G.E.T.
Guidebook
Segment 21: West Fork Gila River 18.0
miles
 Guidebook
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Segment
Length
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from
PHX
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to
ABQ
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Segment
Status
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Season
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18.0
mi.
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372
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finalized
& accessible
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spring,
summer, fall
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| Resources |
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OVERVIEW
MAP
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ELEVATION
PROFILE
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G.E.T. Topo Maps 57-60
Water Chart
Image Gallery: Album
6 |
Additional
maps:
Gila
National Forest (USFS)
Gila Wilderness (USFS)
visit
PLIC website
Land management agencies:
Gila
NF Wilderness Ranger District: (575) 536-2250
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| Beginning
access point |
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Ending
access point |
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Trail
151 at White Creek Administrative Site. This
segment begins within the Gila Wilderness, at a remote location
accessible only on foot or horseback. For the nearest vehicle
access to the east, see the Ending Access Point for this
segment, at right.
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NM
15 at TJ Corral trailhead. From
Silver City NM, follow NM 15 north (narrow and winding,
with some steep grades*) 43 miles to t-junction and turn
left on road signed for Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument.
TJ Corral trailhead is 0.8 mi. ahead on the right, with
free, long-term parking available. Or continue another 0.8
mi. to road's end at visitor's parking lot for Gila Cliff
Dwellings, with developed water and alternate access into
Segment 21 from here.
*Those
wishing to avoid mountainous portions of NM 15 can instead
use NM 35: turn north onto Highway 152 from Highway 180
at Santa Clara, NM. Follow 152 to the junction with 35 and
follow 35 to the junction w/15.
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PLEASE NOTE: THIS CHAPTER REMAINS UNFINISHED. SEGMENT OVERVIEW AND ROUTE DETAILS INFO BELOW ARE IN DRAFT FORM AND HIGHLIGHT ONLY THE ESSENTIALS NEEDED FOR NAVIGATING THIS SEGMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TOPO MAP SET.
SEGMENT
OVERVIEW
Main route follows sheer, serpentine, pinnacled canyon of W Fork Gila River for 16 miles, with option to detour to Gila Cliff Dwellings beyond or remain on main route for 2 more miles above river to TJ Corral trailhead. 50+ fords of river en route, knee-thigh deep in wet spring, or ankle-shin deep in fall or dry spring. Current not usu. major concern, but some of the earlier fords (eastbound) can be a bit slippery underfoot. Water can be quite cold during snowmelt or in late fall. Navigation straightforward; trail fords, then heads back into bordering riparian woods, sometimes vague or washed out following floods.
Highwater
Bypass route avoids all but one ford of W Fork Gila River at White
Creek Admin Site, not usually problematic. Route is leisurely
on mesas, in open pine forest with limited views, but quite dry
with only occasional water in area tanks/ponds some distance off
trail. Feeder trails off Bypass route connect with main route;
one heads up from Hell Hole area, intended for eastbounders who've
lost interest in fording, or westbounders in need of water at
river. Other feeder uses CDTS route, mainly for westbounders,
or eastbounders planning to visit the Cliff Dwellings; involves
several river fords for westbounders before joining.
ROUTE
DETAILS
To follow
Highwater Bypass involves one ford of W
Fork Gila River from White Creek Admin Site (Bypass
begins at end of Seg 20).
Main GET follows
Tr 151 south from White Creek Admin Site passes meadowy camp sites,
then fords river to meet junction. Bear left at sign (right is
former route along river in this area, now abandoned). After well-graded
climb to a bench, gradual descent back to river at 1.8.
Now begins routine fording at frequent intervals. (Westbounders
ignore side trail marked "Dead End" on your left just
before 1.9.) Bear right at signed jct at 3.7,
or left to join Bypass route. Good camp just before 4.3.
(Westbounders bear left, remaining on Tr 151.) Camping
and water never far away continuing eastbound.
Cliff dwelling (waypoint 21090) on eastbounder's right, south side of canyon, heavily weathered, not part of GCD National Monument proper. Might be approachable with care via rough use trail.
CDTS route
(northbound) at 14.5, after several fords for
westbounders; connects with Highwater Bypass following prolonged,
fairly shadeless ascent out of canyon. Occasional camps between
here and 16.0 on main route; trail (and river!) recently relocated
in places due to flooding.
At 16.0,
Trail 792 continues in canyon bottom to trailhead (previously
without fords en route but now requiring two as of 2010 due to
flooding) and access to Gila Cliff Dwelling NM. Dwellings accessible
via short paved loop trail during Nat Mon daily operating hours
only (generally until 4:30 or 5pm). First time visitors should
plan not to miss this side trip. (Continue down paved NM 15 thereafter
to rejoin main route at segment's end.) Main route from 16.0 climbs
a bit out of the W Fork drainage, contouring along grassy hillsides
and side canyons to TJ Corral trailhead. Vault toilet at trailhead;
developed water and toilet at GCD contact station along side route
to Cliff Dwellings. Upper & Lower Scorpion camp/picnic grounds
along NM 15 in this area intended for car campers. Lower Scorpion
has short interpretive trail leading to interesting pictographs,
as well as a separate, small dwelling or granary in a side canyon.
ELEVATION
PROFILE:
WEST FORK HIGHWATER BYPASS |
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