Weavers Needle is a 4,553' rock spire that can be seen from many points in the Superstitions
Looking north over Needle Canyon
Teddy Bear Cholla are also known as jumping cholla; loosely attached limbs with long glochids seem to 'jump' off onto passerbys
Stretches of moderate grades make this a good route for trail runners
Miners Needle (3,648') is accessible by a challenging but non-technical scramble
Ocotillo possess large razor sharp spines used for defense and tooling by the Ho Ho Kam and Apache Indians
Ocotillo remain leafless for most of the year, but will grow leaves only 48 hours after a rainstorm and then shed them to conserve water
Light and sturdy Saguaro ribs were used to harvest saguaro fruit, build roofs and start fires
Entering Bluff Spring Canyon at the Terrapin Trail junction
Gravel and sand brought down from the mountains form alluvial fans at their base
Teddy Bear Cholla joints can detach with the slightest touch, earning its nickname 'Jumping Cholla'
View up Peralta Canyon from the Bluff Spring Trail
Despite its colorful past, there's little chance for mineralization near the surface of the Superstitions; large mineral pockets do exist, but they're deep beneath the surface
Miners Needle, a remnant of the Superstition Mountains formed by erosive forces
Mature ocotillo may have as many as 75 branches, also called canes
Hedgehog cactus are named for their resemblance to the animal
The Peralta Trailhead is named for two Mexican brothers who claimed to have extracted tons of precious metals from the Superstitions
Saguaros may only grow 1 - 3" over their first eight years, and not produce branches until 50-75 years old
Miners Needle from the Dutchmans Trail in the bajada
Many species of agave are semelparous, which means to reproduce only once in the life cycle
Jojoba, creosote and saguaro are encased by rhyolite rock walls
Phototropic enzymes direct prickly pear cactus pads toward the sun to maximize photosynthesis
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