AZ-Gila+Box--Old+Safford+Bridge

Also see Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area
 * =Birding in Arizona=

Greenlee County
=Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area= =Old Safford Bridge= Safford, Arizona 85546 Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area website Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area map

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Gila Box Riparian NCA--Old Safford Bridge
Coordinates: 32.9652257, -109.3099662 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

About Old Safford Bridge Picnic Area
A small, shady picnic area in the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area (RNCA), this site is located in a mesquite grove along the Gila River.

Take UUS-70 east of Safford for 10 miles and turn north on US-191. At Three Way, turn left and continue to follow US-191 to milepost 160 (four miles south of Clifton) and turn left onto the Black Hills Back Country Byway. Follow this graded dirt road for four miles to the Old Safford Bridge at the Gila River. Turn right before crossing the bridge.

About Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area
The 23,000-acre Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area is truly an oasis in the desert. It has four perennial waterways - the Gila and San Francisco rivers and Bonita and Eagle creeks, which are the lifeline for this remarkable place. The Gila River canyon section, known as the Gila Box, is composed of patchy mesquite woodlands, mature cottonwoods, sandy beaches, and grand buff-colored cliffs. Bonita Creek, popular for birdwatching, hiking, and picnicking, is lined with large cottonwoods, sycamores, and willows. The perennial creek and riparian vegetation make this a cool year-round desert oasis. Cliff dwellings, historic homesteads, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and over 200 species of birds make this year-round watery desert refuge worth the short drive from Safford. The Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area is located 20 miles northeast of Safford in Graham and Greenlee counties. From Safford to reach the west side, travel five miles east on US-70 to Solomon, Arizona. At Solomon, turn left on the Sanchez Road and follow the road to the end of the pavement. From there, follow the signs to Bonita Creek and the lower end of the Gila Box. To reach the east side from Safford, take US-70 east 10 miles to its junction with US-191. Turn left and follow US-191 about 29 miles to milepost 160, which is four miles south of Clifton, Arizona. Turn left onto the signed Black Hills Back Country Byway, and follow the road four miles to the conservation area. From Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area website

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media type="custom" key="29252689" || L1279639 US US-AZ US-AZ-011 32.9652257 -109.3099662 Gila Box Riparian NCA--Old Safford Bridge