HikeArizona.COM

I am looking for info. about chevelon canyon. Best directions from Gilbert, difficulty of trail, overall rating of hike etc. Looking to hike Memorial weekend. Thanks!

This one:???

http://www.hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=782

Gilbert to Lake
141 mi (about 3 hours 46 mins)
1. Head north on N Val Vista Dr toward E Elliot Rd 2.0 mi
2. Slight left to stay on N Val Vista Dr 0.1 mi
3. Slight right at S Val Vista Dr 0.4 mi
4. Turn left to merge onto US-60 W 1.6 mi
5. Take exit 182 for Gilbert Rd 0.4 mi
6. Turn right at S Gilbert Rd 8.2 mi
7. Turn right at AZ-87/N Beeline Hwy 68.4 mi
8. Turn right at E AZ-260 35.1 mi
9. Turn left at Mill Rd 0.6 mi
10. Slight right at Larson Loop 0.4 mi
11. Turn left at Wildcat Rd 0.4 mi
12. Turn right to stay on Wildcat Rd 2.3 mi
13. Turn left at Forest Service Rd 170 15.0 mi
14. Turn left at Heber - Mormon Croosing Rd 1.0 mi
15. Slight left at Forest Service Rd 504 Destination will be on the left 4.7 mi

Very simple: Just before you get to Heber, turn left on FR 504, go to Chevelon Crossing. (About 17 miles of gravel road.) At Chevelon Crossing you will cross a bridge, then turn left into the Chevelon Crossing campground. Park in campground and hike upstream. There is a trail, at first. It kind of disappears after awhile.

Joe, incidentally, the link you provided is not completely accurate. It accurately describes the hike from Chevelon Crossing upstream almost to the Chevelon Lake dam, and the photoset bears that out--it is easy for me to see that is where the author actually went. But its subtitle is "Wildcat Canyon Exploration." This is not accurate! Wildcat Canyon is a couple of canyons or so to the east of Chevelon.

Also, there is another hike called East Chevelon Canyon, which is closer to Phoenix, and has much easier access. To get to it, go to Woods Canyon Lake, Spillway Campground, park in day use parking, and hike downstream from the Woods Canyon Lake dam.

Also, bear in mind that Chevelon Canyon is 40 miles long, but we are giving out information for only a small portion of it.

The subtitle is Wild Canyon Exploration not WIldcat ;)

according to the info Elizabeth gives, E. Chevelon leaving Woods Canyon Lake and going downstream is described in the book "Streamside Trails" by Steve Kraus - where the author notes that "...an early trapper by the name of Chevelon was vicitimized by a poisonous root growing in the namesake creek that still recalls his misfortune"
in another trail guide, the "Hiking Arizona" by Falcon publishing declares: "In 1851 Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves wrote that the stream received its name from a trapper called Chevalon* who died after eating some poisonous root along its bank. Poison Hemlock does grow along the creek, and may well have been the culprit".

*i personally believe Chevalon is the correct spelling

btw.. when you're there, catch and destroy as many invasive crayfish as you can. they taste great if cooked correctly. even if you just throw them on the shore for the skunks and mice, get 'em out of the creek.

If "Chevalon" was originally the correct spelling, then it has gone the way of many other place name spellings. The names tend to get changed or altered by the mapmakers, Forest Service sign makers, and others. We have several examples of this near where I live.

A guy was camping in Greer about 10 years ago, and died in his tent from eating that poison hemlock. Many of my mtn. biking pals up here are also EMTs, and they recollect that call, with characteristic EMT sensitivity and kindness. ;) Anyway, don't eat anything out there, and you will be just fine.