While I had been in this area before on canyoning focused trips towards the start and middle of my canyon career, it was comparably recently that I realized there were some unique ruins a little deeper into the backside of the Sierra Ancha Wilderness. By some accounts these were among some peoples favorite adventure hikes in Arizona. I thought these ruin hikes would be an excellent way to round out our spring break after the Salt River but this was not to be. For a combination of reasons we ended up bailing on our Salt River trip after 8 river miles. We then drove into Cherry Valley beyond the second creek crossing, but then gathering storm clouds and a rainy forecast had us worried about being on the wrong side of a flooded river and 20 miles down a road that would turn to deep mud and so we bailed on this plan as well. So March was disappointment stacked on disappointment. We saw Memorial Day as a chance at partial redemption, this time four strong with Keith and Kari joining.
It was past dark by the time we crossed the Salt River takeout and had to make a decision on camping. I knew options were more grim (especially in the dark) along Cherry Valley Road and so suggested we try one of the cliff edge camps along the escarpment near Parker Canyon, somewhere I had fond memories of but haven't been in a decade. I was a little nervous with it being a holiday weekend but after we drove past two groups, we easily found an area we could have all to ourselves right at the prow adjacent to Parker Canyon. Heather and I set up the tent to combat the wind. It was complete darkness when we all went to bed and I was excited for the others to see the view when we awoke.
The views were every bit as good as I remember and I can think of very few campsites that match this spot. The quartzite cliffs and turrets of Parker Canyon were like a mini-Grand Canyon and off to the west we could see the sun rising over the broad valley that Roosevelt Reservoir sits in and at the far distance make out the architectural bridge spanning the reservoir's outlet. Things warmed up quick once the sunlight crested Asbestos Point and we packed up and hit the road soon after. Along the drive we were blown away by the saguaro forest, the entirety of which seemed to be in peak bloom with bees busily buzzing around each crown of flowers. It was quite the spectacle and a nice surprise.
Cherry Valley Road was thankfully in very good shape and the second creek crossing that was such a mental ordeal for us at high water surrounded by thunderstorms in March, was laughably trivial this time around. We drove Keith's Outback almost exactly to where Heather and I turned around in March (this rough boulder strewn part of the road appeared nearly identical to our memory), and once again decided to turn around. We parked at a pullout along the road to the unofficial Cherry Valley Campground less than a quarter-mile back, and then geared up for an unfortunate bonus hike of 5.7 miles round trip along the road to access the hiking trails. With this extra effort demanded, we abandoned the idea of bringing canyoning gear for a Pueblo Canyon descent and instead tried to go fast and light to instead focus on the hiking.
Already by the time we started hiking it was getting quite warm and I broke from my traditional style to start hiking in shorts and using trekking poles, both good choices. As the road veered into the crease of Devils Chasm we caught some great views of the quartzite cliffs of the Sierra Ancha Wilderness above. After about 1.5 hours along the road we came to the trailhead for Pueblo Canyon and began climbing the old Jeep trail there as it worked its way steeply up to the base of the cliffs.
Partway up the ridge we ran into a few backpacking kids, then later their dads. They did not have too much to say other than the trail being very overgrown and rough but the ruins at the end being worth it. We made good progress until we reach the first cliff band where the trail did become a loose chute to gain the top. On top it was overgrown but otherwise a decent trail we could push through without too much effort; I was feeling optimistic. Then we turned into the north facing base of the main cliff and our progress slowed considerably. At this point I could see ruins at the base of the same cliff band on the opposite side of the canyon, 0.5 miles away as the crow flies. Unfortunately we were not crows and so instead followed this rough and overgrown sidle trail as it went up and down in about 50 ft increments, mentally taxing our progress. We stopped a few times to catch our breaths and cool down. The further we turned into the corner the more steady the shade from the cliffs and there were some pleasant springs, fern gardens, and wildflowers along the way. As we made it about halfway along the base of the cliff we got to a longer overhanging alcove with some neat things to see. We checked out an old Uranium mine adit right next to some crumbling ancient ruins and then a little further got to a multi-room complex under the same alcove. Interestingly we could see where an entire slab of a wall collapsed on its side with the wall's blocks sticking upright. This little taste of ruins helped break up the grind of the hike and we gained a little more energy as the cliffs now contoured into the canyon where there would be a 100 ft waterfall waiting for us. The trail went right between the cliff and the waterfall about a third of the way up, forming an irresistible spot for lunch before we continued on the last quarter-mile past the ruins.
We continued following the foot trail and soon came to the first of four groupings of ruins. Overall these were surprisingly well preserved and extensive with many multi-room and multi-story structures. Most Colorado Plateau ruins are made of uniform colored sandstone blocks and related adobe; these ones were unique to most of the ones I have seen in that they used highly colorful tabular "bricks" of the local quartzite. Many of the doorways were in pristine condition and interestingly we could se a few examples of renovations where an existing doorway was later patched into a wall. Many of the sizable support logs forming floors of second stories were still embedded in place. Also of interest were some storerooms and shelf surfaces built into the back of a couple of the rooms. We only saw the very occasional small piece of pottery or ear of corn but the ruins were spectacular with a commanding view over forest and pinnacles opposite the valley and expansive views down the valley. Despite being south facing in midday, the alcoves these ruins were built within were deep enough that we explored the ruins in pleasant shade. Heather and Kari were tired from the hike and content to chill and snack in the shade at these first ruins but Keith and I continued on along the base of the cliff to see more. While we were gone they both saw a black bear traversing the ledge just below them!
Past a few springs and clambering behind a large boulder we continued along soon arriving at the second complex of ruins. These were also nicely designed multi-story multi-room buildings with nice masonry and huge logs. The front face of one of the ruins had a very nicely designed wall with two rocks protruding out of the top face as if horns; I cannot imagine any purpose to these other than a novel architectural flourish. On the back wall of one room we spotted some pictographs painted in a couple colors. At this point Keith had seen his fill and hiked back to Kari and Heather but I continued onward a bit further.
This third area was not quite as extensive but did have some more neat things to see including a moderately well preserved second story floor that I could see the different construction layers within. I walked past this to where the cliff edge turned into the sun spotting one further small ruin and then returned to join the others.
We walked back to the waterfall and filtered our water here before retracing our steps back. Thankfully now in known territory, we made a little better progress back along the overgrown sidle trail. When we finally regained the ridge on the homestretch back down to the road Heather and Kari offered to let Keith and I charged forward to try to fit in a second hike up Devils Chasm while they ambled back to the car and camp at their own pace. We happily agreed despite the fairly late hour and set off at an aggressive pace. A mile and a half back down the road we turned off to head up Devils Chasm. Almost immediately we came across a comparably excellent trail in a remarkably lush canyon alongside a babbling stream; it was such a contrast from most of the rest of our hike and I would not have guessed I was in Arizona based on the context. Near the bottom we ran into a group of three young people hiking that fairly casually told us there was a "jaguar" in the cave near the chockstone climbing obstacle further up and they turned around there. I gave them the benefit of the doubt thinking they maybe saw a mountain lion best case but more likely a bobcat; it turned out I gave them too much credit. I was hiking in just my boxers for speed and cooling; I was probably a bit too lose with this approach and my guess is that some of these riparian sections are where I acquired some poison ivy rashes. The trail got much rougher and harder to follow but did break out into some spectacular bedrock patio sections. When we reached the handline chockstone obstacle we did hear a strange noise. It took us both a minute or so to process but after that it was conclusive: the "jaguar" was just a frog croaking in a cave underneath the boulder...
Some more nice bedrock patio sections led into the hard hitting final 0.2 miles with a 700ft climb up chutes of loose rocks and dirt. I was sweating profusely but doing my best to power through. The day was nearly over and we made it this close but this final climb just did not seem to end. This part of the trail was much worse than anything else we had seen and we were glad Kari and Heather skipped this part. Finally we broke through some of the low trees and I got a view of our destination right above us. Wow it was impressive! We scrambled the last bit to gain the mid-cliff ledge hosting the ruins. The Devils Chasm ruins are a remarkable and imposing fortress, one of the most unique ruins I have ever seen. The ancient peoples had taken up every square inch of a mid-cliff ledge such that the wall of the ruin rose directly out of the top of a 30ft cliff. When these people slept in the cliff home their heads were literally feet away from this cliff edge, yet inside you would never guess. The construction here consisted of a single access doorway which led through to four distinct rooms separated by additional doorways and a final doorway that led out onto the deadend ledge beyond. Once again the views were spectacular and wild from this vantage. All in all this was the best constructed of the ruins we had seen with the main outer wall cleanly designed and completely intact. The whole structure had at least two stories with a third story for part of it. I would have loved to linger longer at this amazing spot but had to be satisfied with walking through, snapping a few photos, and then powering back down along the trail before darkness overtook us.
We continued down the canyon without incident, arriving to the road just before dusk and walking the last 1.5 miles of the bumpy road in near darkness. The Devils Chasm detour only added 3 miles but also about 3 hours to complete. Kari and Heather were waiting patiently at camp. Having done 14 fairly rough miles over an 11 hour span, I was suitably tired and lethargic as I slowly ate dinner and settled in for the night.
I was particularly glad to get both of these hikes in, especially considering how remote and out of the way this place is, and because we had to bail on a previous attempt months before. A dose of redemption is always appreciated. Overall it was a great day with stunning scenery and some of the most unique and remote ruins I have seen. I remain in awe thinking about the rough terrain and out of the way nooks that these ancient peoples lived and apparently thrived.
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