[4] Native peoples of the Salado culture settled near the mountain, possibly as early as 1,000 CE, and constructed cliff dwellings in nearby Rogers Canyon.

[4] Superstition Mountain was located on the northern frontier of New Spain, and then fell within the territory of Mexico prior to the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848.

The Mexican Cession moved the mountain into the United States when the border shifted south to the Gila River.

Apacheland Movie Ranch was built near Gold Canyon[9] and served as the backdrop for numerous western films.

[10] The Superstition Wilderness was established in 1964, protecting much of the mountain and the range it lies within,[3] and it was expanded to approximately 160,200 acres (64,800 ha) in 1984.

[15] The population of the unincorporated community of Gold Canyon located south of the mountain has grown rapidly, increasing 68.5% between the United States Census in 2000 and 2010.

[3] Lost Dutchman State Park is located on the western side of the mountain, as is the Goldfield ghost town in modern-day Youngberg.

Dome resurgence reactivated these faults, causing uplift of the caldera floor which juxtaposed the softer tuff and more resistant dacite.

[17] Differential weathering caused the outer tuff to erode faster, leaving the dacite cliffs exposed and creating the prominent mountain visible today.

The North American Monsoon brings rain and thunderstorms in July and early August, with a danger of flash floods.

[citation needed] Rock climbing is also popular on and around Superstition Mountain, with popular climbs including The Hand (also known as Praying Hands) and Crying Dinosaur along trails near Lost Dutchman State Park,[3] as well as Weaver's Needle north of Fremont Saddle.