The Cabins at Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction

The Cabins  at Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction

Our family has been eyeing the new cabins at Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction for a few months now. While we enjoy camping, it’s just a lot of work to set up a tent, not to mention packing it back up and then dealing with the temperature swings of night time. Enter the five cabin additions to this near Phoenix state park! With air conditioning and heating options, plus electricity and sleeping room for 6, the cabins offer families an easy and fun way to enjoy the outdoors!

We booked a one night stay at the Poppy Cabin in early March, and were not disappointed. The cabins are located at the north end of the state park, with beautiful views of the towering Lost Dutchman mountain. As stated, each cabin sleeps 6, with two sets of bunch beds and a queen size bed, plus a small area with chairs and a table along the wall. Outside, you’ll find a porch on either end of the cabin, two parking spots, a picnic table, and a firepit/grill to cook your meals. Restrooms with showers are less than a 5 minute walk away.

Our family such a great time! It was so relaxing to have indoor sleeping options, plus the fun of campfire cooking. The kids loved the bunk beds! We also liked that quiet time in the cabins and camping area is from 9pm-8am. So while we heard music from a nearby family, it was quiet by 9pm. We slept great in the cabins, the beds were comfortable, and even though it got down to 56 at night, we didn’t even need the heat. Of note, we recommend bringing along a night light or two for littles as there are no smaller lights to leave on. There are plenty of outlets to charge your phones, which was awesome.

We started our stay by unpacking a little bit, and then hiking. Various trails connect the park (you can find a map here). For kids, we recommend Quail Loop (0.8 miles), or Native Plant Trail (0.2 miles), both by the visitor’s center. We’ve also hiked the Treasure Loop Trail (2.4 miles) and highly recommend this for a longer hike! For this visit, accessed the Siphon Trail from the cabins via the Mountain Bike Trail, and took a mile walk before sunset.

Dinner was hotdogs over the fire, complete with s’mores, and we had the best sunset view. Star gazing is also epic out here! The next morning, we were up just before sunrise, thanks to a loud toddler (our own). But we could have easily slept more because the shades in the cabin blocked out a good amount of light! We made breakfast over the fire, and the kids explored while the parents drank coffee. We had leisurely morning, and packed up around 9:30am to head to Canyon Lake.

There’s actually quite a bit to do around Lost Dutchman State Park! There’s a lot of history, lake activities, and beautiful scenery. Here’s a quick list of ideas to include in your weekend:

• Goldfield Ghost Town
• Mammoth Mine Rock Shop
• OK Corral Stables
• Superstition Mountain Museum
• Canyon Lake
• Dolly Steamboat Tour
• Tortilla Flats
• Drive on the Apache Trail (partially open)

We have done all of these activities! Our favorites to mention are Goldfield, the mountain museum, and the Dolly Steamboat/explore at Canyon Lake. The steamboat tour especially was fascinating, both in scenery and history. We even saw bighorn sheep on the cliffs! Canyon Lake itself offers boating, fishing, swimming, kayaking, and fun water play for kids. We suggest skipping the Apache Trail, especially with littles. The scenery is very similar to what you experience driving from the state park to Canyon Lake.

We highly recommend the cabins at Lost Dutchman State Park! Pricing is currently $89/night, sometimes with higher prices over holidays. These cabins book up quickly, so if you find dates that work, don’t dawdle. You can find more information on the cabins here. Check-in time is 3pm, check-out time is 10am. Be sure to check details on things like brining your own linens, what’s allowed in the cabins, etc.

Of note, there are seven other state parks in Arizona that also have cabins! We looked at cabins along Lake Havasu during our trip in February, but it was fully booked. Dead Horse Ranch State Park is next on our list, and also the cabins at Patagonia State Park south of Tucson.