After more than 60 trips into Aravaipa Canyon, there are a few things we’ve learned that aren’t obvious before your first visit.
1. Plan on walking about 1.5 miles per hour
Aravaipa is almost flat. It is also slow.
You’re walking through water, gravel, cobble and brush, with no established trail for much of the canyon.
For planning purposes, 1.5 miles per hour is a good assumption. Sometimes you’ll move faster. Often you won’t.
2. Make water instead of carrying it
Aravaipa Creek flows through the canyon year-round, so we generally don’t carry liters of water while hiking.
When we’re thirsty, we stop and make some.
See our guide to drinking and treating water in Aravaipa Canyon for the system we use.
3. Your shoes matter more than you might think
Your feet are going to get wet.
We recommend closed-toe, non-waterproof shoes that drain well, plus low gaiters to keep gravel out.
See our Aravaipa footwear guide for the details.
4. Dress for sun, water and brush
Think lightweight, breathable and quick-drying—not waterproof.
A wide-brimmed hat, sun shirt and lightweight pants or shorts work well for most trips.
See our guide to what to wear in Aravaipa Canyon.
5. Bring trekking poles—even if you don’t normally use them
They help with slippery creek crossings and uneven footing.
They are also useful when you encounter a rattlesnake. A trekking pole gives you something long to keep between yourself and the snake while you create distance.
6. For wildlife, be out early and late
If seeing wildlife matters to you, try to be deep in the canyon around sunrise and sunset.
Those are consistently the most productive hours in our experience.
7. Don’t smell like laundry
If you want to see wildlife, skip perfume, cologne and strongly scented toiletries.
We also avoid clothing that smells strongly of detergent or fabric softener.
The less you smell like a human household, the better.
8. Scorpions don’t seem to like inflatable sleeping pads
We’ve encountered plenty of scorpions in Aravaipa.
One useful observation: we have never seen one climb onto one of our inflatable sleeping pads.
We still check our bedding, shoes and gear. But the slick surface of an inflatable pad appears to be a useful barrier.
9. Leave cold drinks in the car
Before heading into the canyon, put a cooler with cold drinks in your vehicle.
A good-quality cooler has easily kept things cold long enough for our Aravaipa trips.
Coming back to an ice-cold drink after a few days in the canyon is disproportionately wonderful.
10. Coming from far away? Spend a night nearby
If you’re entering from the west side and have a long drive, consider staying at the Aravaipa Orchard Inn before or after your trip.
It’s a charming little place near the canyon, and they’ll even deliver dinner to your casita by ATV.
That is a pretty good way to begin—or end—an Aravaipa trip.
