CHRISTOPHER CREEK BOX CANYON

UPDATE: April 2013--see recent hiker comments at the bottom of this post for possible alternative access.  

September 2012 UPDATE:

Road construction on AZ260 continues to restrict access.

Do not try to hike in through the Boy Scout Camp, it is private property and hikers have reported being stopped and turned away. “THE BOX” Christopher Creek Canyon There’s always a lot of woopin’ and a hollerin’ at this favorite summertime swimmin’ hole where the scene on any given weekend is a collision of Andy Griffith-esque country charm and the Nine Inch Nails crowd. Cooler-toting baby boomers in plaid Bermuda shorts and white socks mingle with young people in butt-crack-bearing swim trunks to cool off in the clear water and fresh, pine-scented air of Christopher Creek box canyon. For millions of years, the spring-fed waters of Christopher Creek that spill from the base of the Mogollon Rim, have sculpted the rose-tinted ramparts that flank the gorge and funnel water into slippery chutes, churning rapids and low-flow channels awash in swirls of pine needle litter. The most spectacular section of the gorge is less than a mile in length and can be fully explored by those who don’t mind boulder hopping, minor hand-over-foot climbing, wading and swimming. However, most of the action takes place at the head of the canyon where the sun-warmed escarpments fill up quickly with sunbathers and weekend warriors. So, if you’re looking for solitude---try a visiting on a Tuesday. HIGHLIGHTS: Canyon-bound outdoor “spa”. LENGTH: 1.25 miles roundtrip RATING: moderate-difficult ELEVATION: 5,680 – 5,400 feet DRIVING DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX: 120 miles GETTING THERE: From Payson, go east on Highway 260 for 19 miles. Between mileposts 271 and 272, look for a dirt turnoff on the south (right) side of the road. Watch that rut! NOTE: a visitor in July 2011 reports that, due to road construction in the area, this parking area is off limits (see comment below).  According to ADOT, road maintenance on SR260 is causing traffic slow downs and lane restrictions,

so I suspect that the uproar may be due to parked vehicles blocking the flow of traffic or getting in the way of dozers. The road project is scheduled to run thru December 2011. Please leave a comment if you encounter drama at the trailhead.  FOR CURRENT ROAD CONDITIONS:

http://www.az511.gov/adot/files/

INFORMATION: refer to the Tonto National Forest map