Eagle Creek

Description:
he first few miles downstream from the trailhead are easy going, but the going gets rougher as you approach the Gila. In the dry season, the trail rating going downstream is 2.5 at the start increasing to 3.5 as you near the Gila. Add half a point for coming back upstream climbing the sandbanks. Sand along Eagle Creek ranges from fine silt to volleyball-sized particles. The ride is quite rough on the lower section. Stock 4x4s can make the trip, but wide tires and low air pressure are extremely useful.
The lower sections of Eagle Creek are becoming quite brushy as the time since the 1993 floods increases. The stands of cottonwood, willow and tamarisk growing in the streambed are becoming progressively thicker and taller. They will give the Arizona pinstriping on your truck a nice burnishing.

Remember to Tread lightly!

How to Get There:

To reach the Eagle Creek trailhead: From Safford, follow AZ 191 North along US 70 East. Turn left onto AZ 191 North toward Clifton/Morenci. AZ 191 takes another left turn before you arrive in Clifton. Continue through Clifton and up the hill to Morenci. At the traffic light at the top of the hill, turn right still following AZ 191 North. About a mile past the mine and above the tunnel, the road to lower Eagle Creek turns off to the left. The mine has been rearranging the landscape in this area so both the road and the sign (if any) are likely to be temporary. Follow this graded dirt road a few miles down Gold Gulch into the Eagle Creek valley. The road follows the aquaduct from the Phelps Dodge pumping station in Eagle Creek. Driving time from Tucson is about three hours. Gas is available in Safford, Clifton and Morenci. When you get to Eagle Creek, turn left and proceed downstream. Watch for vehicles and mining equipment in the first half mile. (The road continues across Eagle Creek and into the San Carlos Indian Reservation.) This 10-mile section of Eagle Creek down to the Gila River is owned by Phelps Dodge --- woodcutting and hunting are not permitted.