Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Eagle Creek is a 58.5-mile-long river located 50 miles northwest of Clifton, Arizona, United States, at the base of the White Mountain Range. It is a tributary of the Gila River.

The 23,000-acre Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area includes four perennial waterways, the Gila and San Francisco rivers and Bonita and Eagle creeks. This region is a very special riparian ecosystem abounding with plant and animal diversity. Impressive Gila Conglomerate cliffs tower more than 1,000 feet above the Gila River, and bighorn sheep are commonly spotted. Bonita Creek, a key tributary of the Gila River, is lined with large cottonwoods, sycamores, and willows.

Black Hills rockhound area is located on the north side of Arizona route 191, between Safford and Clifton, about 18 miles north of Safford.This rockhound area makes a great day adventure for rock collectors. The principal attraction for rock collectors here is fire agate. Fire agate is a relatively new gemstone, only identified and formally recognized in the 1930s. It has the color play of precious opal with gem quality reds, greens, and blues.

Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area has many cliffs, canyons, and historical sites to explore. This 23,000-acre BLM property is in eastern Arizona. Within the conservation area, the Gila and San Francisco rivers flow through the area in addition to Bonita and Eagle Creeks. Hiking, rafting, wildlife viewing, and much more await Gila Box visitors.

Guthrie Peak is the highest point of the Black Hills, the northern extension of the Peloncillo Mountains in eastern Arizona. It isn’t a major Arizona summit. However, it does enjoy a prominence of over 2,000’, making it a worthwhile destination in its own right. Although it is far from any major Arizona cities. The summit is easily accessible because it starts right off US-191 and has a road to the top. For this reason, Guthrie Peak can be hiked any time of year.

The Clifton Townsite Historic District, in Clifton, Arizona, is a 37-acre historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.It is historically significant as "a largely intact area within Clifton, a copper mining town in eastern Arizona which developed between 1870 and 1930. The district is significant...for its association with the early copper mining and smelting operations in that region and with the town which grew to support those operations.