Gila Middle Fork–West Fork Loop

Gila Wilderness, Gila National Forest (from Gila Cliff Dwellings)

This loop strings together the two main forks of the Gila River. It goes up the Middle Fork past Jordan Hot Springs to The Meadows, crosses the high mesas between the forks, and comes back down the West Fork to the Gila Cliff Dwellings.

Backpacker describes a 35-mile version from TJ Corral, and other published versions run longer.

The hike

Backpacker’s route starts at TJ Corral and takes Little Bear Canyon down to the Middle Fork, then turns upstream, fording often. It suggests camping at about mile six and backtracking 0.3 mile in the evening to the hot spring. In stormy weather, it suggests starting at the Middle Fork Trailhead instead to avoid narrow Little Bear Canyon. (For the first stretch in detail, see Jordan Hot Springs.)

Above the springs, the Forest Service says the narrowest part of the Middle Fork, about 3 miles above The Meadows, has impressive canyon walls. Backpacker calls The Meadows a grassy camp with water and says to pack bug repellent.

From the Middle Fork, Backpacker’s route climbs onto the plateau on the Prior Creek and Lilley Park Trails, across grasslands to the rim of Hells Hole Canyon. Backpacking Routes calls this the one major climb and descent, and warns that the plateau is completely dry: “load up before the climb!” A 2020 HikeArizona log found Prior Canyon dry except for a trickling spring until about a quarter mile before Prior Cabin, and called the switchbacked climb toward Lilley Park the trip’s best views. Gila Trails Info lists sections of the Lilley Park Trail as logged in 2024 and 2026, and notes it can serve as access when the forks are flooding.

Hells Hole Trail #268, 2 miles long and logged in 2026 according to Gila Trails Info, drops from the mesa to the West Fork. Backpacker then follows West Fork Trail #151 for 12 miles to the end; Gila Trails Info puts Hells Hole 12.8 miles from the Cliff Dwellings trailhead. Backpacking Routes closes its version with about 2 miles of road between the West Fork and Middle Fork trailheads.

Backpacking Routes rates the loop physically easy but warns that poison ivy is “everywhere,” signs are unclear at junctions, and the hot springs carry the Naegleria fowleri amoeba. A 2015 Backpacking Light group that went in March fought sleet, cold feet, and swift runoff at the crossings, and suggested waiting until late April or early May.

For the longer trip up the West Fork alone, see West Fork Gila River to White Creek.

Tips

Go in late spring or early fall. Backpacking Routes suggests May-June or September to mid-October and avoiding July-August floods.
Fill up before the mesa. Plan to carry water across the plateau.
Check the gauges. Gila Trails Info lists river gauges and crossing thresholds.
Wear long pants for poison ivy.
Carry a good map. Backpacking Routes says signage is unclear at some junctions.
Keep your head out of the hot springs.

Camping

No permit is needed for backpackers, according to NPS; organized groups need a Forest Service permit. NPS asks you to camp at least 200 feet from springs, streams, and trails, on high ground with no sign of flooding, and off archaeological sites. Hang food 10 feet up. Backpacking Routes says camping isn’t allowed inside the national monument at the start of the West Fork Trail. Forest Order 03-06-00-25-002 limits stays to 14 days in 30, and the forest lifted fire restrictions on July 20, 2026.

Inside Intel: Backpacker recommends The Meadows for its grass and water, and a West Fork site under a rocky alcove near the Hells Hole Trail junction, noting that West Fork sites are scarce. The 2020 HikeArizona hiker camped at Prior Cabin because of water nearby. The 2015 Backpacking Light group took a half-day rest at Hells Hole and called it “a pretty nice campsite.”

Trail facts

Distance: 35 miles (Backpacker); 44.5 to 47 miles for longer variants
Route type: Loop with a short road walk between trailheads
Difficulty: Strenuous; many crossings on both forks
Campsites: Dispersed; The Meadows, near Jordan Hot Springs, Hells Hole area
Water: Both forks (treat it); none reliable on the mesas
Permits: None for individuals
Bear and food storage: Hang food (NPS)
Dogs: Allowed under control (NPS)
Trailheads: TJ Corral or Middle Fork #157; West Fork #151A at the Cliff Dwellings
Last verified: October 17, 2026

The Lowdown

Fording up the Middle Fork to The Meadows:

Backpacker's route wades up the Middle Fork, fording often, and NPS says spring runoff and July-August storms make the crossings very hazardous. Our five tips cover timing, footwear, and knowing when to turn back.

Read the crossing tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.