Hiking in Greenlee County, Arizona

Enjoy the solitude of Arizona's high mountains, punctuated only by the whisper of winds through pine, spruce and fir on a hike in Greenlee County. The county is sparsely populated and has relatively few visitors, so you may hike all day along the county's trails without seeing another human being. Whether you're looking for a casual day hike or a multiday backpacking hike, you'll find trails that explore both nature and history within the county's boundaries.

  1. The Land of Grand Enchantment

    • The Grand Enchantment Trail passes through Greenlee County on its 700-mile route from Phoenix to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Trail segments 14 through 17 run through Greenlee County with steep mountainous hiking along elevations varying between 4,500 feet and 8,000 feet. Access the trail at the east trailhead of the Old Safford-Morenci Trail near Morenci. The trail winds along Eagle Creek and along a burro trail carved out of a canyon wall in Gold Gulch. The trail continues winding northeast through the Blue Range, following the Blue River and visiting 8,200-foot Maple Peak before exiting the state near Sunflower Mesa.

    Think Inside the Box

    • The Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area covers 23,000 acres in Greenlee and Graham counties. The Gila River area has a well-worn but unmarked trail beneath canyon walls rising more than 1,000 feet above the river. Access the trail at the Flying W Group Day Site or at the Riverview or Owl Creek campgrounds. The trail crosses the river several times -- make sure the river is less than knee-deep when crossing and be mindful of the strong current. Summer temperatures in the canyon sometimes exceed 100 degrees, so bring more drinking water than you think you'll need.

    The Biggest Tree in the Forest

    • View one of the largest Arizona cypress trees on a mile-long out-and-back hike. The hike begins at the Sardine Saddle Picnic Area along Highway 191 where a wooden sign points the way to the trailhead. The trail descends 300 feet down the west side of the saddle among pinyon and juniper trees into Whitewater Canyon. The 97-foot tree has a diameter of 181 inches and has outlasted the occupants of a woodcutter's camp just north of the tree. Old saws and axes lie around the abandoned site and the forest service maintains a "look but don't touch" policy for the artifacts.

    Signs of Past Civilizations

    • Get a taste of Greenlee County's rich history on the Painted Bluff Trail No. 13. The rocky trail begins in a stand of Arizona cypress just off Highway 191, about 19 miles north of Clifton. The 11-mile trail descends 2,000 feet over its course, dropping out of the forest into pinyon-juniper woodlands. The trail kicks off in the first 0.1 mile with an old silica mine before descending into the south fork of Woods Canyon. Scan the bluffs at the 5.5 mile mark to view petroglyphs 500 feet above the trail. Springs, waterfalls and towering cottonwood trees characterize the last half of the journey to Lower Cottonwood Corral where the trail connects to the Grand Enchantment Trail.