Gila Wilderness – Middle and West Fork Loop

Welcome out west! Yeah, it can be dry and a bit hot. You make great videos that are real eye candy for when I’m hungry for wilderness.

Plenty of trails besides the classic ‘up Middle down West’. We only crossed each of them rim to rim briefly and never camped in the bottom of any canyons during the 9 days we were out (the cold sink effect of canyon bottoms in December is scary!).

Our route: https://caltopo.com/m/4A3NCHN which is an adaptation of the Gila Centennial Loop. On day 7 we passed thru McKenna Park, the 13th most remote spot in an American Wilderness

It’s important to be up to date on current viable water sources thru out the Gila; and completed trail work especially in the western half (Mogollon Mountains)  before start planning. Lots of options gone completely due to fires and subsequent flash flooding. What we did had minimal downfall, only a few stretches of locust and flood damage; and just enough springs running.

Use this resource for trail work: https://gilatrailsinfo.org/trail-information/trails-cleared-map/

And this somewhat hard to use water survey to avoid going thirsty: https://gilatrailsinfo.org/trail-information/water-updates/

Or email Melissa Green at Gila Backcountry Horsemen with your proposed route: groundworktrails@gmail.com Super helpful

I am surprised that John didn’t ever comment on the forest here out west. And the forest smell! Quite different from his usual habitat in New Hampshire…

of course, our here in the Sierra the trees can be more varied and impressive. The lack of lush green underbrush and canopy that’s more typical of New England may take some getting used to before one can fully appreciate it.