Читать книгу Backpacking Arizona. From Deep Canyons to Sky Islands онлайн

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As the Tonto Trail continues southeast, it winds around three unnamed side canyons before reaching Ruby Canyon. Although you’ve hiked 4.6 miles on the Tonto Trail, you’ve come only 1.8 miles in a straight line from Serpentine Canyon. You may find seasonal water in Ruby Canyon, and it offers small camp sites. After the Tonto Trail rounds the point east of Ruby Canyon, it swings into and heads two more unnamed canyons before heading into Turquoise Canyon, 9.9 miles from Serpentine Canyon. You will probably find seasonal water in Turquoise Canyon, which has good campsites. Beyond Turquoise Canyon, the Tonto Trail continues east, following the general trend of the Grand Canyon itself. The trail winds nearly four miles rounding Sapphire and Agate Canyons. North of Agate, the Tonto Trail comes to the very edge of the Tonto Plateau and offers fine views of the Colorado River entrenched deep in Granite Gorge.

The trail works its way across gullies emanating from the base of Geikie Peak, and then rounds Scylla Butte to head into Slate Creek. You’ll find plentiful campsites at this popular spot, and there is almost always water below the point where the trail crosses the bed. A side hike down Slate Creek to the Colorado River is an option here.