Mineral Creek

A long hike to a short section of nice, deep, non technical red-walled narrows and a beautiful creek. While there are a number of roads that lead to the area of Mineral Creek, the only apparently legal route follows a rough, steep, old jeep road from the northwest as all the other roads seem to cross private property at some point or another. Mineral Creek is probably at its most scenic in the fall with autumn foliage turning on the few trees in the creek. From Superior, AZ, drive east on US60 to pass Oak Flat campground, then shortly after crossing over Devils Canyon turn right onto FR2466 (the turn is 1.7 miles from the Magma Mine Road turnoff for Oak Flat Campground - if that helps). This road is steep, crumbly, rocky and slow in quite a few sections, but most stock 4x4 SUVs with decent clearance shouldn't have too much difficulty. Stay on the main road for 6.3 miles to park at a large, open clearing immediately after a stock pond to begin the hike.

The road becomes significantly steeper with more difficult 4x4 challenges after this point, so unless you came with a monster truck, the rest of the approach to the creek will need to be hiked on foot. Either way, continue down the main road which has many ups and downs as it crosses a few upper drainages of Rawhide Canyon for 6.7 miles to reach a parking/small camping area by the creek.

Turn right to head down the creek - an old, faint trail can be found on the south side of the creek if you are trying to keep your feet dry in the beginning, but simply hiking down the creek following the water is a bit more straight forward. Soon enough you will reach a minor section of narrows after which the canyon opens for a short distance before reaching a deeper, more scenic section. Some minor scrambling and wading to knee deep is required as you make your way down through this section that is full of colorful rocks, many small waterfalls and deep, if somewhat wide reddish volcanic rock narrows with clear, flowing water. Once this section opens up you can reverse course and go back the way you came.