Tonto Trail: Boucher Trail to South Bass Trail Photoset • ultrazona • 2021-11-05 • HikeArizona.COM

Tonto Trail: Boucher Trail to South Bass Trail, AZ

	2021-11-05
	67 by ultrazona

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Tonto Trail: Boucher Trail to South Bass Trail

Northwest, AZ

Tonto Trail: Boucher Trail to South Bass Trail

Northwest, AZ

Backpack	27.94 Miles	4,979 AEG

Backpack	27.94 Miles	4 Days
	4,979 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

linked

Boucher Trail

South Bass Trail

Partners

none

no partners

South Bass to Tonto to Boucher. South Bass is in good shape. Trailhead had four cars at it, all high clearance AWD or 4x4, except for one high clearance 2WD. Spoke with group headed out who said 2WD high clearance vehicle struggled on driving the unofficial fence line/boundary route they used to bypass the reservation. camped at Serpentine the first night, and hauled all water up for next 2 days from the Colorado river. Outdated and/or inaccurate water reports from backcountry office and FB users meant we left Serpentine with 20 liters of water for two people. The following is the water notes collected:

-South Bass Trailhead to Serpentine Canyon is Dry. No water up canyon (5 minute walk). Muddy pools (10 liters) found at Tonto crossing. Muddy pools found sporadically to the Colorado. Easy walking to the Colorado; we filled 23 liters from the river for the next few days.

-Tonto dry till Ruby Canyon. 8 pools found near Tonto crossing. Pools vary in size from a few liters to half a bathtub worth. Pools continue downstream (within a minutes walk from Tonto). No pools found above Tonto crossing (3 minute walk).

-Tonto dry till Turquoise Canyon. Small pool found downstream from Tonto crossing. Easy down climb to access pool. 10+ liters worth at pool. Pool is located in spot with partial sun exposure. Upstream (1 minute walk under a 15ft dry fall) there is a large clear pool (1’x 2’) 4’ deep. Pool is well shaded.

-Tonto dry till Sapphire Canyon. 4’x4’ 5” deep pool found at trail crossing. No pools upstream (3 minute walk). No pools downstream (1 minute walk).

-Tonto dry till Slate canyon. Small 1 liter pool at trail crossing. Moderate pool located 10 seconds down canyon on East side. Pool can be seen from trail crossing. A small down climb is required to access pool. Pool is 4’x3’ 5” deep. Murky water. We pulled supplemental water from here.

Cut the trip short by a night and hiked out Boucher due to burning through more food then we planned. Boucher is not in the best of shape. Bits have held up well, others would be difficult to descend with a loaded pack. The Tonto Trail between South Bass and Boucher occasionally required stopping and guiding using GPS. Trail would fade and then reappear. Lots of fresh growth from the rains this year. Cacti is doing great! Only saw one other person on the Tonto at Serpentine.

	Boucher Creek	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Great flow. Plenty of water.

Emerald Canyon (Gems unofficial)

Dry

Jade Canyon (Gems unofficial)

Dry

Jasper Canyon (Gems Unofficial)

Dry

Quartz Canyon (Gems unofficial)

Dry

	Ruby Creek - GC	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	8 pools found near Tonto crossing. Pools vary in size from a few liters to half a bathtub worth. Pools continue downstream (within a minutes walk from Tonto). No pools found above Tonto crossing (3 minute walk).

	Sapphire Creek - GC	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	4’x4’ 5” deep pool found at trail crossing. No pools upstream (3 minute walk). No pools downstream (1 minute walk).

	Serpentine Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Muddy pools found along route to river.

	Serpentine Creek - GC	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	No water up canyon (5 minute walk). Muddy pools (10 liters) found at Tonto crossing. Muddy pools found sporadically to the Colorado. Easy walking to the Colorado; we filled 23 liters from the river for the next few days.

Serpentine Rapids

Heavy flow

	Slate Creek	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Small 1 liter pool at trail crossing. Moderate pool located 10 seconds down canyon on East side. Pool can be seen from trail crossing. A small down climb is required to access pool. Pool is 4’x3’ 5” deep. Murky water.

	Topaz Canyon	Dry	Dry
	No flow till Boucher.

	Turquoise Creek - GC	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Small pool found downstream from Tonto crossing. Easy down climb to access pool. 10+ liters worth at pool. Pool is located in spot with partial sun exposure. Upstream (1 minute walk under a 15ft dry fall) there is a large clear pool (1’x 2’) 4’ deep. Pool is well shaded.

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