Hell's Gate Canyon
This run stretches 23 miles from Bear Flats campground to the town of Gisela. I counted 6 distinct gorges, but there are numerous mini-gorges, so it depends on how you count them. Endless horizon lines provide a plethora of class IV drops with around a dozen larger rapids in the class V range. The run is typically done in 2-3 days. We ran it in 2 days with about 9 hours on the water the first day and 6.5 hours the second. We had a group of 3, kept a brisk pace, and had one member who'd done the run before. Unless you have a very health flow, be prepared for lots of mank on this run, but the payoff is numerous quality drops and stunning desert canyons that very few people have ever accessed.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Tonto Creek are between a bare minimum of 300cfs and a high of 2,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 09499000, the Tonto Creek Abv Gun Creek
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Hell's Gate Canyon.
Run Stats
Status | Too Low |
Class Level | V |
Elevation | 2,523 ft |
Run Length | 23.0 Mi |
Gradient | 150 FPM |
Streamflow Discharge | 6.7 cfs |
Gage Height | 3.1 ft |
Air Temperature | 96° |
River | Tonto Creek |
Reporting Streamgage |
Tonto Creek Abv Gun Creek
USGS 09499000 |
Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
---|---|---|
East Verde R Div From East Clear Cr Nr Pine
USGS 09507580 |
1 cfs | 7.2 ft |
Verde River Blw Bartlett Dam
USGS 09510000 |
134 cfs | 1.1 ft |
Verde River Near Camp Verde
USGS 09506000 |
43 cfs | 3.4 ft |
Cherry Creek Near Globe
USGS 09497980 |
5 cfs | 2.2 ft |
Tonto Creek Abv Gun Creek
USGS 09499000 |
7 cfs | 3.1 ft |
East Verde River Near Childs
USGS 09507980 |
7 cfs | 10.3 ft |
Salt River Near Roosevelt
USGS 09498500 |
142 cfs | 6.5 ft |
Verde River Near Scottsdale
USGS 09511300 |
83 cfs | 0.7 ft |
Queen Creek Below Whitlow Dam Nr Superior
USGS 09478500 |
2 cfs | 1.0 ft |
Oak Creek Near Sedona
USGS 09504420 |
29 cfs | 2.1 ft |
Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
---|
Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Cove | 100 | 2,133 ft | |||
Water Wheel | 20 | 4,967 ft | |||
Orange Peel | 20 | 2,121 ft | |||
Bermuda Flat | None | 2,143 ft | |||
Mills Cove | 10 | 2,176 ft | |||
Second Crossing | 10 | 5,086 ft | |||
Cholla | 206 | 2,196 ft | |||
Kehl Springs | 8 | 7,457 ft | |||
Cholla Bay | 20 | 2,149 ft | |||
Third Crossing | 10 | 5,140 ft | |||
First Crossing | 7 | 4,865 ft | |||
Houston Mesa | 30 | 5,039 ft | |||
Indian Point | 54 | 2,188 ft | |||
Flowing Springs | 40 | 4,580 ft |
Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
---|
River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
---|---|---|---|
Hell's Gate Canyon | 14.9cfs | 23.0 Mi | V |
Christopher Creek | 443.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | V |
Christopher Creek | 443.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | V |
Christopher Creek | 443.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | V |
Lower Salt | 575.0cfs | 14.0 Mi | I |