1.How do you get to Lost Dutchman State Park from Queen Creek?
Arizona State Parks says the park is just east of Apache Junction: take State Route 88 north for approximately seven miles from US 60, and the park entrance is on the right. The Tonto National Forest’s Canyon Lake directions name the US 60 exit: Idaho Exit #196, then north on State Hwy. 88.
No agency publishes a drive time from Queen Creek, so check a live map for current conditions before you leave.
The park sits on the Apache Trail (State Route 88) north of Apache Junction. The agency says Highway 88 crosses the northwest portion of the park, with private land to the south and Tonto National Forest to the north and east.
The postal address is Apache Junction, but the agency’s pages never name a county. A Census Bureau geocoder lookup of the published entrance coordinates places them in Pinal County, and the agency itself describes the park as just east of Apache Junction.
2.Lost Dutchman State Park fees and the annual pass
The park page listed these entrance fees when it was retrieved on November 5, 2026. It prints no effective date, so re-check before you go. Only cash, Visa or MasterCard with a readable stripe are accepted.
| Item | Fee | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle with 1 person | $10.00 | Park page |
| Vehicle with 2 to 4 people | $20.00 | Park page |
| Individual or bicycle | $5.00 | Park page; walk-in entry is not permitted |
| Children under 6 | Free | Agency fee schedule, all state parks |
| Annual day-use pass | $200 | Fee schedule; up to four people, not valid for camping fees |
| Campsite: rustic hike-in, non-electric, electric | $25.00, $35.00, $50.00 | Fee schedule table for the park |
| Campsite reservation fee | $3.60 | Non-refundable, per campsite |
| Second vehicle at a campsite | $15.00 per night | Not charged for a vehicle towed behind the primary vehicle when the primary vehicle stays at the site and the towed vehicle is used for transportation |
| Camping cabin | $99 per night | Cabin page; plus a $5 reservation fee |
Our arithmetic on the annual pass: $200 equals 10 entries at the $20 rate for two to four people, or 20 entries at the $10 one-person rate. Because the pass covers up to four people, a carload that visits 10 or more times a year at the $20 rate covers the pass cost at Lost Dutchman alone.
The agency says it does not offer a senior or disabled discount for entrance or camping, and it does not accept the Golden Eagle Pass or the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass to waive entrance fees.
3.Lost Dutchman trails compared, from the agency’s own lengths
Arizona State Parks groups the trails by effort: accessible trails like Native Plant, moderate ones like Treasure Loop and Prospector’s View, and trails for advanced hikers such as Siphon Draw and Flatiron. A trail map comes with the entrance fee, and the agency says anyone planning the longer trails should carry a topographic map.
| Trail | Agency length | Agency rating or group | What the agency says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Plant | Not listed | Accessible | Labelled cholla, prickly pear and ocotillo, plus the "Watch Me Grow" saguaro the park started measuring 25 years ago |
| Jacob’s Crosscut | 0.8 miles | Easy | Runs along the base of the mountain |
| Prospector’s View | 0.7 miles | Moderate | Connects Siphon Draw Trail with Treasure Loop Trail |
| Treasure Loop | 2.4 miles round trip | Moderate | Elevation change of 500 feet |
| Siphon Draw | 4 miles round trip | Advanced | Winds up into a canyon known as Siphon Draw |
| Flatiron | 5.8 miles round trip | Advanced | Not a designated, maintained trail all the way; allow at least five hours |
The Flatiron is not a maintained trail all the way to the top. The agency advises that only experienced hikers in good shape attempt it, because the climb is steep and difficult to follow, and to allow at least five hours up and back.
Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness and the surrounding Tonto National Forest. Bikes are not allowed beyond the Wilderness Boundary on the Siphon Draw Trail; the park’s four miles of mountain bike singletrack sit at the base of the mountains. The agency pages we saved do not publish Tonto National Forest permit rules for those trails.
4.Hiking Lost Dutchman in the heat: what Arizona State Parks advises
The agency says summer months are extremely hot, with daytime temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, and that the busy season is October to April, when temperatures are moderate. The climate is arid, with average annual rainfall of about 14 inches.
- Carry at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day.
- In summer, start early and get off the trail before the temperature rises. Trails do not open until 6 a.m., so that is the earliest start.
- Wear proper footwear; the agency calls the trails steep and challenging.
- If hiking alone, let someone know where you are going.
- Keep on designated trails and out of old mine shafts.
- For emergencies, call 911.
Mammals the agency lists as of interest include desert mule deer, coyote, javelina, bobcat and jackrabbit. For the animals you may meet closer to home, see our desert wildlife guide.
For temperature context by month, see Queen Creek weather by month, and for planning around the hot season, see our Queen Creek summer guide.
5.Lost Dutchman hours, including holidays
| What | Hours |
|---|---|
| Park | Open year-round |
| Trails | 6 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. |
| Day-use gates | Closed and locked 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily |
| Visitor center and park store, Monday to Thursday | 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Visitor center and park store, Friday to Sunday | 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve | 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
| Christmas | Closed |
The facility page says the visitor center is open 365 days a year, but the park’s hours table lists Christmas as closed. We follow the hours table.
The visitor center includes a store, gift shop and natural exhibits, and 13 single shaded ramadas with tables and grills are available for picnics.
6.Camping and cabins at Lost Dutchman
The campground has 135 sites and three group camping areas: 68 sites with electric (50/30/20 amp service) and water, and the rest non-hookup sites on paved roads for tents or RVs. Phone reservations go through the Reservation Desk at 1-877-MY PARKS between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
- Check-in is 2 p.m., and arriving earlier does not guarantee your site; campers arriving before 12 noon pay the park entrance fee.
- Check-out is 12 noon on the scheduled departure date.
- Stay limit: 14 nights in any 30-day period.
- Generator hours are 8 to 10 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m., including idling vehicles; quiet hours are 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- The dump station is free for registered campers and is not open for public use.
- Well-mannered pets on leashes are welcome at campsites; pick up after them.
The cabin page describes five two-to-three-room cabins with heating and air-conditioning, and the agency says all its cabins are wheelchair friendly. They cost $99 a night with a $5 reservation fee as of November 5, 2026. Bring your own bedding and pillows, and leave pets at home: none are allowed in the cabins.
7.Lost Dutchman rules checklist before you leave Queen Creek
- Arrive by vehicle: due to safety concerns, walk-in entry and hiker drop-off or pick-up are not permitted.
- Day-use hikers park in the day-use lots only, with all tires of every vehicle completely on pavement.
- Pets on a leash of 6 feet maximum, with waste picked up; domestic dogs and cats only, and no horses or livestock. No pets in park restrooms.
- No recreational drones: Arizona State Parks prohibits all recreational drone use in state parks.
- No wood gathering; fires in rings or grills only, never unattended. No fireworks of any kind.
- Discharging firearms in the park is a crime, including BB and pellet guns, bows and slingshots.
- Damaging or removing plants, animals, or archeological, geologic or historic objects is a crime.
On glass, the statewide rule bars glass or ceramic containers only in areas designated as a public beach or swimming area, or posted "No Glass Containers." We found no Lost Dutchman-specific glass rule, so follow any posted signs.
8.Why is it called Lost Dutchman State Park?
Arizona State Parks says the park is named after the fabled lost gold mine. In the agency’s telling, in the 1870s Jacob Waltz, "the Dutchman" (actually a native of Germany), was said to have located the mine with the aid of a Peralta descendant. Waltz moved to Phoenix and died in 1891.
The agency says neither Julia Thomas nor dozens of later seekers found the "Lost Dutchman’s Mine," and that many versions of the story exist. The Superstition Mountains’ name, it adds, was inspired by Pima Indian legends.
9.Lost Dutchman, Usery or a longer day trip?
Lost Dutchman is one of several outings east of town. Compare it with our Usery Mountain Regional Park guide, or continue north on State Route 88 with our Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flat guide; check ADOT’s 511 for road conditions before you go. Our day trips from Queen Creek comparison sets the options side by side, and our San Tan Mountain Regional Park guide covers another desert park.