Help w/ planning Reavis Ranch/Falls route

[jcorder]

Hi everyone,

I'm planning a 2 night backpack trip with my son next weekend and wanted some help in trying to figure out a route. I'd like to hike to Reavis Ranch from 109N the first day, then find a route to Reavis Falls, approaching from the East, rather than backtracking all the way to the fork in the trail. Does anyone know if this is possible?

Ideally, the 2nd morning, we would break camp, hike to the falls and climb back towards the trailhead and then camp the 2nd night, leaving only a 5 mile or so hike to get out the 3rd day.

Thanks in advance for any advice you may have. This is my first father-son backpack trip with my 21yo son, and I'd like to make it memorable!

Regards,

Jim

[SuperstitionGuy]

This can be done but I only recommend it for serious off trail hikers / backpackers.

Route 1 - Camp at the junction of Frog Tanks trail and Reavis Ranch trail just where there used to be fencing and a makeshift corral. The next morning day hike northwest down the drainage which drains into Reavis Creek shortly above the top of the falls. To get to the bottom of the falls, climb down the very steep ravine on the east side of the falls. Reverse your course to hike back to your campsite. Although this route is from the west it is the best.

Route 2 - Too difficult as you have to bushwhack over many drainages before you can make your way down to the top of the falls considering you want to do it all in one day. However for the more adventurous two day backpackers there is much to see including indian ruins if you have the time.

It would be nice if someone would spend some time on the east side of Reavis from the ranch to the falls, document what to see, how to get to the indian ruins, how to drop down above the falls and plot some GPS routes for the same. I have backpacked in the area but not enough to feel comfortable explaining the area to others.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Well did you go? And if so where?

[vmoruzzi]

I went solo and had a grand time. It was overcast on Thursday and Friday and had overnight rain during those evenings. I started at the Woodbury Trailhead and followed the JF Trail. It was a bit overgrown and my convertable pants got pretty snagged by thorny bushes and branches. The Rogers Canyon Trail was easy to track until I got past Angel Basin. For the next 2.5 miles you will have many water crossings following the Frog Tanks Trail. Look carefully for the cairns. Saturday was my best day even though it was a bit muddy. It was mostly level terrain. From Plow Saddle I followed the Reavis Ranch Trail all the way past the intersection of the Rogers Canyon Trail intersection...about 8.5 miles. Yesterday I hiked out to the Rogers Trough Trail Head and followed the road until I found a trail heading west and back to the Woodbury Trailhead. I had a wonderful time but I will add that this was a pretty strenuous hike and a keen sense of awareness & map and compass skills are needed to stay on the right trail. I saw lots of mule deer and rabbits but no snakes, cattle or bobcats...plenty of tracks. Lots of water on this route. Good luck if you want to try it.

[jcorder]

I didn't try to do reavis ranch to the falls. Just hiked in to RR from 109N, then back out the next day. Posted in triplog.

[Bradshaws]

Soooo... I'm planning a 2 day trip down to Reavis ranch in the middle of March. Day 1 would be an easy, slow picture taking hike down for the night and would like to hit the falls on the way out on day 2. I know that day 2 won't be an easy day but it seems doable.

Now.. I've read everything I could find on HAZ about going from the ranch to the falls. There is VERY little on it and I can't find a posted route on any of the Reavis hikes. This thread is exactly what I was looking for but it still seems a little vague. I did find a write up on the route I would like to take in the book "Superstition Wilderness Trails East hikes, horse riders and history" this book says that the route is "Very difficult" with "offtrail" portions and listing the 3.1 mile hike to take 5 HOURS! Now I'm not a triathlete or anything but from looking at the maps I can't see it taking that long but I haven't been there so....

What I would like to know is -
1. Has anyone gone straight North (not literally but in that direction) from the ranch to the falls? And how was it?

2. How difficult is it to get from the top of the falls to the bottom and back up?

This will be my 1st trip to Reavis so any information will be awesome and very much appreciate.

Thanks

[joebartels]

Straying from the established route to the falls is difficult and will not make anything easier or quicker.

[FOTG]

@Bradshaws
Yikes! I love a good bushwhack as much as the next guy, but I would want no part of that.. although, I hear you will come across a random apple tree if you cut cross country so there is something to look for I guess...trail route easy money 19 miles ish

[Bradshaws]

I think that maybe I miss spoke or misunderstood. I would be leaving the North trailhead for Reavis ranch hiking to the ranch (9.6 miles) then setting up camp and chill. Break camp(day 2) start hiking back towards the trailhead @ Government coral leave Reavis #109 and continuing north 3.1 mile to the top of the falls. Then pick up the Reavis falls trail back to #109(6.8 miles). The total hikes mileage would be around 20 miles over 2 days.

From what I've read and the maps I've looked at there will only be 3 or 4 miles offtrail hiking.

Am I totally off base? Because I'm really questioning myself now

[FOTG]

@Bradshaws
Oh no way that is doable lol I have read about same route in their book...I thought you wanted to shoot up Reavis creek from the ranch...

[SuperstitionGuy]

@Bradshaws
If you can find a hiking route (no repelling) we will name the trail after you!
Carefully read that portion of the route you are considering from the over view description of Reavis Falls Overlook at http://hikearizona.com/decoder=16312

[big_load]

Are you talking about what is described in Trip 3 of "Superstition Trails East" (Reavis Falls from Reavis Ranch)?

[Bradshaws]

@big_load
Yes, that is the portion I was asking about and it look like that section has been done.

I would like to keep heading north along the mesa on the east side of the falls to drop down into the canyon. From there check out the falls from the bottom. Then take the Reavis waterfall trail back to #109 and back to the trailhead. This is the section that I would like to know if anyone has done. From the topo maps and satellite imaging (goggle earth and bing map) it doesn't look impossible. Don't get me wrong I know it won't be a cake walk I have no doubt I'll loose some blood and maybe a little pride but it looks like fun

[SuperstitionGuy]

I have been on the east side above the falls and you will find some Indian ruins in the area. When I was there (1980-90) it had been overgrazed by cattle and was relatively easy going in respect to the west side where there was obviously no cattle allotment.

[big_load]

I have been on the east side above the falls and you will find some Indian ruins in the area. When I was there (1980-90) it had been overgrazed by cattle and was relatively easy going in respect to the west side where there was obviously no cattle allotment.

Carlson's description for that Trip 3 mentions the route as going past those ruins and mentions several others as being in the area. I've been tempted to go that way myself, but I haven't tried it. My issue is that I've developed negative feelings about the ranch because of how much trash I found the last couple times I was there. I found four abandoned coolers on my last visit in 2007, not to mention wrecked boots and old clothes and dozens of beer bottles and cans. I would be happier to just stop by for water and keep on going to my real destination, or better yet, look around for ruins.

[FOTG]

@big_load
Sadly the ranch is losing its luster for me as well..simply too accessible from north road, makes it a prime destination for once a year backpackers with their REI rental gear

My proposal close 109 north, making it only accessible from Roger's Trough or Campaign Creek

[big_load]

@friendofThundergod Judging by the coolers, horse packers are what's bugging me. If somebody can manage to get a cooler in there, why can't they get it back out? Maybe they came in on the dead horse.

[FOTG]

@big_load
you are probably right there...no hikers are carrying in coolers, although, then who is responsible for cutting live branches off apple trees, because they refuse to walk 100 meters into the wood line and grab dead trees/branches for their fires?

[big_load]

@friendofThundergod Cutting branches from living trees really bothers me, too. Unfortunately, that seems to happen near any popular campsite, which contributes to my preference for avoiding such areas.