Dacite Cliff Mine (Bat Cave)

An off-trail mine is located alongside the Superstition Mountains, in plain sight of passing traffic. The Dacite Mine, or The Bat Cave, is more well-known than some mines; however, it gets very little traffic. The bats that give the mine its nickname are year-round guests.

History of the Dacite Mine

There isn't much information about the Dacite Mine; it seems lost in time. Like most mines in the Superstition Mountains, it was carved in the everlasting search for gold. The name Dacite is due to the high concentration of Dacite rock on the mountainside. The rock is formed by volcanic rock rich in silica and low in alkali metal oxide, solidifying quickly.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the Dacite Cliff Mine is located in the Peralta region of the Superstition Wilderness. Andy Synbad submitted the mining claim, which was the largest of three in the region.

Provided is a USGS Report. You can locate the information specific to the Dacite Mine on page 24 of the report. (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1983/0885/report.pdf). I often refer to this very interesting report created by USGS during my expeditions.

My Experience

I searched for the mine at 4:00 am, starting at the Lost Goldmine East Trail Head. The parking lot is about a mile and a half down Peralta Road or Forest Service Road 77. If you're familiar with the area, it shares an entrance to Don's Camp. I started my hike way earlier than necessary, but I am an early riser, and there is nothing better than hiking at sunrise.

Hike to the Dacite Cliff Mine at 4:00 am.

I started the hike on a very well-maintained trail. As I hiked through the foothills of the Superstition Mountains, I walked alongside a barbed-wire fence, which was practically non-existent due to its lack of maintenance. As I passed two washes, I noticed a cool pocket of air hiding from the rising sun and sunken into the lower portions of the hills. I continued hiking over the small hills and washes, searching for this side trail to the Dacite Mine, which isn't marked. At this point, my flashlight died, and I was using a dimmed iPhone flashlight, watching my battery quickly die. Remember, always be prepared. Make sure your flashlights, including your phone battery, are charged. After this, I made sure to pack an extra flashlight.

In preparation for this hike, I watched a YouTube video and read a few Reddit posts about the side trail to the mine. I used AllTrails, which was surprisingly helpful but not perfect. I will attach the trail link to AllTrails here (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/dacite-mine-trail?u=i&sh=ngv2vw).

The most important detail to remember is that the barb-wired fence dips right where the side trail to the mine starts. When I hiked the trail, a piece of wood postmarked this point. However, this post was placed by a private party, so I wouldn't bet on it being there forever. I used the Forest Service Wilderness sign on the fence as my marker. I had to step over the barb-wired fence to access the side trail. The fence is lowered, but you can't walk directly over it without picking up your legs.

The Wilderness sign is just to the left of the entrance to the side trail.

The wood post across the mine trail. Once you see the wood post, the trail is directly right of you.

Once I located the side trail to the mine in the dark, with only my iPhone as a flashlight, I followed it. The side trail was pretty well-trafficked but not maintained to the point that the east goldmine trail was. At this point, I would consider the side trail the official start of the Dacite Cliff Mine trail, given I was previously hiking on the East Lost Goldmine Trail to get to this point.

As I approached the cliffs, the Dacite Mine trail became narrow and crowded with brush. Luckily, the brush was gapped where previous hikers had stomped. I kept heading toward the cliff until I reached a wide open space, probably where miners camped, given the drill holes inside the cliffs. It was interesting to observe this space; you could almost picture the miner's retreat welcoming the gathering of water, food, and conversation. For those involved in the mine, it was a game in the search for gold, but it offered sanctuary to those hoping to find profit hidden in the mountain.

Miners Camp at Dacite Mine

Once I reached the miner's camp, I kept my hand against the sandy cliff wall, gliding it behind me, trying to stay as close to it as possible. At this point, it was much darker without a flashlight, but the sun was starting to light up the horizon. It only took a few steps before the brush cleared, and the cliff wall began to tower over me, inviting me into a cave-like dwelling. The indented cliff wall provided a spectacular view of the sunrise. I stopped to admire the deep orange glow as the sunlight highlighted the horizon. Coyotes began to yap; some seemed close, and others echoed their howls in the distance. In my admiration, I completely disregarded the eeri-ness of the mine placed directly next to me. I was so focused on the sunrise it wasn't until the echo of my feet on the sleet-like rock pulled my focus toward this cave of darkness, guarded by metal bars. I am staring down the Dacite Mine.

Sunrise from the Dacite Mine

Unfortunately, I still did not have proper lighting, so I was unprepared for any mine exploration. I climbed up the cliff and admired the mine, the sunrise, and the sound of the coyotes. As more sunlight hit the cliffs, I ventured into the Dacite Mine about ten feet or so. I could tell this was the perfect home for bats. If I wanted to go deeper into the mine, I would need to come prepared. I snapped a few photos and videos, admired the sunrise some more, and headed on my way. I left the bats in peace and the mine quiet. My expectation was not to explore the mine to its fullest but to experience something unique to the mountain.

The hike back was peaceful. I now got to admire the trail with the warmth of sunlight. As I hiked back to the parking lot, Dacite Mine was visible from the Lost Goldmine trail. Now that I had located the mine, leaving it in peace, it revealed itself in the distance. I can see the mine's location from anywhere in the Peralta region. The hike was easy, quiet, and mysterious. It provided a breathtaking atmospheric viewpoint.

I will attach additional photos and videos of my hike to Dacite Cliff Mine below. I want to thank Ryan Leeper for sending me his video of the Mine. Ryan captured the reason this mine is nicknamed The Bat Cave.

Entrance to the mine, from my viewpoint

Sunrise on the cliff

Dacite Mine Entrance

If you look closely, you can see my bag in the middle of the cliff