Rainy Hikes in the Superstition Mountains

I moved to Phoenix, Arizona on September 1, 2025. That was the rainiest fall on record at Sky Harbor, and we’re heading into another record rainfall in fall 2026. When I first arrived in Phoenix, locals told me that there hasn’t been a “real” monsoon season in years. That quickly changed, and I haven’t experienced a dry Arizona yet! Some might say it’s El Niño, but I think I brought the rain.

Monsoon/rainy season in Arizona is officially June 15-September 30, but October was the wettest month in 2025 and 2026.

Many of my favorite rainy season hikes have been in the Superstition Mountains. After a good rain, you’ll see why the Sonoran Desert is called “the world’s greenest desert.” In the Superstitions, washes fill with water and seasonal waterfalls flow after periods of rain.

Rain in the desert is especially beautiful and dangerous! Take advantage of our rare rainy days safely.

Flash Floods and Hiking in the Rain

Hiking in the rain is dangerous, as the desert is prone to flash flooding. You might cross a wash on the hike out that rises and becomes unpassable on your return. Additionally, many of the roads to trailheads in the Superstitions cross washes. Even if it appears shallow, water flowing across the road can be deceptively dangerous. Turn around, don’t drown!

I recommend hiking after it rains for your safety. Experienced hikers may hike in the rain at their own risk—people who are familiar with the area, carry the proper gear, are carefully monitoring the radar, etc.!

The Best Rainy Day Hikes in the Superstition Mountains

None of these trails are well-marked, especially after heavy rains wash out parts of the trail. I strongly suggest bringing a satellite map, like downloading the routes on AllTrails.

Canyon of the Waterfalls

5 miles, 1200 ft elevation gain

Canyon of the Waterfalls is dry most of the time. The above photos were taken after a few consecutive days of heavy rain, and it started pouring when I was at the falls.

Hiking in these conditions was dangerous. The trail to Canyon of the Waterfalls is not maintained; we crossed washes of running water and steep, slick rock. We turned back when it started pouring, and we were fortunate to escape safely. At a minimum, rising water levels could have blocked our path out of the canyon.

If you hike this trail on a rainy day, be alert and keep a close eye on the forecast.

*Sometimes it snows atop the Superstitions, and you can catch a snowmelt flow. However, I think the last time that happened was in 2023.

Boulder Canyon & Lower La Barge Box

10 miles, 2000 ft elevation gain

The “trail” in Lower La Barge Box Canyon is the wash. Usually, it’s just a sandy wash with small puddles, but, when I hiked this at the end of the 2025 monsoon season, the wash was filled with water. The landscape was super green, and hiking in the water was so fun—like hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park.

I hiked a counter-clockwise loop around Battleship Mountain, and I didn’t start wading until I rounded the backside of Battleship. If you’re just looking to get into the water, I’d recommend skipping the loop and heading out-and-back down the lower canyon (when you reach the water, just start wading upstream).

I hiked at the end of fall 2025 (the rainiest fall on record), and the water was never deep enough to get my backpack wet. Since the water level varies, you’ll need to judge for yourself if the water is too high or current is too fast.

I wouldn’t hike this during rain. A canyon is the worst place to be during a flash flood, and it can’t be pleasant to wade in water while it’s raining.

Carney Springs Waterfall

3 miles, 500 ft elevation gain

I hiked Carney Springs on a rainy day, but the waterfall was still just a trickle. My photo isn’t too inspiring, but it’s realistic. It takes a lot of rain to get a real flow in the desert.

The Carney Springs trail is pretty open—no narrow canyons like the prior two trails—so the flash flooding risk isn’t as high. However, the dirt road to the trail crosses several washes, so drive with caution! My sedan handled the road fine, but heavy rains can worsen road conditions.

The falls can be combined with Wave Cave for around 5 miles roundtrip, as they both branch off the Carney Springs trail.

Other Superstition Suggestions

Scenic drive on Apache Trail to Tortilla Flats: After heavy rain, you can find roadside waterfalls along Apache Trail. I think driving is scarier than hiking in the rain, so I haven’t done this yet. There are curves and cliffsides that make Apache Trail especially treacherous in the rain. There’s a wash just past Tortilla Flats that can flood the road, and the road turns to dirt (4×4 high clearance only) a few miles beyond that.

Hike Massacre Falls: This hike is on my list, but I haven’t made it out there yet. The Massacre Falls trailhead is further down the dirt road that Canyon of the Waterfalls is on, and, on that very rainy day, a wash flooded the road between them. I saw lifted trucks cross it, but my sedan was not clearing that water.

Hike Hieroglyphic Trail to Petroglyphs: This is a super popular hike, as it’s more accessible than others on this list. However, it’s more like small pools and cascades than waterfalls, so I haven’t been too interested to hike it yet.