At the most southern tip of the Tonto National Forest lie the Superstition Mountains.
At the southern approach to the mountains is a museum displaying pre and post Columbus finds in the area. It had clearly been the home to humans long before European arrived.
After European settlement, ranchers used individualised barbed wire to designate the edge of their claims.
The mountain range was explored by many Europeans after stories of the Lost Dutchman’s gold mine spread far. The German settler Jacob Waltz apparently found it but kept its location secret, starting the search for the mine in the late 19th century. Despite all these maps, it has yet to be found…
The museum also has a taxidermy display, including this roadrunner. Having grown up with Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote cartoons I was surprised quite how small real roadrunners are. They are about the height of a duck, perhaps slightly shorter!
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