about 45 miles later, found myself in Queen Valley as the sun was rising. I got onto Elephant Butte Road and went north. About three miles later, it passes through a section of private land on which some homesteads have been built.

Last week, I drove as far as the north boundary of this private section, parking just north of the boundary back on State Trust land. This time, I hoped to drive in a little farther to cut off some distance.

The road deteriorates a couple notches and I was able to ease in not very far, maybe a quarter mile. I came to a rough arroyo crossing and decided to park when I found a nifty pullout to stash my car in. I got properly dressed and was walking at 7:30 a.m.. The weather was calmer today, a sheen of high clouds and temperatures in the high 50s.

I walked north on the road, still in the shade of the hills to the east. The road drops and gains into a number of arroyos. One such crossing early on would have stopped me in the Subaru. A standard high-clearance 4-wheel drive should be fine. For walking, it was an excellent "wide trail".

In about twenty minutes, I had covered a mile and a half to place myself east of Peak 3059. Its topmost ridge looks very gentle, but most of the lower ridges and slopes have cliffs and rock outcrops of varying size. I did not have a grand plan which way I would approach the peak. I wanted to study it first.

I walked a little more until I was just slightly north of due east from the summit. Here, I could see an attractive slope that angled up and left through two cliff bands. I decided to follow this up and see what would happen.

I walked through the undulating flats and smaller arroyos to the base of the slope, then walked up this slope. The lower half was easy, with a gentle grade and lanes through the plants. The rocks generally behaved.

The upper half was slightly steeper and I encountered more exposed rock, but no actual cliffs. Footing was a little less solid, but I was not exposed to a fall. If I fell, I'd just land in some brush.

I angled up and to the left, aiming for the obvious saddle hemmed in by the two cliffs. Other than some loose tread on the exposed rocks, it was an easy hike, and I was soon at this saddle. Only then would I know if this was a smart plan of mine.

Turns out the summit was "right there", about a thousand feet away, with a curving ridge leading to it, but no cliffs. I walked up an easy slope, then down slightly. Ahead were some rocks, but I was able to walk around them. The last grade to the top was very gentle, and suddenly, I was on top.

It had taken me about an hour and twenty minutes to get here. This route had worked out splendidly, and it turned out to be a far easier hike than I was expecting. The top itself was a bland hump of low rock, dirt and scraggly brush. The views, though, were worth it. The Superstitions rose in all directions. Off in the far distance was Weavers Needle.

I spent about fifteen minutes up top. I found a register and signed myself in. Although not an often-visited peak, someone was here just a couple months ago. Before him, the last signer-inner was from 2013. I also checked some texts and emails.

I descended exactly the same route since I liked it so much. It went very well. The only problem was the noticeable warmth. Even though the air temperature was in the mid 60s, I could feel the thermal warmth of the sun. It's just mid-February but this is the first hint that the warmth (then the heat) will be here soon. It's something I've noticed for years. There's always that first hike of the season where the air temperature is actually very mild, but in the sun, feels noticeably warm.

The hike out took a little over an hour. Close to my car, I encountered the only other human I'd see, a guy inching along in a side-by-side. He waved as I stood aside. I was back to my car about 10:30 a.m.. This worked out well. I had no other hikes planned and I needed to be on campus later, so I had plenty of time to clean up.

I've enjoyed my few days here and have interests in more peaks back here, but it becomes apparent that I'll need a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get farther in (or walk long distances). The bigger peaks are much more cliffy, but they appear to have some slope options so as to avoid any rock climbing. There's a smaller ranked peak just south, in that private inholding, but it's blocked by homes and private property.