28 March 2019 ARAVAIPA CANYON IS LOCATED two and a half hours southeast of Phoenix, Arizona and one hour north of Tucson. A pristine creek weaves through the canyon and is home to 100 butterfly species, 400 bird species, 93 mammals, 47 amphibians and reptiles. There are beautiful vista views at every turn and the creek winding through the canyon forms a natural riparian habitat with old sycamore trees, cottonwood, and natural grasses. The spectacular canyon of Aravaipa Creek can be explored from either end, though the easier access means that most people begin from the western trailhead, along a side road off Hwy 77. There are many areas suitable for camping, facilitating multi-day trips, but probably the most popular option is a day hike exploring just the first few miles, though traversing the whole canyon (a round trip of 21 miles), is possible for strong hikers in one day. The majority of visitors enter Aravaipa Canyon from the west, since the access road is shorter and fine for regular vehicles, though not large RVs. Aravaipa Road forks eastwards off Highway 77 between Mammoth and Dudleyville, initially crossing empty, public land offering some free camping places, and becoming unpaved as it enters the mouth of the canyon, continuing through mostly private land for the next 8 miles. The road becomes more winding and narrow four miles from the end and climbs up and down a few steep sections crossing the hills a little way up the north side of the valley rather than following the flat canyon floor. A ranger station is three miles from the end, and after that, the route is somewhat rougher. Trailhead parking is on a flat bench 120 feet above the canyon floor where the road is closed by a gate. The east trailhead is accessed from Highway 70 between Safford and Bylas on a 46- mile dirt road that has creek crossings without bridges. High clearance vehicles are necessary to negotiate the creek crossings in order to reach the east trailhead and that the road is often impassable due to flash flooding. Several factors explain why Aravaipa is an especially popular destination. Access, although along winding, partly unpaved roads, is still relatively straightforward, and the ten- mile hike all the way through the gorge has a BLM-maintained trailhead at either end. The canyon system is large enough to allow multi-day trips, and there are plenty of sheltered, level locations for camping, a safe distance from the creek. Aravaipa has no obstructions such as swimming pools or dry falls that are often found in desert canyons, so the place can be explored quite easily - trails run beside the creek for most of the way, and the deepest water to be waded is usually just a few inches, though flash floods do sometimes occur. Also, the canyon is quite unspoiled, with no development in the deepest ten-mile section, although houses and farmland are found in the wider parts up and downstream. The Aravaipa watershed was occupied by hunters and gatherers starting about 9,500 years ago during Archaic Period, and later by Mogollon, Hohokam, and Saladoan peoples. The Hohokam and Salado were traditionally agricultural people who lived in pithouse villages and had a complex social organization. The limited amount of space available in the canyon bottom was suitable for seasonal use but precluded extensive agriculture. People used a wide variety of plant resources from Travel southeast to enjoy hiking, birding and spectacular views... ARAVAIPA CANYON