Aravaipa Canyon Backpack
Guided Backpacking Trips
3 Days, 2 Nights 20MI / 32KM
Trip Highlights
Discover the wonder of an unlikely oasis in the Arizona desert! On our Aravaipa Canyon backpacking trip we will venture deep into the towering walls and spring-fed creeks of Arizona’s best kept secret. Guaranteed solitude due to limited numbers of people permitted in the canyon at a time, we’ll hike beneath Cottonwood, Sycamore and Ash trees lining a spring-fed desert creek, watch for desert wildlife and learn about the amazing natural and cultural history of the area. This trip is an excellent “add-on” to a longer visit to the Southwest, or a wonderful stand-alone adventure on its own.
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Stunning Desert Oasis
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Unique Wildlife
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Refreshing Creek
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Amazing History
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Vivid Night Skies
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Desert Solitude
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
3 Days, 2 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
Up to 10 miles -
Group Size
4-6 Guests
Receive a PDF info packet via email which includes:
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This is a backcountry hike so we’re trekking with multi-day backpacks. The maximum hiking distance is 10 miles, but that would be on a day hike with light backpacks. Much of the hiking on this trip is in water, and it can be hot.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
Shuttle: 2.5 hours
Hiking Distance: 5+ miles
Elevation Gain: 250 feet
We will leave early from the hotel in Phoenix and make our way through scenic desert landscapes to our trailhead. Our hike begins as we enter Aravaipa Canyon. We will quickly come to the creek, put on our water shoes, and begin hiking in and out of the water. Watching out for wildlife, looking for signs of ancient inhabitants, and admiring the 700′ tall walls (with Saguaros standing atop them like spectators waving at us) we will continue along the creek to our campsite. We’ll set up camp and settle in to this amazing setting over a delicious, backcountry dinner prepared by your guide.
Day 2
Hiking Distance: 10 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 300 feet
Today is all about fun and exploration. After a tasty breakfast, we’ll head east along the creek, exploring side canyons as we go. We’ll admire the hanging gardens and unique flora, and watch for an array of wildlife that flock to this riparian desert paradise. Potential wildlife include Bighorn Sheep, Javalina, Mule Deer, frogs, lizards, snakes, fish and a variety of birds. Eventually we’ll return to camp, celebrate our special day with another backcountry feast, and lay our heads down to the soft murmur of the creek washing over sand and rocks.
Day 3
Hiking Distance: 5+ miles
Elevation Loss: 250 feet
Shuttle: 2.5 hours
On our final day, we will have a leisurely morning and a big breakfast. We’ll break camp and hike back out the way we came in. A relaxing drive back to Phoenix will cap off our trip before we say our fond farewells.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Roundtrip transportation from Phoenix, Arizona to the trailhead and back
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Aravaipa Canyon wilderness permits
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
Tent Camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
In the Action
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
Unless we tell you otherwise, you will meet your guide and group at the SpringHill Suites Phoenix Tempe/Airport Hotel for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. The tour will depart from this same hotel the morning of Day 1.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Phoenix
This trip begins and ends in Phoenix, Arizona. With direct flights from many major cities around the US, Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix is one of the most convenient airports to fly into in the American West.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
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