HikeArizona.COM

Hi all,

I am trying to find a backpacking destination for early November that has reliable water. TrailDEX doesn't seem to have springs as a search option, so I feel like I am missing some trails. Any ideas? Basically looking for 8-16 miles roundtrip, easy to moderate, distance from Phoenix is not an issue.

Thanks!

In Traildex search "Creeks- perennial" for 8-16 miles.

Here's your results: http://hikearizona.com/interestDEX.php? ... PN=1&ID=34&

The temperature your looking for will also come in to play if you don't want to freeze at night. I would recommend Hellsgate 37 to Tonto Creek. Would be really nice that time of year and there's definitely reliable water in Tonto Creek.

If it's a warm November: Rogers Canyon+Frog Tanks to Reavis Ranch. Return via Reavis South.

If it's a cold November: Bluff Springs+Terrapin+Lost Dutchman to LaBarge spring. Return via Lost Dutchman.

Powers Garden!

powers garden blows reavis away. no apples tho, but safeway has 'em.
b/c we had a weak rainfall season, water in the Galiuros is questionable.. and im leading a trip of 11 there next month..

te-wa wrote:powers garden blows reavis away.

Quite so. You don't think the garden spring will be dry, do you? I'm probably doing an out-and-and back to the garden from the Ash Creek TH in November. It's not feasible without that water.

I don't think the powers garden spring ever goes dry. I could be wrong though.

nobert15 wrote:I don't think the powers garden spring ever goes dry. I could be wrong though.

It sure seems unlikely, and I've never heard it reported dry. However, it may be the only source in the Galiuros about which that can be said. Maybe RedRoxx44 will weigh in on this.

My resources say in extreme drought the Power Garden spring can be dry. It's been overall dry over there this year but not a severe drought and I am not sure what the last rains brought, I can tell you Aravaipa was running under the bridge on Hwy 77 as of last weekend.
I've found water in Rattlesnake off the East Divide in the creek bottom, there is Holdout spring ( don't forget to check the cave, has a small basin scraped out to hold water but need a good light to see it); an unnamed spring in the creekbottom at Pipestem and Rattlesnake junction, if Corral is dry just climb the wall and go up the drainage. Keilberg tank will usually have some water--may be skanky--- as well as a tiny spring near Long Tom cabins down in the drainage that may be unusable unless you build a little dam. Sometimes a rock bottomed falls area in Pipestem might hold some water. The labeled spring at Rattlesnake before you climb over to Keilberg is definitely not reliable and I have found it more dry than not.
The labeled spring in I think Field canyon ( I don't have a map in front of me) is also not reliable.
The southern end there is usually some water near the Hooker cabin but I have seen that area very dry including the springs near the divide. Sometimes water can be found up on Redfield off the trail.
Jackson cabin has a spring and there is a small spring on up the canyon on the way toward that side of Bassett Peak. Not sure of reliability but it seems I have always found some water when there.
So, I guess check with the forest service, carry plenty if it seems dry, try to talk to some cowboy or someone around Klondyke who takes horsepackers in there, if they are going in then there will be water.

Thanks, I saved that with my planning notes.

Wow - thanks everyone. This is great! I'm going to forward some of these to my friend. Back with questions soon, I'm sure!

when i went, the corral area was skanky and i did climb the wall looking for a pool uptop, there was none, but then further down rattlesnake i found a spring and a good pool or two.
Powers spring was flowing, but it was a stagnant grey shade to the water regardless. i noted its flow in the "spring reports" section of the hike.

Te-wa, was that the trip you took last October? Was the water at Powers spring okay after filtering it?

jtaylor wrote:Was the water at Powers spring okay after filtering it?

im here speaking to you now, if that answers your question

te-wa wrote:im here speaking to you now, if that answers your question

Touche'.

any updates? going into the Garden on Oct 25th and still uneasy about water issues.. if powers spring is good, then we'll only have to carry a day's worth.

anyone?

Don't drink it all. I'll need some the week of Nov. 15.

today's forecast for the powers garden area is calling for 30% chance of severe thunderstorms!
everybody with me now.. rain dance your pumpkin off, we need this range to get soaked!
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.ph ... it=0&lg=en

Rain!!!!! Rain!!!!!! I tell ya, I hate carrying water.

I obviously haven't checked this in a while. How did the water situation turn out in Powers Garden? At this point, we're planning to do hell's gate to tonto. But we may change that if Power's Garden got rain.