The Gila Box National Riparian Conservation Area is a long name for a relatively modest area. Arizona has lost more than 50% of its riparian areas in the last century or so, a problem exacerbating the desertification of much of the state. The Gila Box area is the confluence of the Gila River (whose headwaters are in the Gila National Forest), and Bonita Creek, a permanently-flowing stream. It has a canyon, but access to the canyon is generally difficult, except with either a high-clearancee vehicle, or a watercraft (raft, canoe, or kayak).
(The last picture shows where a "primitive road" crosses Bonita Creek. I chose not to take my car through there...the road leading up to it was hairy enough.) I was therefore only able to partially partake of the area's charms, and only spent one night there.
The next day I went to Kartchner Caverns State Park. This park, about 150 miles SW of Gila Box, is the home of a spectacularly well-preserved cave. There are two chambers (one of which is only open for tours when bats are not in residence), which may be separately toured. Going on both tours will set you back over $40, a high price to pay to see some quite spectacular cave formations.
You may have noticed there are no pictures of the spectacular cave formations. The Powers That Be have decreed that cameras are not allowed in the cave. Instead, I offer a photo of a resident of the area, and some recent flower shots...
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