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I feel the need to explore the Agua Fria RIver in early February. Thought I'd throw the opportunity out there for others to join me, this is a great canyon cutting into the featureless and oddly flat Sunset Point area with some awesome habitat in a riparian setting. I will likely start at the Sunset Point exit and follow Badger Springs wash down to the confluence, and then take the Agua Fria proper downstream a few miles to set up camp and explore with camera. You might expect a 15 mile round trip at most. Good rains recently have left clean water in places but the rock hopping should not be a problem by the end of next week.

An Old Mine: In the middle of the canyon, shortly after a large tributary ravine (Tank Canyon) joins from the west, parts of an old rusty pipe remain alongside the river; this was once used to provide water for the Richinbar Mine, situated 700 feet above on the western rim. It takes about 20 minutes of scrambling and climbing to reach the rim, on which there are various remnants of old buildings and equipment. Richinbar Mine produced gold and silver from about 1896 to 1912, and even contained a registered post office. From here, the Badger Springs trailhead is about one hour's walk away, over a flat, stony plateau.
Get in here!

Where are you going to park? The rest area is closed. The cops will probably put one of those orange stickers on your window if you park on the side of the road.

I don't have a good map of the area (can't run Topo! on my Mac yet) so I'm not sure which side of the 17 the river is on. If it's on the west side, it might be better to park somewhere near Bumblebee.

Ok, I used Google Earth. So the Agua Fria is on the east side of the highway. I suppose maybe it's OK to park off of that exit. I guess we'll find out!

Dude, the Badger Springs Wash exit is a few miles north of Sunset Point. Disregard everything in my last couple of posts. Parking won't be a problem at all. Google Earth is so freakin' cool!

hey Matt, a little less coffee in the mornin', K?
this hike looks good, rated 5's and 4's by some of HAZ's most influential members. The pics in the gallery are so-so, Id bet they dont do the area justice. I'll be there.

The pics certainly don't do the area justice. The canyon is MASSIVE and full of boulders and mountain lion tracks. Badger Springs Rd is probably in pretty bad condition now with all of the recent rain. When I was there during fall I ended up parking in the very first parking area off of Badger Springs Rd because I didn't want to risk the rest in my Sentra. Some deep sand and ruts. From the Badger Springs exit to the Badger Springs trailhead is about a mile and a half, and then probably another mile or two to the Agua Fria.

I would totally come along for this one but I can't afford an overnighter right now with my work schedule and upcoming move. I hate moving.

It would have been pretty wild up there YESTERDAY.... >http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv/?s ... 0065,00060
I've hiked (but never kayaked) this stretch many times. The cool white & pink granite is about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way down from Badger to the unnamed wash that heads up to the Sunset Point Rest Area exit. The place to park is EAST of I-17 off of the SPRA exit.
This makes a nice shuttle (one-way) hike, as the shuttle is a snap. I prefer to hike it upstream (starting just east of SPRA & finishing @ B.S.), as that way it gets more scenic as you go. This hike can be very time-consuming when it is flowing high. Some full-immersion swims would be necessary. I would also say not to go when it's too warm, either, as there will be little to no water and it gets pretty toasty in there in, say, May. I might suggest going when there is still a good flow, but when swimming would be a blessing, versus a curse. It's a terrific area, and when you are in there you do not realize that you are but a mile from I-17.

Another hike that is similar to this secion of Agua Fria is Sycamore Canyon, the one near Sunflower (just about in your back yard, Mike). >> http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=966

depending on group turnout (so far it is just me, hardly a "turnout") I think Rider Canyon with Matt is a good idea. The water levels in Agua Fria are still a bit much with a week left to go but as Ive witnessed in the Supes, over a month had passed and there was still moderate flow in Boulder and La Barge canyons. I might move this trip out to early March. (overnight weather would be nicer then as well.)

te-wa wrote: I think Rider Canyon with Matt is a good idea.

I'm not sure what you're talking about.

Yeah, where is Rider Canyon? I am up for an overnight if my foot is better (I did something to it; it isn't too bad but as you know I am slooooow enough as I am).

I have been wanting to do AF for awhile also. If not now then later.

I would consider early March for AF. Late March may be FC and late February JF/HB loop. What ever that means?

wallyfarak wrote:I would consider early March for AF. Late March may be FC and late February JF/HB loop. What ever that means?

hmmm.... lets see.... Jack Fraser/Hoolie Bacon loop
and.... FC... lets see.... Fay Canyon?

Fish Creek

JF/HB... how are you going to manage that, going over LaBarge Mountain?

nonot wrote:JF/HB... how are you going to manage that, going over LaBarge Mountain?

Ok, RT and CF are in the mix too but I was abbreviating so I left them out. It's only 23 or 24 miles.

I was actually thinking of doing this using Tortilla creek for the third leg.

The Tortilla creek option would be good but I need to complete the section of trail I missed from Trans Supes I.
Of course I've never done that section of Tortila Creek either.

this weekend, going to Reavis Ranch instead. please see applicable thread. Agua Fria still on the list!

Don't sell Agua Fria short Mike. It is one of E-RocK and my favorite winter spots to chill out and explore. You can enter from Perry Mesa as well were there are some ruins of old Native American pitt houses and other archaeological swag.

Reavis is never bad though...

Agua Fria back on the list... will attempt this one in the second week of March. Overnight the 8th, return to Phx on the 9th.