Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness - Arizona

Aravaipa Creek

Looking down into Turkey Creek

Turkey Creek ruins

 We did this trip on a spring break back in March of 2003. It was our back-up plan after not being able to secure a backcountry permit for a second trip to the Grand Canyon. This hike required a permit for an overnight backpacking trip as well, but was easy to get even though the number of people allowed was very small. Since we were coming from New Mexico, we were using the much more lightly utilized east entrance into the Aravaipa Canyon  Wilderness. First, we car camped at Turkey Creek, a major tributary to Aravaipa, just outside the wilderness boundary. There were a few other campers in there, but we managed to squeeze into a tight little spot. We did a hike the next day looking for the Turkey Creek cliff dwelling ruin. We wandered all around up a side canyon and onto the plateau above the creek trying to find it. On the way back down we found it more or less hiding in plain sight on a wide ledge above the main canyon.

The next day we started our walk into Aravaipa. The crystal clear creek was cold, but usually no more than shin deep We saw many unfamiliar fish scurrying around our ankles.There were large alcoves and sandy banks at stream level, and high above us the myriad of wrinkled hoodoos and cliffs of pink conglomerate and volcanic rocks. The going was pretty slow as much of walking was in the water initially, but finally there was enough of a bank to have a streamside path. We pitched our tent at the first place that was wide enough and flat enough to camp, even though we were hardly off the trail. I don't recall if we stayed one or two nights, but we did do a long day hike downstream, maybe making it as far as Horse Camp Canyon for our picnic. Although the main canyon was certainly spectacular enough, in retrospect I wish I had known more about exploring some of the side creeks, especially Hell Hole Valley which is almost entirely a slot canyon.

 I do remember something that  I will never forget. In the morning after eating breakfast, I wandered a short ways downstream from our camp, when a large (well since I'd never witnessed one before it certainly seemed large) rockfall came tumbling down from the cliffs. At first I didn't know what was happening, there was just the tremendous sound echoing like thunder off of the cliffs. Then came the boulders, the largest one of which was well over my head and came to rest right at the stream's edge, the smaller rocks, and all the orange dust. I was probably less than 200 feet away, and the whole scene certainly put an idea in my mind about how bad things of all kinds can happen in the wilderness . . .

 It had been pleasantly warm during our whole trip so far but as we got back to our vehicle we noticed a chill in the air. By the time we got to Lordsburg to get gas, it was wretchedly windy and the temperature was in the thirties. The whole region was in a cold snap. If we had packed out even a few hours later that morning we would have been freezing with our wet feet and summertime clothes.

Aravaipa Canyon is an amazing, awe inspiring place. Writing about it now, I want to go back.