Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area in Safford

Love this Beautiful Place. So quiet you can hear nature and the Amazing sound of the water flowing!

Lemurs.

The pictures do not do this gorgeous place justice. Absolutely breathtaking. Endless things to do & trails to explore, whether on foot, car, or in a 4 wheeler. So glad entry is free (for day hiking). A must go if youre in the area.I only wish I could find more information about the trails & best places to swim.

It was so gorgeous

We went kayaking on the river. So beautiful. We had such a great time. We saw two softshell turtles. There were a bunch if cows about 12 miles downstream which got dangerous at one point. Towards mile 20 or 21 there was a pretty serious rapid that shoots you into a wall and pulls the boat down hard. If anyone finds my prescription sunglasses lmk. Theyre blue.

Gorgeous, unspoiled scenery! We hiked the Cottonwood Trail, which starts at the wildlife viewing area. It’s a 2.5 mile loop with some great views! There is a parking lot there, and the trail is rocky but easy. Even just driving through the preserve was an amazing experience since we practically had the place to ourselves. Highly recommend!

The Gila River flows through this beautiful area with outstanding views and opportunities for hiking, camping, day use and natural history pursuits.

Always a great piece of this awesome Earth! Monsoons, Bonita Creek running steady! Turn around dont drown!

Beautiful place!

Went kayaking with a group. Water level too low but still had fun and got a work out. Who needs cross fit?

Beautiful!!! Good clean campgrounds. Bathrooms!

Lot of fun for the whole family!

Marked walking trails. Day area, U.S. fee area. River view Ramada and picnic area. Much more! See website.

Had a great time and all. You just need a big truck to get there. Mine is a little short to go in the water I think so went with other people. The people down the road from us played there music pretty loud the hole time we were there. But other wise had a great time.

Had a nice relaxing time!

My favorite place to go in the valley❤

i adore the gila river. protect her please! our 1st time to this specific area. definitely looking forward to going back & exploring more. nice campground, day use area. theres more to see down the road...next time. the river was flowing very fast w spring run off. it was quite & beautiful today. 💚

Good fishing and other water activities.

A nice camping site that has all the amenities, fire place and a picnic table each separated by a good distance, so you will not bother the neighbors camping. An outhouse is close by and very clean. They are multiple water spikets through the camping grounds. The cost to camp there is $7 per camping area.The road there is primitive and good clearance is recommended. No cell reception in most areas and is very spotty.

Used to be nice until Freeport destroyed everything around it

Good for a swim in the river and fish

All good but the snakes. Beautiful and relaxing.

Great place to enjoy the summer sun!

Amazing views and areas to explore with the kids. A great place to have a picnic and enjoy a lazy Saturday.

Beautiful area and very remote.

Perfect place for a family day out exploring, from wildlife viewing the rock hunting, the fishing, to cooling off in the water, its a great place.

Beautiful scenery, quiet and few (or nopeople around. I was here during late November, so no bugs, great temperatures and no one else around. It takes a vehicle capable of 4-wheel drive or you carry have trouble with some of the roads or terrain. Also not recommended for a summer visit due to heat and flash clouds from monsoons in mid-to-late summer. Bring in your own water and food - and please take out your own trash. The water is clear but there are no fish. It is a source of water for nearby Safford and other communities, so dont foul it up! It may be drinkable, but make sure you treat it first! And only if you forgot to bring your own. There are a couple of picnic tables and BBQ stands, but no camping is allowed as are no open flames. The creek area itself has many trees, a couple of beaver dams and cattails, but the rest of the area is all cactus and other desert scrub, which means no shade anywhere else. Since the road in is to a water source it is slightly maintained, enough for one lane, until you get to the creek, where floods change the conditions. As anywhere, but especially in the desert - be prepared, and tell someone where youll be. Dont count on cell reception. (I didnt check for it since I was there to enjoy the scenery! But down in the canyon it is unlikely, being quite a ways from the nearest tower and surrounded by small mountains as well as the canyon.But if you are a nature lover, youll be surprised at its beauty and quiet.

Very nice park. Very clean, no trash around the amenities.

As beautiful place to be within nature so close to safford

It be nicer if it had water spikets.

Beautiful place with many things to do!

Hidden Jewel of the desert

Beautiful views and lots of great spots to just hang with the family or fish.

Nice area to chill out.

Always a fun place to visit and explore.

Great for catching Catfish but the road is questionable if you have a regular car. Something with good clearance and all wheel drive would work better

Very real and rugged!

My favorite year round water hole pradise!

Lovely lush, riparian corridor along the Gila River, with many prickly pear and ocotillo cacti covering the hillsides above. Numerous birds inhabit the cottonwood and mesquite trees beside the river.

Fun fishing, swimming,camping, or just having a cookout

Very relaxing.. clean... open and fun for the family to just get out and experience...

Clean, refreshing place to be with beautiful views! Quiet and wonderful!

Beautiful desert scenery with a nice cool river to play in.

Amazing wilderness area! Food those who are looking to truly unplug and get to mother nature this ids a wonderful place to camp and hike. The roads are rough (predominately dirt and gravelbut the views are spectacular.. Didnt hear a single ATV or dirt bike the whole time! The silence was wonderful!

Amazing place, a true Oasis. The BLM guys and gals we run into are always really cool

Just fun to explore

This is a total Oasis in the desert pretty awesome spot

Great place to bring the family and swim , fish , or hike.

This place is a hidden gem. Never wound have guessed something this pretty is located right outside safford.

One of my favorite place here in Safford, AZ. You can fish here too but you need to choose the right time and spot