G.E.T.
Guidebook
Segment 22: Middle & East Fork Gila River 23.9
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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23.9
mi.
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385
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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 60-62
Town Guide: Gila Hot Springs
Water Chart
Image Gallery: Album
7 |
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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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.
Alternate beginning access point: Continue straight at t-junction 0.5 mi., passing GCDNM Visitor's Center (water/restroom) to small lot at trailhead for Middle Fork Trail 157, which is MP 1.3 in this segment.
*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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FR 150 at Trail 707 trailhead. Join NM 35 north per Beginning Access Point "asterisked" directions. Follow NM 35 past community of Mimbres to Mimbres Ranger Station and continue ~5 miles to signed turnoff for FR 150 on right. Follow graded dirt FR 150 approx. 24 miles to Alternate ending access point at trailhead for Trail 708 by old corral on left side of road, at MP 22.3 of this segment. Or continue on FR 150 1 mile farther via continuation of GET route in this segment, and turn right on signed 2WD FR 61 to Me Own fire/helitack site. Follow road clockwise around admin. site building and pass through gate by corral (toilet and water spigot nearby). Continue via 2-track 0.25 mi. to small turnout by Aldo Leopold Wilderness boundary at Trail 707.
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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
Brief encounters with scenic canyons of Middle and East Fork Gila River early in segment. Lightfeather Hot Spring en route. Six fords of Middle Fork, knee-thigh deep in spring, gentler/lower by autumn; convenient, short bypass route available during times of high water. Single ford of East Fork basically unavoidable - gentlest of three Gila forks, generally quite shallow, rarely problematic. Canyon of Diamond Creek beyond involves a few dozen fords of minor creek. Brief x-c to little-used pack trails in juniper-ponderosa parks - prime elk habitat - culminate in extended walk up mellow Tom Moore Canyon, often dry except for likely-perennial slot canyon portion of drainage below route. FR 150 divides Gila Wilderness and Aldo Leopold Wilderness - a quiet walk with no useful hitchhiking prospects except in an emergency (to NM 35 - Lake Roberts or Mimbres, etc).
ROUTE
DETAILS
Community of Gila Hot Springs is 3 mile walk S via NM 15 from MP 0.8. Doc Campbell's Post first business on left. Free camping available on FS land, S side of hwy before reaching town, along Little Creek - find use trail on E side of hwy bridge over creek.
Gila Cliff Dwellings NM visitor's center has developed water, restrooms, pay phone, picnic table.
If Middle Fork Trail 157 has problematic first ford, backtrack to trailhead and turn left, continuing up road into vehicle-restricted area. Unsigned trail begins at small horse corral on left - pass through corral. Climbs ridge to mesa, then turns north. (Westbounders ignore left fork at unsigned junction before descending off mesa.) Rejoin main route at trail sign at 3.4 (continue straight). (Westbounders, watch for signed junction, and turn right to remain on main route, or keep straight to follow Highwater Bypass.)
Rocky switchbacking ascent to North Mesa. Trail sign at 4.7 doesn't seem to face quite the right way, but bear right at fork here onto Trail 804 (don't continue to White Rocks). North Tank is unreliable stock pond skirted by trail. Steep, rocky descent off mesa on vague but cairned trail; Adobe Spring often dry where first encounter drainage, but pools often present lower down. Turn right (south) following de facto trail along W side of East Fork Gila River (continuation of Tr 804, not on route, unsigned and not obvious). (Westbounders turn left (west) up obvious drainage of Adobe Canyon at 7.7; at first bend, avoid game trail(s) that climb steeply out of drainage.)
Single, easy ford of East Fork Gila River. Nearby cottonwoods, camping. Trail becomes vague but bears east through wire fence opening in old corral near 8.2. Another trail may remain with East Fork, but beaten path usu. continues east with drainage of Diamond Creek. (Westbounders, don't continue with Diamond Creek all the way to confluence; bear west across open meadow to pass through old wire fenceline/corral.) Social trail in Diamond Creek canyon, unnamed/unsigned but look for where any recent pack animals have beaten down vegetation; sometimes overgrown with grasses by autumn and basically cross-country, but navigation remains obvious. Diamond Creek flow more reliable farther up drainage; travel easier; fords frequent but shallow/gentle. Good camping prospects.
After temporarily
exiting Gila Wilderness at 11.8 (waypoint 068) (old fence
across drainage now falling down; gate along N bank), watch for
first flat-floored side drainage on right and turn up it, x-c,
with short easy pour-offs/steps. Eventually becomes wide, sandy
wash. At 13.3 or just before, note trail on right
(south) leading up side drainage - unsigned Trail 713. Keep straight
at next unmarked junction, ascending minor ridge. Bear right at
next junction on ridge and DO NOT follow the more obvious trail
left (if you find yourself heading east at all, then you missed
this junction and are on the wrong trail). Trail 713 now descends
a little to the head off unnamed drainage, then turns left (southwest)
down it. Reaches confluence of drainages at dry Long Canyon Tank
(former stock impoundment). Continuation of Tr 713 per base map
data unfollowable. Instead, keep right (west) of tank and follow
down drainage with vague tread. Keep an eye out for trail that
bears sharp left, crossing drainage to south side (waypoint 072)
and DO NOT continue straight toward another network of drainages.
Our trail climbs southeast over grassy bench to Tom Moore Canyon.
If no water in drainage just below trail, continue down it x-c
somewhat roughly to start of slot portion within half mile for
likely pools. Slot is non-technical but difficult farther down,
esp. on return up canyon. (Westbounders, after passing Middle
Tom Moore Well/broken windmill, then old corral, look for vague
trail slabbing west-northwest out of canyon among grasses and
don't continue on Trail 708, nor in drainage except in search
of water.)
Trail 708
in Tom Moore Canyon easy and straightforward, with camping, but
dry except for small seasonal impoundment (no cows) north side
of trail, west of 21.6. Exit Gila Wilderness
for good at 21.6, which is first of three fencelines/gates between
here and trailhead. Trail becomes old 2-track approaching trailhead.
FR 150 graded 2WD, but very little vehicle use. Turn right at
road sign onto FR 61 to Me Own fire/helitack site. Ignore sign
for Trail 707 at cattle guard and continue on road, clockwise
around modular building / fire base (westbounders counter-clockwise).
Vault toilet here by corral with spigot. Pass through gate and
continue on 2-track road to Aldo Leopold Wilderness boundary at
trailhead turnout.
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