AGUA FRIA CANYON
Agua Fria National Monument
North of Black Canyon City
You never know what you’ll encounter when visiting this amazing canyon. Sometimes, running water makes the way treacherous and/or impassible, gushing over boulders and floodplains and collecting in 10-foot-deep pools at the base of vertical basalt cliffs. During dry times, however, the canyon transforms into a rugged wash. Either way, this is not an easy hike. Here are a few photos from our November 2009 visit. ALSO SEE MY PRIOR ENTRY FOR A MORE DETAILED TRIP REPORT FROM APRIL 2005
LENGTH: 8-12 miles (optional)
RATING: easy then DIFFICULT
ELEVATION GAIN: 560 feet
GETTING THERE:
Take I-17 north past the Sunset Point rest area and then take exit 256 (Badger Springs Road). Turn right at the exit (east) and drive about a quarter of a mile to the signed Agua Fria National Monument kiosk. There are free maps and an interpretive sign there. Once you have your maps, continue down Badger Springs Road for about a mile to the obvious parking area where there is also a “Badger Springs Wash” sign. The hike starts there. No fees, no facilities, no water, no mercy…come prepared!
Posts
In June of 2008 while hiking in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest I was lucky enough to spot one of the area's re-introduced Mexican grey wolves. It was a moment I'll never forget---the beast was magnificent. To learn more about this endangered species, check out the links below. The first link features a recording of
the harmonic howling of the Bluestem Pack-- which is located south of Big Lake in eastern Arizona and consists of an alpha mating pair and several pups. It will give you goose bumps. (These photos were taken at the Phoenix Zoo---I was too stunned to get my camera in time to capture the wild wolf).
http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/es/wolf_reintroduction.shtml
http://www.mexicanwolves.org/
