The San Rafael Fire started on May 7 in the grasslands south of Patagonia, Arizona. The fire impacted over 11,620 acres. Firefighters have been able to stop the fire's spread along a portion of the Arizona Trail near Canelo Pass. In the interest of public safety, Passages 2 (Canelo Hills-East) and 3 (Canelo Hills-West) were closed between Parker Canyon Lake and Harshaw Road Trailhead, but are scheduled to reopen on Monday, May 16. To see the fire perimeter in relation to the AZT, check out our Interactive Map online. Visit the Inciweb site to stay informed about the San Rafael Fire.
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Location
- Parker Canyon Lake Trailhead to Canelo Pass
Length
- 14.2 miles
Southern Trailhead: Parker Canyon Lake Trailhead
- GPS Coordinates: 31.41959° N, 110.44178° W
Access
From the town of Sonoita, follow AZ 83 south 30 miles to its intersection with FR 48. Turn left (south) onto FR 48, continue 0.5 miles, and turn right onto South Lake Drive. Proceed 0.5 miles to a parking area near an AZT kiosk.
Northern Trailhead: Canelo Pass
- GPS Coordinates: 31.51287° N, 110.55827° W
Access
From the town of Patagonia, follow Harshaw Road (FR 58) east 14 miles to an intersection where FR 58 makes a 90-degree turn to the right. Avoid this turn and continue straight ahead (east) on FR 799. In 5 miles, cross Canelo Pass and continue about 0.5 miles down the other side to a large parking area on the left (west) side of the road. The trail toward Patagonia departs from the right side of a kiosk; the trail arriving from Passage 2 is on the left side of the kiosk.
From the town of Sonoita, follow AZ 83 south for 18 miles to a turnoff on the right for FR 799. Continue 2.9 miles to a parking area on the right that is marked with Arizona Trail signs.
Trail Route Description
From the southern terminus near Parker Canyon Lake, the trail follows a westerly route trending downhill through grass and forest covered hills to Parker Canyon. It then heads north through the Canelo Hills, with quite a bit of up and down. Dropping into Pauline Canyon, it trends westerly again, then northwest as it climbs to the top of the Canelo ridge, which it follows for a couple of miles. Finally, it drops down to intersect with FR 799 at the Canelo Pass Trailhead.
Difficulty
- Moderate
Season(s)
- Fall, Winter and Spring
- Current weather forecast
Water
Parker Canyon Lake at the beginning of the passage has water. Parker Canyon, about 2.5 miles later, usually has water. Other drainages/tanks may have seasonal water. Check the online Arizona Trail Water Report for current information at https://aztrail.org/explore/water-sources/.
Notes/Warnings
- Water is intermittent and scarce. Plan to bring your own water. All water along this passage should be purified prior to use.
- Trail is designed for hiking and horseback riding. Mountain bikes are permitted.
- Cattle grazing occurs along the route of the trail. Please close all gates.
- Mines are located near some of the trail routes and are marked. Please stay on the trail.
- Developed campsites and a seasonally operated concession store are located at Parker Canyon Lake.
Resources
- USGS Topographic Maps: Huachuca Peak, Canelo Pass and O’Donnell Canyon.
- Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District.
- BLM Information Center maps.
For more information
- The Passage Steward
- Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, 5990 S. Highway 92, Hereford, AZ 85615 (520) 378-0311.
- BLM Information Center (602) 417-9300.
- Zay Hartigan, Passage steward’s website with mile-by-mile trail description.
Current Passage Info
Flickr Photos
Photos from the Arizona Trail Association’s Flickr galleries, for this specific passage. View the entire Flickr account.
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