so thinking of going camping april 4-5 at red creek on verde . my freinds think we could get to red creek by crossing at sheeps bridge it cuts out 20 miles of driving??? is this possible . i think a pre run to sheeps bridge is in order???
RED CREEK camp out april 4-5
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- #3
if you come from fountian hills to needle rock up camp creek wash. to horse shoe lake road cross below dam at the ranch. go behind the lake to sheeps crossing its a good short cut if you can cross.. as for the spring run offnope, you can't get to Red Creek Crossing from Sheep's Bridge
I wouldn't cross at Sheep's Bridge in full spring run-off
exactly!!!!!
A month ago crossing the river at Sheeps Bridge was unpassable and verified by the recovery story the forest service told me. As for the crossing of the Verde at the ranch below Horseshoe Dam, if you can cross (sometime it can be quit deep) you are on the wrong side of the river to get to Red Creek.
Have you verified that Red Creek is passable to the Verde?
Have you verified that Red Creek is passable to the Verde?
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- #5
yep on the wrong side so you would cross to get to the road on the west side of sheeps bridge
The Seven Springs road to Bloody Basin was in very good condition about 6 weeks ago if that helps. I ended up going west to I-17 on BB Road so I dont know the condition to Sheep Bridge.
I think there is confusion here:
Red Creek Crossing is not a vehicle crossing but called so for historic reasons: the river is shallow enough to cross on foot or horse in times of low waterflow - there is no vehicle trail on the other side as that is wilderness area, in fact, river crossing in any powered vehicle is prohibited at Red Creek Crossing
also, it is debatable whether you can even use the west access trail to Red Creek Crossing - different maps show it in or outside of the Tonto areas that remain closed due to previous fires; I called the Cave Creek Ranger station about this several months ago, but there was no conclusive information - the trail is not on the definitive open list, so the person on the phone said it was closed, even though some maps do not include it in the closed area
the crossing at Sheep Bridge is possible from both sides of the river, depending on water flow; once you get to the east side of the river, you have to cross again at the ranch downriver from Horseshoe Dam
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- #8
okay , the red creek ive heard of is a bend in the river where the fishing is good . once you get off the seven springs road, or my freinds the west siders are coming in off table mesa road off I17 . they were looking for a shorter route there.(sheeps bridge ) but since no one has a snorkle they are going the long way around. i have not been there but they say the last 2 1/2 miles is river rock and takes three hours but im not shure why
i would love to go with them but have never gone camping with my two boys i think this is a little much for a first outing in the 40 . all this talk of this area has got me wanting to take the boys fishing at sheeps bridge on the east side!!
i would love to go with them but have never gone camping with my two boys i think this is a little much for a first outing in the 40 . all this talk of this area has got me wanting to take the boys fishing at sheeps bridge on the east side!!
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- #9
oh , where they are going is closer to childs than horse shoe
Red Creek is north of Sheeps Bridge Crossing. The fishing spot is where Red Creek meets the Verde- FR269(Bloody Basin) to FR18 to the verde. Red creek is the only place I know of you can access the Verde north of Sheeps Bridge to Childs. And yes the last 1 1/2 miles to the Verde can be rough and sometime not passable due to mud/water and washout. I have never seen tracks crossing the river at Red creek mainly because there is nowhere to go. I think it is where Mazatzal Wilderness begins and is wilderness all the way east to Babydoll Ranch where it ends. As far as I know the area north of Sheep Bridge and east of the Verde is off limits to vehicle travel.
As for crossing the river below Horseshoe Dam, I believe other then crossing over the spillway it provides the only access to the KA Ranch on the east side of the river. IIRC RHINO knows the people who own the KA ranch for more crossing info. I know of another road in the area, FR21 that is marked clossed but provides the only access to private owned property that is driven daily by the owner.
As for crossing the river below Horseshoe Dam, I believe other then crossing over the spillway it provides the only access to the KA Ranch on the east side of the river. IIRC RHINO knows the people who own the KA ranch for more crossing info. I know of another road in the area, FR21 that is marked clossed but provides the only access to private owned property that is driven daily by the owner.
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Red Creek is north of Sheeps Bridge Crossing. The fishing spot is where Red Creek meets the Verde- FR269(Bloody Basin) to FR18 to the verde. Red creek is the only place I know of you can access the Verde north of Sheeps Bridge to Childs. And yes the last 1 1/2 miles to the Verde can be rough and sometime not passable due to mud/water and washout. I have never seen tracks crossing the river at Red creek mainly because there is nowhere to go. I think it is where Mazatzal Wilderness begins and is wilderness all the way east to Babydoll Ranch where it ends. As far as I know the area north of Sheep Bridge and east of the Verde is off limits to vehicle travel.
As for crossing the river below Horseshoe Dam, I believe other then crossing over the spillway it provides the only access to the KA Ranch on the east side of the river. IIRC RHINO knows the people who own the KA ranch for more crossing info. I know of another road in the area, FR21 that is marked clossed but provides the only access to private owned property that is driven daily by the owner.
FR18 ends at the Verde. It follows Red Creek for the last few miles.
As far as I know, Red Creek is the Wilderness boundary - the north bank of Red Creek is Wilderness (at least, it is where Red Creek goes in the Verde). The east bank of the Verde is Matzazal Wilderness = no mechanized travel.
It's been a while since we last camped at Red Creek crossing, coming down the river by canoe from Camp Verde. Back then, you wouldn't want to cross the river in a vehicle - the river bottom was full with sharp shards from clay shooting. The good thing was that you could see the shards very well since they were all neon colors...
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- #12
well i was thinking of going for a drive on sat. you say the road past the ka ranch is closed? i thought you could drive to the east side of horse shoe to go fishing. keep going down that road an go to sheeps bridge
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- #14
thats the one is it closed???
not that I know of, but it might help to call the Tonto Rangers
you would have to cross the river to get there, though
we took it once from Sheep Bridge to Fountain Hills, that was the one crossing we ever did at Sheep Bridge, the crossing below Horseshoe Dam was also interesting....
The road crossing the river below Horseshoe dam and KA ranch is open. Flow this morning was 86cfs anything near 200cfs in dangerous. Yesterday a guy on a dirt bike crossed at the dam but did not make it all the way to Sheeps Bridge reason unknown.
There is a horse corral on the left side of te road (west) and a cattle guard. Turn right work your way back. Normally there are two water crossings the second and the deepest has a 1-2 ft drop off(water fall).
Post up or give a call if you plan to go, Icould be game at least for the river crossing.
i havent talked to the folks at KA ranch in while. i'm out in the verde area often, one of my favorite close places to hang out and fish. heres my take on the corral (KA) crossing.
the river has changed course a bit and now the last crossing is the deep one instead of the middle like it used to be. normally the cross is about 30ft wide and just a tad deeper than my axles on 37" tires (bout knee deep), its a good rocky bottom instead of silt or mud and the water flows pretty quickly through it. pretty sure the river is normal right now, phil mentioned 86 fps, dont really know what that means but if thats normal the crossing is fine.
also, i drive the red creek (FR18?) to the verde several times, yeah, great fishing spot. but i dont drive on the other side as mentioned its off limits.
check this out YouTube - Red Creek
the river has changed course a bit and now the last crossing is the deep one instead of the middle like it used to be. normally the cross is about 30ft wide and just a tad deeper than my axles on 37" tires (bout knee deep), its a good rocky bottom instead of silt or mud and the water flows pretty quickly through it. pretty sure the river is normal right now, phil mentioned 86 fps, dont really know what that means but if thats normal the crossing is fine.
also, i drive the red creek (FR18?) to the verde several times, yeah, great fishing spot. but i dont drive on the other side as mentioned its off limits.
check this out YouTube - Red Creek
cfs means cubic feet per second
this is for below Bartlett Dam USGS Real-Time Water Data for USGS 09510000 VERDE RIVER BLW BARTLETT DAM, AZ.
this is for below Bartlett Dam USGS Real-Time Water Data for USGS 09510000 VERDE RIVER BLW BARTLETT DAM, AZ.
I needed to go out to Horseshoe to find a put in spot for my up coming kayak trip from Horseshoe Dam to Bartlett Lake. So I decided to check out the water crossings while I was in the area.
There are still only 2 crossing the 1st is only 14" deep with a solid bottom. The second is about 28" deep with a solid bottom but stronger water flow. I ended up going to Sheeps Crossing but I will start another info thread.
There are still only 2 crossing the 1st is only 14" deep with a solid bottom. The second is about 28" deep with a solid bottom but stronger water flow. I ended up going to Sheeps Crossing but I will start another info thread.
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- #20
well ,IF YA said somthing i would of went there instead of the back of saguro