Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area

About Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area

The 23,000-acre Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area is a year-round desert oasis.It includes four perennial waterways: the Gila and San Francisco rivers as well as Bonita and Eagle creeks. This region is a very special riparian ecosystem abounding with plant and animal diversity. A canyon section, known as the Gila Box, is composed of patchy mesquite woodlands, mature cottonwoods, and sandy beaches. Impressive Gila Conglomerate cliffs tower more than 1,000 feet above the Gila River, and bighorn sheep are commonly spotted. Bonita Creek, a key tributary of the Gila River, is lined with large cottonwoods, sycamores, and willows.Lower water affords hikers the opportunity to safely enjoy the scenic canyon. Numerous prehistoric and historical structures can be viewed. A network of primitive roads provides hours of backcountry adventure for four-wheel-drive and mountain bike trekkers. Hot springs, river rafting, birdwatching, and miles of trails make this area popular among those in the know.Canoeing, kayaking, and rafting enthusiasts take advantage of the spring runoff to enjoy an easy to moderately difficult floating adventure down the Gila. Many people also float the river in inflatable kayaks during the low water of the summer.The Bonita Creek Watchable Wildlife Viewing Area provides a bird’s-eye view of the riparian canyon below, with over 100 species of birds recorded here. It is accessible and has numerous interpretive displays and shade shelters.A homestead cabin, rock art and cliff dwellings, show evidence of the occupation of this important perennial stream by earlier inhabitants. Developed campgrounds include the 13-unit Riverview Campground and the seven-unit Owl Creek Campground. Each has tables, shade structures, grills, bathrooms, and trash cans. Riverview also has potable water.Safety and ConditionsSummer temperatures can be extremely hot, and some winter days quite cold. Flooding may occur during winter and summer rainy seasons, as well as during

How to Get There

You can usually get to major access points by passenger car, but other roads may be rough at times because of infrequent maintenance. You will need a four-wheel-drive vehicle on many roads. Check with the Safford Field Office for up-to-date road conditions.WEST SIDE: From Safford, travel 5 miles east on State Highway 70 to Solomon. Turn left on the Sanchez Road and follow that to the end of the pavement. Follow signs to Bonita Creek.EAST SIDE: From Safford take US 70 east 10 miles to AZ 191. Follow 191 north 29 miles to milepost 160. Turn left on Black Hills Back Country Byway and follow signs four miles.

Plan Your Visit to Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area

Heading to Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)