Fish Creek Lower Canyon • Canyon Trip • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

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Dec 21 2024

emilystardust

Routes 386
Photos 49
Triplogs 792

43 female

Joined Jun 23 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 21 2024
		emilystardust • Triplogs 792

Hiking	9.08 Miles	1,447 AEG

Hiking	9.08 Miles	4 Hrs 22 Mns	2.31 mph
	1,447 ft AEG	26 Mns Break

no photosets

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Very small amount of water about 2 - 2.5 miles in but otherwise dry. Water must be pretty low because walking to the shoreline at the exit of the canyon put us in the middle of the river on the GPS map. Still yellow trees out there.

_____________________

Dec 04 2024

fdv75

Routes 255
Photos 1,071
Triplogs 245

68 male

Joined Feb 10 2008
Kent,wa

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 04 2024
		fdv75 • Triplogs 245

Hiking	8.38 Miles	320 AEG

Hiking	8.38 Miles	4 Hrs 56 Mns	1.84 mph
	320 ft AEG	23 Mns Break

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Trees still in fall colors. Very short section of water to deal with.

_____________________

3 archives

Dec 08 2023

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,760

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Fish Creek Lower Canyon Shuttle, AZ

Hiking		Dec 08 2023
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	11.53 Miles	977 AEG

Hiking	11.53 Miles	4 Hrs 33 Mns	2.63 mph
	977 ft AEG	10 Mns Break

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Fish Creek Lower Canyon

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johnlp

LindaAnn

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

This hike has been on my to do list forever. The weather was never right whenever I'd think about doing this. The stars aligned and things worked out perfectly today. 41 degrees to start, 61 degrees to finish.

We dropped Linda's jeep at the parking area for Black Cross Butte and then drove over to the Fish Hill Overlook to begin our hike.

We started on the closed portion of the Apache Trail and made our way down the road to the creek. Most of this road could be fixed with little effort. There is the one section with the large boulders that would take a bit to clear.

In the creek we were treated to the beginnings of some nice fall color. Easy walking for the most part with only minimal vegetation throughout. The geology was the highlight of the day. Small caves and alcoves dotted the canyon. We kept hoping to get a glimpse of some sheep, to no avail.

We made our way under the bridge and all the way to the lake/river. It worked out perfectly and we never even came close to getting our feet wet. We now just had the road walk back to Linda's Jeep.

Canyon Lake (Mormon Flat Dam) was at 95% full, with an elevation of 1,657'. A foot to 18" higher and we would have been hiking in water towards the end.

Thanks Linda and John for helping me cross this one off my list

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

Fish Creek

Pools to trickle

Lewis and Pranty Creek

Dry

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

Dec 08 2023

johnlp

Guides 1
Routes 14
Photos 7,202
Triplogs 5,208

68 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
chandler,az

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 08 2023
		johnlp • Triplogs 5,208

Hiking	11.82 Miles	1,013 AEG

Hiking	11.82 Miles	4 Hrs 33 Mns	2.77 mph
	1,013 ft AEG	17 Mns Break

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LindaAnn

The_Eagle

Bruce and Linda set up a shuttle for this hike that worked out nicely. We began by walking SR 88 down past the bridge then into the wash.
The blockage of the road was considerable smaller than I thought it would be. A track hoe could clear everything but one large boulder in a day. A little dynamite and the road could be opened to high clearance vehicles in short order.
The hike down Fish Creek to the lake was very nice for a wash/stream bed. The grade is mild and consistent. A few places to push through some brush and some boulder hopping required. Easy enough to avoid getting wet feet.
Fall colors displayed by the sycamores and willows and such are pretty right now. A bit early for prime viewing.
Some cat and mouse with vehicles hiking back up from the lake made it interesting.
Fun hike. Thanks you two!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Desert Evening Primrose

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson

Dec 08 2023

LindaAnn

Guides 110
Routes 2,246
Photos 8,982
Triplogs 2,600

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 08 2023
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600

Hiking	11.82 Miles	1,013 AEG

Hiking	11.82 Miles	4 Hrs 33 Mns	2.77 mph
	1,013 ft AEG	17 Mns Break

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none

no linked trail guides

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partners

johnlp

The_Eagle

Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

We weren’t 100% sure the shuttle would happen, but we dropped my Jeep at the Black Cross Butte parking, then headed over to Fish Hill Overlook to start the hike.

Descending the road was easy. In my opinion, the damage to the road is not that bad. Yeah, there was a rockfall, but the area is not “unstable” as claimed. Some rocks broke loose from the cliff above. That’s it. Blast the boulders, clear them out, regrade the road, in two weeks it could be driveable. No joke.

Temps dipped a bit as we left the road and entered the creek bed. Travel was easier than I had anticipated. Generally decent footing. Few thorns on the vegetation. Amazing geology all around, and great sights around every bend. Small pools of water here and there, but all easily avoided. I wore waterproof socks with trail runners, so did not have to be overly careful. Even stepping on the edges of the water kept my feet dry while the shoes drained quickly. There was some easy bouldering for a short distance not far above the lake. The final section to the water was dry, but very flat, so wading would not have been a problem. Obviously, descending the canyon is much easier than ascending, so I can’t speak to the effort required to hike back upstream.

We opted for the road exit, a little wary of being behind the No Trespassing signs up top. The incline on the road is very moderate, and it was a fast and easy hike back up to the Jeep.

Great day for this hike, and it was incredibly fun. Perfect weather, enjoyable conversation, and a new area to see.

Autumn Foliage Observation Light
A week or so from peak

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

1 archive

May 21 2022

ddgrunning

Guides 3
Routes 632
Photos 8,235
Triplogs 604

54 male

Joined Apr 13 2011
Gilbert, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		May 21 2022
		ddgrunning • Triplogs 604

Canyoneering	13.01 Miles	1,721 AEG

Canyoneering	13.01 Miles	5 Hrs 34 Mns	2.42 mph
	1,721 ft AEG	12 Mns Break

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Fish Creek Hill

Fish Creek Vista

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Hadn't ever ventured downstream from the Fish Creek bridge and decided today was the day.

Arrived at the overlook by 6 am. One other car was in the parking lot, and I met its occupant 10 minutes into my hike down Fish Creek Hill. He was on his way up, and I suspect he had ventured down in search of a nice sunrise photoshoot.

From there, I didn't encounter a soul for the next 10 miles or so.

What I did encounter was:

--Fish Creek Hill still eroding and blocked by the boulder slide.

--Intermittent water in the creekbed that became surprisingly consistent for late May. Nothing to splash around in, but plenty to filter from, if needed.

--A nice diamondback rattlesnake. Probably the closest I've been to an unpleasant encounter. He was lying across a dry section of the creekbed, somewhat obscured from view by surrounding vegetation, and I didn't see him until I was about one more footfall from stepping on him. I must have startled him as well, as he didn't rattle and immediately began scurrying for cover in the nearby undergrowth. He cooperated with a few photos and then I was on my way.

--Three cardinals. Love seeing these guys. There red hue stands out in stark contrast to the surroundings. They do seem particularly flightly, making it tough to get a decent photo/video.

--An owl! there is a cool narrow spot in the drainage that goes on for a several hundred feet. As I was walking through and admiring, the owl popped off the cliffside and flew down stream out of sight. Kind of unusual during the day.

--On the way back upstream, I once again came across my diamondback friend--now warmed up and ready to rattle. He was about 150 feet from our last encounter and out in the open with plenty of warning for both of us. He shook his rattle; I took some pictures, then he slithered off into the nearest crack in the rock, all the time rattling away like he was ready to fight, but clearly communicating that he'd rather just get out of the way.

--On the return, I headed up the unnamed canyon west of the Fish Creek overlook. Near the mouth I encountered my only other humans--a couple that was descending. The climb up included some decent bouldering (especially in the bottom section), with a couple of class 4 moves here and there, but nothing technical. There are a couple of dryfalls that would be fun to see when water is running. Both are fairly easily bypassed.

--At the lower end of the canyon ascent, I heard a helicopter and turned to see a low-flying craft headed up Fish Creek. It looked more commercial than SAR, but not sure. I hope all was okay ....

A quick road walk once emerging from the canyon brought me back to my car.

I had flirted with making my way all the way down to Canyon Lake, but given my water levels, the increasing heat of the day, and the unknown nature of my ascent up the side canyon on my return--and my hiking solo--I decided to turn around early. One of these days, I'd like to finish off that last mile or so of the drainage. Another time ....

_____________________

1 archive

Jan 07 2022

brainz94

Routes 4
Photos 57
Triplogs 7

30 female

Joined Aug 04 2019
Phoenix, Arizona

Unnamed canyon and Lower Fish Creek, AZ

Hiking		Jan 07 2022
		brainz94 • Triplogs 7

Hiking	8.50 Miles	1,943 AEG

Hiking	8.50 Miles	4 Hrs 20 Mns	1.96 mph
	1,943 ft AEG

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Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Fish Creek Hill

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I have had my eye on this canyon (unnamed?) to the west of fish creek hill which I have been wanting to check out. Becky and I set out with the tentative plan of dropping into this canyon up by Tortilla Flats TH and connecting with the Lower Fish Creek route. Having no such luck with finding any information online for this canyon, we didn't know if we were going to cliff out and have to back track or if we'd make it all the way to the bottom.

This canyon turned into a lovely little canyon that narrowed as it reached Fish Creek. There are several large trickling waterfalls from the recent rains that sure would be a treat to see gushing - however, getting there with any more water flow than there was at the time would be quite the challenge. We made our way around and down the obstacles which included one that left Becky draped over a rock with her legs dangling - which provided many laughs

Once we got to Fish Creek, we were greeted with fall colors! We opted to just get our feet wet after several shallow crossing attempts as it looked like the options were wet feet or heavy brush. A large alcove on the left as the canyon bends south offered up some stunning views that made the wet feet well worth it. The towering canyon walls with the sun starting to peak through left us feeling quite happy

We were treated to a few more cool caves and rock formations as well as some stunning fall colors before we made it back to SR 88. On our trek back up 88 to the hill, we marveled at the black marks glistening with evidence of recent and very large seasonal waterfalls. All in all, a good day!

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Fish Creek Canyon

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate

Lewis and Pranty Creek

Light flow

Nov 23 2018

skatchkins

Guides 2
Routes 24
Photos 3,436
Triplogs 230

47 male

Joined Dec 22 2007
Mesa, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Backpack		Nov 23 2018
		skatchkins • Triplogs 230

Backpack	8.00 Miles	800 AEG

Backpack	8.00 Miles
	800 ft AEG

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no linked trail guides

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Noel asked for a couple nights out after Thanksgiving people day. I figured something flatish would be good; We both forgot this trail requires brush busting. Noel took most of the heftier stuff in her pack.
All the "mining" stuff is still out there. Moved a little but most likely not used since my last trip.
It took 4hrs in to camp and 3.5 out. Saturday we hiked down to the lake. I think nipple-deep is the correct term used to designate where the creek stops and the lake starts.
We hiked to the climber's trash camp but there was no water and it wasn't great, so we backtracked 5min to something we liked better. I also marked on the gps route another good camp not as far in.
There was some water under the Fish Creek bridge as we passed it. There was no water for a long time in on the hike.
Wasn't nearly as cold as I thought. My hike at the end of December another year had more yellow leaf color.
Not another soul seen in the canyon after the parking lot.

_____________________

May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
Armchair Crisis Design

Dec 27 2015

skatchkins

Guides 2
Routes 24
Photos 3,436
Triplogs 230

47 male

Joined Dec 22 2007
Mesa, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Dec 27 2015
		skatchkins • Triplogs 230

Canyoneering	8.00 Miles	800 AEG

Canyoneering	8.00 Miles
	800 ft AEG

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no linked trail guides

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I wanted to get a few people out of the house. Two still stayed behind but the brother-in-law came with us. Since they had all done upper Fish Creek before a few times, I took them down lower. No water flow except some pools much further in. No feet got wet.

I refound the illegal mining operation. I took a look this time not expecting to find much but curious all the same as to where they had been working. It looks as though the operation is still ongoing. A newer generator is there now (full of gas). I'm not sure how long ago they last worked on it but very little is rusty. The spot they chose is very odd. I have to imagine something was found for them to keep coming back, bringing all those tools and digging there. It's been almost 4yrs since my super shady awkward encounter with them: [ triplog ]

_____________________

May he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
May he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
Armchair Crisis Design

2 archives

Nov 06 2015

AZLumberjack

Guides 4
Routes 20
Photos 4,109
Triplogs 494

84 male

Joined Feb 17 2010
Apache Junction,

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Scenic Drive		Nov 06 2015
		AZLumberjack • Triplogs 494

Scenic Drive	8.00 Miles	800 AEG

Scenic Drive	8.00 Miles
	800 ft AEG

no routes

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I've been wanting to get out and get some local Autumn color but so far, no luck. I had some good luck a couple of years ago out along Lower Fish Creek so I thought I would give it a try and if the colors weren't there, I could continue North along the Apache Trail looking further.

It was chilly and windy once I got through Tortilla Flats and up into the high country so I was glad I had the foresight to wear a down vest to ward off the elements. I pulled over at the Fish Creek Hill viewing lot and CRAP

Not only were the trees still fresh and green, there was no water in the creek.... Bummer! I continued on down the long scenic (and deserted) hill, stopping along the way to take some photos of the pre-sunrise and the, still dark, Fish Creek Canyon.

At the bridge, I again stopped and got out to view the canyon and take a couple of photos but it was too dark to get anything presentable and.... no water, not even pools below the bridge. I pulled off at the curve and hiked the dry creek bed up and down and, although the trees are still green, they're on the verge of turning. It's protected down there and the wind hasn't stripped the leaves from the trees so it might be good later on.

It was still early and the sun was breaking above the high cliffs so I headed North again. The trees along the Lewis and Pranty Creek are still green and turning slightly giving off a nice glow to the drive along the wash. Then I was driving alongside a calm Apache Lake with the occasional fishing boat and.... no colors. At long last along a seemingly endless washboard road, I reached the Roosevelt Dam, but it too was not very photogenic with low water levels exposing the dark gray rocks below the dam's powerhouse.

Because I was in the neighborhood, I wanted to stop in at the Tonto National Monument and view the ruins for the first time. I just missed the tour to the upper ruins so I had to be content to visit the lower ruins. After the rough drive up here, it was pleasurable to get out and hike the steep, but paved, path leading up to the alcove where the ruins are located. It was only me and a young tour guide up there, so I got the "special" tour, without interruptions.

The ruins are high along the upper cliffs providing some outstanding views of the lake and the Sierra Ancha Mountains on the other side, I was even able to spot the "Angle Wings" tailings from the Asbestos mines high on the distance ridge. Glad I got the opportunity to view the ruins without the hoards of tourists cluttering up the views.

Now it was getting to the time to decide whether to head back the long way, by way of Globe, or take the slow, rough, but scenic and shorter, Apache Trail. Scenic and shorter won hands down

I stopped again at the Fish Creek Scenic Overlook and had a lunch snack and hiked to some of the higher overlooks on the other side of the road... a short walk that was well worth the views. Maybe another week to 10 days and I'll try it again.
:FG:

Autumn Foliage Observation Light
The Cottonwood, Willow and Sycamore trees are only now at the verge of turning, needing another week or two to become colorful.

	Lewis and Pranty Creek	Dry	Dry
	No water, not even pools

_____________________

On every trip into the Superstitions, I find another Gold Mine. Today the mine was filled with Memories. I can not wait for the next trip.

Nov 28 2014

RickVincent

Guides 4
Routes 5
Photos 3,377
Triplogs 783

55 male

Joined Aug 20 2009
Mesa, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Nov 28 2014
		RickVincent • Triplogs 783

Canyoneering	4.00 Miles

Canyoneering	4.00 Miles

no routes

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no partners

For my trip home from Parker Canyon, I decided to take the Apache Trail (Hwy 88). After winding my way through the dusty road, I arrived at Fish Creek. Since I had at least 2 hours of daylight left, I parked and started my way downstream.

Plenty of color sticking around, but probably only one more good weekend to enjoy fall in the canyon.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona Sycamore

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bridge

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Theodore Roosevelt Lake

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial

_____________________

This is my gym. I have to travel down a bumpy road to get there. There are no treadmillls, no machines, and no personal trainers. I walk..I run..I breathe the fresh air. I can go any time I want, as much as I want and there is no membership fee.

Sep 04 2014

PhilMW

Photos 63
Triplogs 6

39 male

Joined May 31 2014
Mesa, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Sep 04 2014
		PhilMW • Triplogs 6

Canyoneering	4.00 Miles

Canyoneering	4.00 Miles	3 Hrs		1.33 mph
			12 LBS Pack

Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use

B - Up to light current; wading/swimming; possible wet/dry suit

no routes

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My friend Austin and I were planning a hike, and I had been wanting to get to Fish Creek at some point. I had done a bit of looking and found that this was a bit easier than the upper canyon and also wanted to stay by the creek rather going up the hill, so it was a good choice.

We got to the trail at about 9:30, and there was some cloud cover, which was very nice, especially in the hot month of August. The trail started out easy enough, and we soon ran into the creek, which seemed pretty low...though I wasn't expecting too much from it. The trail slowly dissipated into not much more than a few leftover track from previous hikers and their pets. This made for some decent bushwhacking and random creek crossings. After a while of that, the canyon opened up some to allow for easier hiking with some scrambling here and there.

Everything was so peaceful in the canyon as well...aside from all the flies buzzing around our heads. There were several moments where we stopped just to enjoy the serenity, the creek running alongside us, and the towering canyon walls.

There were a few critters we ran into while we were out there aside from the common lizards, frogs, and flies. A garter snake was on the rocks in our path enjoying a nice bit of sunbathing. He wasn't even fazed by us. We also found a red and black jumping spider crawling around. Also found a bunch of javelina track and a spot where they had bedded down recently.

We made it about one and a half to two miles - which is a bit of speculation judging from the curves we took in comparison to the map - before turning back around. The way out seemed easier, probably because we knew what to expect. Overall, I enjoyed the hike, and would like to return when it's a bit cooler, and try to make it all the way to the river.

Wildflowers Observation Light
I was fairly surprised to see as many flowers as I did.

_____________________

Mar 28 2014

Randal_Schulhauser

Guides 71
Routes 98
Photos 9,967
Triplogs 1,009

65 male

Joined May 14 2003
Ahwatukee, AZ

Apache Trail Circle Route, AZ

Hiking		Mar 28 2014
		Randal_Schulhauser • Triplogs 1,009

Hiking	8.39 Miles	590 AEG

Hiking	8.39 Miles	8 Hrs	1.05 mph
	590 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

linked

Fish Creek Hill

Fish Creek Canyon - Upper Bridge

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Tonto National Monument - Lower Dwellings

Partners

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no partners

Apache Trail with Drew & Janice - March 2014
FitBit totals = 8.39 miles, 590 AEG (59 floors)
Apache Trail circle route map

https://www.ajpl.org/The%20Apache%20Tra ... 0Route.pdf
Apache Trail official website

https://apachetrailarizona.com

Superstition Mountain Museum

https://superstitionmountainmuseum.org/elvis-chapel/

Fish Creek Hill

[ Fish Creek Hill ]

Fish Creek Upper Bridge

[ Fish Creek Canyon - Upper Bridge ]

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

[ Fish Creek Lower Canyon ]

Tonto National Monument Cliff Dwellings

[ Tonto National Monument - Lower Dwellings ]
My cousin Drew and his wife Janice came to visit Arizona from their home in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. They spent the first part of the week at the Orchards Inn (check out

https://orchardsinn.com ) before staying a few nights at our Ahwatukee home.

To give them a good "taste" of outdoor Arizona, Lynn and I had to take them on the Apache Trail Circle Route. Cudos to the rattlesnake that crossed our path on cue! Now that’s a “true” Arizona experience.

Trip had plenty of stops and starts for photo ops and exploring some side trails. Got home to sample a couple of choice wines and some New York Strips from the BBQ...

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Saguaro

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bridge

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Apache Lake Fish Creek Fish Creek Canyon Theodore Roosevelt Dam Theodore Roosevelt Lake Tonto National Monument

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

Mar 17 2014

snakemarks

Photos 2,699
Triplogs 240

female

Joined Oct 31 2007
Middle-of-Nowher

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Mar 17 2014
		snakemarks • Triplogs 240

Canyoneering	9.00 Miles	800 AEG

Canyoneering	9.00 Miles
	800 ft AEG

no routes

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no linked trail guides

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Out and back with Nick

Wildflowers Observation Light

	Fish Creek	Medium flow	Medium flow
	Water at narrow pass-through 4 miles in was over my head.

_____________________

I'm at home in the wilderness... it's civilization I have problems with!

Feb 15 2014

hikeaz

Guides 6
Photos 346
Triplogs 225

69 male

Joined May 13 2002
Tempe, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		Feb 15 2014
		hikeaz • Triplogs 225

Canyoneering	8.00 Miles	800 AEG

Canyoneering	8.00 Miles	5 Hrs	1.60 mph
	800 ft AEG

no routes

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In doing an out-and-back hike from near 88 I took a little side trip and came across a short, but very cool mini-slot that feeds into Fish from the NE.
I accessed the top of the slot after climbing over the low saddle running between Fish & this side canyon. Like I said, this slot is really short but very cool and, to me, seemingly out-of-place for this area. It IS a technical canyon insomuch as you would need rope/webbing, but is easy-peasy. http://hikearizona.com/dex2/igallery/image_page.php?id=5021

_____________________

"The censorship method ... is that of handing the job over to some frail and erring mortal man, and making him omnipotent on the assumption that his official status will make him infallible and omniscient."
George Bernard Shaw

Dec 17 2013

AZLumberjack

Guides 4
Routes 20
Photos 4,109
Triplogs 494

84 male

Joined Feb 17 2010
Apache Junction,

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 17 2013
		AZLumberjack • Triplogs 494

Hiking	2.25 Miles	100 AEG

Hiking	2.25 Miles	2 Hrs 30 Mns	0.90 mph
	100 ft AEG

no routes

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no linked trail guides

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no partners

Needed something to do today since my wife went Christmas shopping (again) and not wanting to spend the whole day doing it. I'm intrigued with the Fish Creek area but don't hear much about the lower canyon below the bridge, so I made that my goal for today.

The history surrounding Fish Creek Hill is fascinating and with almost no traffic I took my time descending, frequently stopping to take photos. The sun was still behind the Eastern Mountains as I crossed the bridge so the trees in the creek bed were still hidden in the early dawn shade. I made my way to the parking area a short distance down the road, parked the truck and donned my hiking gear.

Autumn color is still alive and well in Fish Creek Canyon with the Sycamores, Willow and Cottonwood all showing bright yellow leaves that reflected a brilliant morning sun. The creek is flowing lightly so it was easy to walk without getting my feet wet and several quiet pools along the creek reflected the colors in the canyon walls along with the yellow leaves.

The brush was thick with lots of catclaw and flood debris waiting to grab me when I was concentrating on the colors and after a mile the canyon started closing in which would force me to walk in the water. I decided against hiking in wet boots so I turned around and made my way back to the parking lot where I had a quick snack.

I drove about a mile further down the Apache Trail knowing there would be more color along the Lewis and Pranty Creek and was not disappointed at the sights along the road. Then I turned around and headed back, the traffic now picking up getting close to the noon hour. As I drove the rough narrow road carved into the face of the cliffs, I was amazed at the people who think this is an extension of a Le Mans course as they zip down the hill and around the hairpin corners. I prefer to take my time and look for wildlife that may be hanging out in this remote wilderness but saw none today. Gotta get out here more often

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Fish Creek Canyon

Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
Still a lot of color in the recesses of the canyon.

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On every trip into the Superstitions, I find another Gold Mine. Today the mine was filled with Memories. I can not wait for the next trip.

Dec 04 2013

outdoor_lover

Guides 7
Routes 72
Photos 14,456
Triplogs 627

62 female

Joined Aug 19 2011
Scottsdale, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 04 2013
		outdoor_lover • Triplogs 627

Hiking	1.00 Miles	100 AEG

Hiking	1.00 Miles
	100 ft AEG

no routes

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no linked trail guides

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no partners

In search of more Autumn Colors...Thanks to a fellow HAZer and another friend, this Trip was timed just right!!!

Started with an Incredible Sunrise outside of AJ and then pulled off a few times along the Apache Trail when the Light was trying to break through the Clouds...

Got to Fish Creek and parked at the Pullout down the Road from the Bridge and Boulder-hopped back upstream to the Bridge...Only had 3 Hours, as my Friend had to be back in town for an Appointment...Timing to finish couldn't have been better as it started to Rain on the way back up the Hill...The Lighting wasn't too good for Photography in the Canyon with Overcast Skies, but it was still a Good Day!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cottonwood Salt Cedar

Meteorology

Meteorology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Sunrise

Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
Upstream from the Bridge and from the Bridge down, about 1/4 Mile....

	Fish Creek	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	At Bridge intersecting The Apache Trail (Highway 88)

	Tortilla Creek	Light flow	Light flow
	At Intersection of Highway 88....

_____________________

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!"

Mar 20 2013

outdoor_lover

Guides 7
Routes 72
Photos 14,456
Triplogs 627

62 female

Joined Aug 19 2011
Scottsdale, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Mar 20 2013
		outdoor_lover • Triplogs 627

Hiking	3.00 Miles	300 AEG

Hiking	3.00 Miles	2 Hrs		2.00 mph
	300 ft AEG	30 Mns Break	8 LBS Pack

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

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no partners

Hit this Sweet little area on my way back from my main Hike today. Creek is flowing nicely still. Water was an odd Reddish Gold Color in spots. It appeared to be the Color of the Rocks. I wonder if Fish Creek is suffering from Golden Algae. Apache Lake had a terrible Fish Kill awhile back because of it.

I love the Apache Trail. It has to be at the very top of my favorite drives...

Messed around at the Bridge at the base of Fish Creek Hill for a bit, then enjoyed the Sunset at the Fish Creek Vista before heading home....It was a good day...

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Canyon Tree Frog

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Fish Creek

Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Very few blooms along the Creek. The Brittlebush Blooms are very heavy though on the Apache Trail starting about 5 miles this side of Canyon Lake...The Hills were covered in certain areas. Some Lupine along Apache Trail in spots....

	Fish Creek	Light flow	Light flow
	At the Junction of Highway 88 (Apache Trail) and through first 1.5 Miles of the Lower Canyon.

Lewis and Pranty Creek

Light flow

_____________________

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!"

Dec 29 2012

Road Apples

Photos 320
Triplogs 9

52 male

Joined Oct 26 2012
Mesa, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Hiking		Dec 29 2012
		Road Apples • Triplogs 9

Hiking	8.00 Miles	800 AEG

Hiking	8.00 Miles	3 Hrs	2.67 mph
	800 ft AEG

no routes

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none

no linked trail guides

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no partners

This is a very unique hike, in that there is a lot of scrambling over big boulders. This is a very pretty and unique hike. Once you get past the bridge it is fairly secluded. So it is a great quite hike.

Easier to stay to the left hand side when you get to the first boulder set. Also, even thought it is not a high elevation hike, do allow extra time because it is slow going.

Now we only went in a 2-3 miles. Did not realize there was 8 miles?

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May 14 2012

Hikergirl81

Photos 1,529
Triplogs 112

44 female

Joined Mar 03 2009
Flagstaff, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Fish Creek Lower Canyon

Phoenix, AZ

Canyoneering		May 14 2012
		Hikergirl81 • Triplogs 112

Canyoneering	8.00 Miles	800 AEG

Canyoneering	8.00 Miles
	800 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Great trip to find a swimming hole in the desert.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Canyon Tree Frog

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I don't have a computer… Not because I'm against having one. Really just hasn't been a top priority on my gear list.
I am now attempting to navigate, post, reply (etc..) this site with only an iPhone… Wish me luck!

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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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