Aravaipa Canyon Photoset • PrestonSands • 2014-03-17 • HikeArizona.COM

Aravaipa Canyon, AZ

	2014-03-17
	11 by PrestonSands

1 label
1
1 label
1 label
1
2 labels

1

Aravaipa Canyon

Globe, AZ

Aravaipa Canyon

Globe, AZ

Hiking	8.00 Miles	600 AEG

Hiking	8.00 Miles
	600 ft AEG		14 LBS Pack

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

partners

SkyIslander18

After some much needed sleep, Chad and I packed up and drove the short distance down Turkey Canyon to the eastern Aravaipa trailhead, and entered the verdant canyon paradise on foot. Chad had chosen to wear old boots and myself Chaco sandals, and we both soon began the never ending process of gravel removal. I was immediately impressed with this place, and neither mine nor Chad's camera remained in its case for long. After a few miles of amazing canyon, we back tracked a bit, then entered a forbidding side canyon. The sheer walls of this side canyon, hundreds of feet high, and replete with a group of caves reminiscent of a skull, were quite a site to behold. I knew this was going to be an amazing place. We wound our way up the sandy bottomed, twisting, ever deepening, slot-like canyon past a natural window in the cliffs, inaccessible caves, dripping springs, ferns and box elder trees to what Chad well described as a "hanging garden", where a small spring poured out of the canyon wall into a little pool of clear water. We ate lunch at this amazing place before hiking back to Aravaipa Canyon proper. Our retreat up the bed of Aravaipa Creek included some great photo opportunities in the soft light of late afternoon, and for myself, the chance to "swim" (submerge) in a shallow pool. Yay!

After a full day of fun in this amazing place, we made the long drive back to Safford. I dropped Chad off, drove past my old house, then stopped for a much anticipated Mexican food dinner at El Charro in downtown Safford. Ran into an old friend of mine while fueling my truck, then made the journey west into the night for Tucson. It was an outstanding weekend! Thanks Chad!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Mexican Gold Poppy Superb Penstemon Yellow Columbine

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Aravaipa Canyon Aravaipa Creek

_____________________

"…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan

username		X
password		X