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This wet hike through Aravaipa Canyon wades in the creek and navigates terrain on both banks to head deep into the wild.


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Map Key

11.0

Miles

17.7

KM

Point to Point

3,079' 938 m

High

2,610' 796 m

Low

585' 178 m

Up

197' 60 m

Down

1%

Avg Grade (1°)

12%

Max Grade (7°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features Commonly Backpacked · River/Creek · Views · Wildlife

Family Friendly Water is encountered within a few hundred feet of the west trailhead. The hiking is relatively flat with good footing under the water.

A permit is required to enter the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness Area. Entry is limited to 50 people per day. No pets are permitted in the wilderness area.

Overview

Aravaipa Creek is home to gorgeous terrain that awaits only 50 hikers each day. Get your permit, get out there, and explore!

Need to Know

As a one-way, shuttled hike, you'll want to leave a car at the far trailhead at the beginning of the day. Get up and out there early, as the sun can be brutal in this area.

Description

Aravaipa Creek flows year-round, which makes this hike a treat. There are well-developed, signed trailheads at either end, and short maintained trails to access the canyon bottom. There is no official trail once you reach the canyon bottom, but often you'll find one or more social trails on the banks. Overall, the general route is obvious, so you shouldn't have any problems.

Expect to get your feet wet, as the easiest progress is frequently by wading in the creek or by crossing from one bank to the other. Don't bother with waterproof boots because the water level will typically be over your boot tops. From the west end, the canyon starts relatively open but narrows down at about the 2 mile point, which is near the confluence with Hell's Half Acre Canyon.

Contacts

Shared By:

hdjohnson

Trail Ratings

  4.9 from 9 votes

#877

Overall
  4.9 from 9 votes
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Recommended Route Rankings

#48

in Arizona

#877

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1,628 Since Nov 26, 2017
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Photos

Looking east
Nov 12, 2021 near Mammoth, AZ
View from the trail.
Dec 13, 2021 near Mammoth, AZ
Looking north
Nov 12, 2021 near Mammoth, AZ
Looking north
Nov 12, 2021 near Mammoth, AZ
Looking east
Nov 12, 2021 near Mammoth, AZ
Looking east
Nov 12, 2021 near Mammoth, AZ
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Current Trail Conditions

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