Canyon De Nada
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| | Difficulty:3A V (v3a1 V) Raps:1, max ↨80ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:4WD - High Clearance Rock type:conglomerate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 10 Feb 2018
"Day one we hiked to Bonita Creek, dropped camping gear and hiked up to descend the canyon and return to camp in about seven hours and 15 miles of hiki |
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| Best season: | winter, BEST in fall
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33.0379, -109.5568
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WaterflowIntroduction[edit]
Though the canyon described was a big disappointment, Bonita Creek is a nice, lush, wild riparian area and the two canyons along the way on the approach (Johnny Creek and Midnight Canyon) have short, pretty sections of narrows. Canyon De Nada itself only narrows for a short distance before its one rappel and the confluence with Bonita Creek and on its own is not really worth doing - especially considering all the effort it takes to get to and from the area. However, if you are backpacking in the area of Bonita Creek and have the time to spend on a side trip (and the energy to lug technical gear all the way out there), I suppose you could do worse.
From AZ70 in Safford turn left (north) on N 8th Ave just west of mile marker 339. After 1.6 miles bear right at a Y-split onto Airport Road, then left onto Aviation Way after another 4.3 miles, to then immediately turn left again onto Solomon Pass Rd which turns to dirt after about three miles. At the 7.1 mile mark bear right to stay on the main road, then bear left after 7.8 miles to turn onto Salt Trap Rd. After another 1.9 miles turn left onto Bonita Rim Rd to park at a small turnout on the right after 3.5 miles signed for the Safford-Morenci Trailhead west. The trail is also the 13th segment of the Grand Enchantment Trail, a 770 mile trail that connects Phoenix all the way to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Approach[edit]
Follow the well marked trail as it winds its way through the country side on the way towards Bonita Creek. The trail is obvious and easy in the beginning (though likely to be a bit overgrown as it was for us) and even travels a road before becoming less distinct as you make your way down Johnny Creek. There are a few bypass trails farther down that take you high out of Johnny Creek for no good reason if the creek is dry, take the bypasses or stay in the drainage bottom at your discretion. There is one vertical challenge in this drainage of about 10 feet in a nice section of narrows that can be down climbed (have a rope handy for a hand line just in case) by sending your best climber first, then handing down packs and spotting for the rest of the group. If you really don't want to deal with this section the official trail bypasses around it at a marked route on the left. At about 7.7 miles you will reach Bonita Creek, which is teeming with life and quite wild, so much so that we never found anything resembling a real trail in the area.
Travel along the creek is slowed because of this as you hike over and around downed trees, through thick stands of cattails and hunt for the best spots to cross the creek - which in most spots is quite shallow. There are flat spots to set up camp if you look around a bit, but the area doesn't appear to get much use and there isn't anything that established. If traveling onto descend Canyon De Nada you will need to cross the creek and hike south to reach Midnight Canyon which is easily located as a large gap in the cliff walls on the east side of the creek. Hike up through Midnight Canyon which has a scenic section of red-walled narrows before opening up, then traveling on another road for a bit as it goes up the canyon. Leave the road where it makes a sharp turn out of the canyon to stay in the main drainage which becomes a demoralizing, sandy slog. After hiking up Midnight Canyon for about 3 miles you will need to cross over a small saddle by heading north west to reach the upper drainage of Canyon De Nada.
Descent[edit]
As the name may imply, there isn't much to describe here - the canyon doesn't do anything at all until shortly before dropping into the creek, though where it does, it has a very short section of nice enough conglomerate narrows that lead to a single drop that must be rappelled. The drop is about 80 feet and is anchored from a large deadman anchor on the right. Shortly after this drop the canyon meets Bonita Creek.
Exit[edit]
The area where both Midnight Canyon and Johnny Creek meet Bonita Creek is about two miles south from the confluence of Canyon De Nada, hike south along the creek wherever it is clear to reach either your camp site or the trail for the exit. While hiking this section is a bit slow, it is beautiful and pristine with tall cliff walls, trees and the lovely, perennial Bonita Creek itself. About halfway down this section is the Old Lady Gay cabin site on the left - the informational sign is fairly easy to spot. Return the same way you came in following Johnny Creek back up to the Safford-Morenci Trail. The one vertical challenge in the narrows of Johnny Creek isn't any more difficult going up than it is going down - there are a few good holds on the right wall (canyon left) that assist with the climb.
Red tape[edit]
All areas described are within the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management - no fees required for use.
