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Gila River, Arizona
Report by Marc W. McCord

Painted Rock Dam to Yuma
~ Miles

Information for this river coming soon!

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SOAR Inflatable Canoes - Somewhere On A River

General Description

The Gila River is a major waterway for Arizona, though flows (and especially navigable flows) are rare. It usually runs in the early to late spring, when snows melt in the San Francisco Mountains of Apache National Forest in far western New Mexico. The river begins as three forks (North Fork, Middle Fork and South Fork) north of Silver City and west of Truth of Consequences. From its headwaters the Gila River flows west through Safford, Florence, Glendale and Yuma, then into California along the Mexico border to the Colorado River. The Gila River has three major tributaries in the San Carlos, San Francisco and San Simon Rivers in southeastern Arizona.

Location

Distance from major cities

Tucson miles; Phoenix miles; Flagstaff miles; Albuquerque miles; Durango miles; Grand Junction miles; Denver miles; Salt Lake City ; Oklahoma City miles; Dallas miles; Austin miles; San Antonio miles; Houston miles; Little Rock miles; Kansas City miles (all distances are approximate, depending upon starting point, destination point at the river and route taken.)

Water Quality and Flow Rates

Best time to go

Hazards to navigation

River Access Points

Campgrounds and accommodations

There are no public or private campgrounds located along this section of the Gila River. It is possible to camp alongside the river, but remember that you are in the desert, and take care to avoid desert critters that can harm you, especially at night. If camping on private land or in a public park always leave only footprints and take only photographs. You should always leave the area cleaner than how you found it! Always obtain permission from the rightful owners before camping on private land.

Liveries, outfitters and shuttle services

There are no liveries or outfitters located on or near this section of the Gila River. Rentals and shuttles may be available from local outfitters in Tucson or Phoenix. Otherwise, bring everything you need and be prepared to run your own shuttles.

Reviewer's comments

Technical Data
Class Rating I to II+
Length miles
Minimum Flow cfs
Optimum Flow cfs
Maximum Flow cfs
First Put-in
Lat/Long
Last Take-out
Lat/Long
Elevation msl
Gradient fpm
USGS Gauge Web:
Boats Canoes, Kayaks
Season Local rainfall dependent
Permits No


Central Arizona Paddlers Club

Canoeman River Guide Service - Guided river trips in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah

Lone Star Paddler - the paddlesports web site of Marc W. McCord

Click the links below for information regarding the section of the Gila River and its tributaries where you want to paddle.

[ Gila River Homepage ] [ Virden (NM) to Solomon ] [ Solomon to Bylas ] [ Coolidge Dam to Kelvin ] [ Kelvin to US Hwy 89 ]
[ US Hwy 89 to IH 10 ] [ IH 10 to Liberty ] [ Liberty to Gila Bend ] [ San Carlos River ] [ San Simon River ]

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© March 4, 2003. All rights reserved.
Last updated September 13, 2014

Copyright © 1998-2014, Marc W. McCord dba CobraGraphics. All rights reserved. Southwest Paddler, CobraGraphics and Canoeman River Guide Services are trademarks of Marc W. McCord dba CobraGraphics. The textual, graphic, audio, and audio/visual material in this site is protected by United States copyright law and international treaties. You may not copy, distribute, or use these materials except for your personal, non-commercial use. Any trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All original photographs on this web site are the exclusive property of Marc W. McCord or other designated photographers and may not be copied, duplicated, reproduced, distributed or used in any manner without prior written permission under penalty of US and International laws and treaties.