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Spring Canyon Picnic Area - 2 members in 8 triplogs have rated this an average 3 ( 1 to 5 best )
8 triplogs
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Sep 10 2024
avatar

 Guides 4
 Photos 4,732
 Triplogs 2,607

55 male
 Joined Sep 29 2004
 Small Town USA
Gila Box RNCATucson, AZ
Gila Box RNCA
Tucson, AZ
Walk / Tour avatar Sep 10 2024
SkyIslander18 • Triplogs 2,607
Walk / Tour3.00 Miles 200 AEG
Walk / Tour3.00 Miles
200 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Bonita Creek
Riverview Campground-Gila Box RNCA
Cottonwood Trail - Gila Box RNCA
Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Area
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Partners partners
AddSanz
We took a friend out to Gila Box who had never been before.
Spent the day with just short hikes out to all our favorite sites.

Bonita Creek - Out and back along Pipeline road to the water station. Showed our friend some rock art, beaver dams and had 2 young coaties run along the pipeline just above us.

Watchable Wildlife Platform - Walked out for the views over Bonita Canyon.

Serna Cabin - Down to the cabin and river for some history.

Riverview Campground - Parked at Site #1 and hiked down to the Gila River at Castle Rock. Swimming, good conversation and a bit of the Cottonwood Trail before returning back.

Last stop on the drive out was a visit to Spring Canyon.

It was a good full day at The Box!
Our friend was impressed with the whole area.
There were promises made to come back and see more of the area.
Fun day with fun people!
:D
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Light

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Bonita Creek Light flow Light flow
_____________________
https://www.instagram.com/skyislander22/
 
Dec 20 2022
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 Guides 4
 Photos 4,732
 Triplogs 2,607

55 male
 Joined Sep 29 2004
 Small Town USA
Spring Canyon - Gila Box, AZ 
Spring Canyon - Gila Box, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Dec 20 2022
SkyIslander18 • Triplogs 2,607
Hiking3.00 Miles 100 AEG
Hiking3.00 Miles
100 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
Linked   linked  
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Gila Box RNCA
Partners none no partners
Am gonna have to make a page for this ... it deserves one!
Haven't been up this one in years. The recent flooding has really cleared the canyon up and I had no problem making my way up unlike previous years.
What a fun and beautiful hike it was!
Still some good fall colors along the way and quite a bit of water surfacing from below ground here and there.
Some good narrows, open areas and even a couple of small waterfalls.
Saw lot's of cat, peccary & deer sign along with 2 great horned owls perched in a cottonwood.
I ended with a hammock rest by the Gila River at sunset before leaving.
:D
_____________________
https://www.instagram.com/skyislander22/
 
Aug 14 2022
avatar

 Guides 4
 Photos 4,732
 Triplogs 2,607

55 male
 Joined Sep 29 2004
 Small Town USA
Gila Box RNCATucson, AZ
Gila Box RNCA
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Aug 14 2022
SkyIslander18 • Triplogs 2,607
Hiking2.00 Miles 100 AEG
Hiking2.00 Miles
100 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Dry Canyon - Gila Box RNCA
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Partners none no partners
Went out for a little Gila Boxing.
Plan was to just swim in the Gila, but that river is flowing too hard now with chocolate milk!
Plan B was hiking up Dry Canyon. Only got a bit up when the evening's monsoons rolled in and I got out.
Not a canyon you would want to meet a flood in.
Didn't have a plan C so I just spent some time hiking along the river in the Spring Canyon area.
Ran into my BLM buddy and showed him a petroglyph above the river he didn't know about.
Sunset brought rain and it was a scenic sight driving out with at least 3 storm cells producing lightning.
Arrived back home in the wipers on high pounding rain.
This outing didn't go as planned, but I had a great time ... always do out there!
:D
_____________________
https://www.instagram.com/skyislander22/
 
Dec 17 2018
avatar

 Guides 4
 Photos 4,732
 Triplogs 2,607

55 male
 Joined Sep 29 2004
 Small Town USA
Bonita CreekTucson, AZ
Bonita Creek
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Dec 17 2018
SkyIslander18 • Triplogs 2,607
Hiking3.00 Miles 250 AEG
Hiking3.00 Miles
250 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Area
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Gila Box RNCA
Partners none no partners
Last visit (maybe) to Bonita for the fall colors before winter sets in.
Dropped down into the Orange Cliff Rd section for just a short one. Good colors, but Bonita is past peak up high now with lots of canyon bottom leaf litter. Found a great spot next to a beaver dam for a 3 hour hammock/sit camp.
Also made a few short visits to the wildlife platform, Spring Canyon, Gila River & the entrance overlooks.
Gila Box looks just Awesome right now ..... lots of gold color along the water ways!
No big wildlife spotted on this overcast, sprinkling day.
:D
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Isolated

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Bonita Creek Medium flow Medium flow
_____________________
https://www.instagram.com/skyislander22/
 
Jul 11 2018
avatar

 Guides 4
 Photos 4,732
 Triplogs 2,607

55 male
 Joined Sep 29 2004
 Small Town USA
Cottonwood Trail - Gila Box RNCATucson, AZ
Cottonwood Trail - Gila Box RNCA
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jul 11 2018
SkyIslander18 • Triplogs 2,607
Hiking7.23 Miles 350 AEG
Hiking7.23 Miles
350 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Gila Box RNCA
Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Area
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Dry Canyon - Gila Box RNCA
Partners none no partners
TV & Mobile alert warnings all night that the Gila River at Solomon would rise 14 feet and be at flood status. Got up early and headed out to see it, it's quite a sight to see the Gila flooding!
Arrived at the entrance overlook to see the Gila flowing strong again, not quite at a flood status, but lots of chocolate milk flowing down that there river ..... definitely not a swimming day with that flow.
Made many river view stops on the drive in & out with several hikes starting on the Cottonwood Trail :next: Wildlife platform :next: Spring Canyon :next: Dry Canyon and many side trips.
Monsoon/overcast weather all day, rained on me half the time & the whole Box just looked Awesome today!
Wildlife - Grey fox, 2 javelina, many wind surfing vultures, millipedes, brown & black tarantulas.
:D
_____________________
https://www.instagram.com/skyislander22/
 
Jan 31 2018
avatar

 Routes 85
 Photos 3,718
 Triplogs 486

female
 Joined Oct 15 2002
 Rimrock, Arizona
Cottonwood Trail - Gila Box RNCATucson, AZ
Cottonwood Trail - Gila Box RNCA
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jan 31 2018
cactuscat • Triplogs 486
Hiking3.44 Miles 387 AEG
Hiking3.44 Miles   2 Hrs   1 Min   1.81 mph
387 ft AEG      7 Mns Break
 
Linked   linked  
Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Area
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Riverview Campground-Gila Box RNCA
Partners none no partners
Outstanding!
This hike packs so much to see in just a few miles I love it.
Only two campers at Riverview - it's in great shape as usual.
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Reference Mark

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water 3 out of 5water less than max Bonita Creek Medium flow Medium flow
_____________________
  2 archives
Nov 10 2017
avatar

 Guides 7
 Routes 72
 Photos 14,456
 Triplogs 627

62 female
 Joined Aug 19 2011
 Scottsdale, AZ
Gila Box RNCATucson, AZ
Gila Box RNCA
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Nov 10 2017
outdoor_lover • Triplogs 627
Hiking6.00 Miles 300 AEG
Hiking6.00 Miles
300 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Riverview Campground-Gila Box RNCA
Cottonwood Trail - Gila Box RNCA
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Area
Bonita Creek
Partners partners
SkyIslander18
Driving, Camping, Hiking, and Photographing in the Box... Tons of Wildlife and the Trees were just starting to turn. Got a Hat Trick of the Ring Tailers driving back to Camp the 2nd Night. It was Dark, of course... First a Raccoon running down the Road, then a Ring-tailed Cat crossing the Road and scaling a Vertical Cliff on the other Side, then a Lone Coatimundi.... Wouldn't see any of them while it was Light, but I spent several Hours watching a Herd of Bighorn Sheep with two Rams that were just starting to become Adversaries.... So Cool to watch those slight Interactions and the Leader's Angst about the Contender...

Chad joined me for some of it and we finished Catching Up on Life and News until the wee hours of the Morning on my last Night.

Photoset to come, probably next Year... :sweat:
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  American Rubyspot Damselfly  Bighorn Sheep  Cactus Wren  Common Buckeye Butterfly  Coues White-tailed Deer  Gambel's Quail  House Finch  Loggerhead Shrike
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

dry Baker Canyon Dry Dry
At Road Crossing

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Bonita Creek Light flow Light flow

dry Dry Canyon Dry Dry
At Road Crossing

dry Spring Canyon Dry Dry
At Road Crossing
_____________________
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!"
 
Jun 09 2017
avatar

 Guides 4
 Photos 4,732
 Triplogs 2,607

55 male
 Joined Sep 29 2004
 Small Town USA
Gila Box RNCATucson, AZ
Gila Box RNCA
Tucson, AZ
Hiking avatar Jun 09 2017
SkyIslander18 • Triplogs 2,607
Hiking5.00 Miles 200 AEG
Hiking5.00 Miles
200 ft AEG
 no routes
Linked   linked  
Bonita Creek
Riverview Campground-Gila Box RNCA
Spring Canyon Picnic Area
Partners none no partners
First a hike - Up Pipeline Road 1 mile then back down pass the fish barrier to the end.
Second up a swim - Drove down to the end of Riverview Campground for a swim in the Gila. Light flow of only a foot of water allowed me to hike right up the middle of the river for a mile. Very fun, very refreshing water temps.
Last up lunch - Stopped at Spring Canyon Picnic Area for a meal, then another swim in the Gila ... did Not wait 30 minutes.
Warm sunny day - Beautiful summer scenery - Refreshing water - I shall return!
:D

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Bonita Creek Light flow Light flow
_____________________
https://www.instagram.com/skyislander22/
 
average hiking speed 1.81 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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