Down on The Blue River

azbackpackr · Posted: 4/14/2007, 5:28 pm Post subject: Down on The Blue River

Today we drove down to the Blue River. We didn't do any hiking as my husband was not up for much. We just enjoyed the scenery and listened to the Grateful Dead on our new car stereo (Live at Winterland 1974.) Nice day in a nice place. Had a picnic by the river, went for a short stroll.

There are several hundred miles of trail (horses and foot only, no MTB's or ATV's) around there, in the Blue Primitive Area. But the area known as "Down on The Blue" is also famous for being one of the USA's remotest communities. It has a grade school and post office, reachable by graded gravel road from Alpine AZ. The road is about 30 miles long. Old log cabins and ranches with a few newer places are spaced out alongside the river.

I'll put some photos in the Gallery.

threedogz · Joined: 06 May 2005 Posts: 668 Location: Chandler

Are you kidding? that same CD has been recycling in my stereo over and over again in my vehicle. I always listen to it before going into work because the parking garage I park in dampens out the signal to my satellite radio. That is by far my favorite Dead music ever.

Sounds like you two had a great time.
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azbackpackr · Posted: 4/14/2007, 6:55 pm Post subject:

Yeah, it was nice. I'm still loading photos. I have dial-up, so bear with me, please. It won't let me do a bunch at a time unless I use that crummy email-share setting on the camera, which of course doesn't produce the best photos.

Forgot to say we saw three javelinas and three turkeys, at the same time! No deer this trip--deer are common down there. Also, it's a lot warmer down there! Much lower elevation than here! I was getting tired of being cold, especially after Yuma!

gpsjoe · Joined: 01 Feb 2004 Posts: 535 Location: Mesa AZ

GB and I were there March 17 and saw the small community and the school. We stayed a night at the Blue Crossing campground a few steps from the river (4 sites I think) and were the only ones there. It had shelters on each campsite that were reconstructed to match the 1930's originals.

We hiked a 14 mile loop of the Lamphier Canyon trail (very nice) going southeast to Cow Flat and back on South Canyon trail 53 (so-so). Next time I want to hike up Lamphier to the Bear moutain lookout and back on the Largo creek trail. There were wet crossings of the Blue river that we had to do.

You are right, this area is beautiful and we were the only hikers there. It's out of the way but well worth the trip.

On the 18th we hike down Hagan Canyon off of route 191, across Strayhorse Canyon for a mile or so and back up Lengthy canyon. Another great hike.

And we just scratched the surface as far as great hiking trails that are there. The "Blue Range Wilderness and Primitive Area" map is highly recommended.

azbackpackr · Posted: 4/15/2007, 4:27 am Post subject:

I've got the map. I've hiked up Largo, and from there up Telephone Ridge, but not all the way to Bear Mtn. Would like to do the Largo-Lanphier as a bp loop sometime. Have also hiked down Grant Creek from the rim, near Hannagan, to Paradise Park. Of course, it goes all the way to the Blue River.

I have that map--it's a nice one. You can buy it at the Springerville and Alpine RD offices. $7.