Hackberry Creek Loop

4.6/5 (11 reviews)
Superior, Arizona (Pinal County)
Last Updated: 06/25/2021

Trail Information

Highlights

Hackberry Creek trail and the Devil's Canyon area is by far one of my favorites in the Phoenix area because of the backcountry adventure it offers in one small area. It offers incredible scenery, challenging four wheeling, free camping, miles of hiking and world class canyoneering. The area has been considered sacred land for centuries by the Apache Nation and was once a protected area but in 2015, a late night deal with congress, gave the entire area away to a foreign mining conglomerate. So what does that mean for us wheelers, campers and general out door types? Well we have to rush to enjoy the area before it has a big ole fence put up around it. The region is littered with spectacular chimney type rock formations, towering precariously on the edge of cliffs. There are several very large balancing rocks and other natural wonders to see in the area. The 4x4 trail keeps you along the top of what is called Devil's Canyon way down below. There are no official hiking trails down into the canyon but at a couple of the drill platforms along the eastern most trails, you can find a small path leading down several hundred feet to the canyon floor. There are a couple large canyon cliff pools that can be accessed by experienced and properly equipped adventurers. The area once held world championship rock climbing competitions which has resulted in thousands of established climbing lines in the area. Please enjoy this incredible area before it is taken from us.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.6/5 (11)
Official Crew
3900
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 08/27/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

Hit this trail today in my 2022 Gladiator Rubicon. This was more challenging than we had envisioned given the 5-8 rating. I didn't take the bypass and would rate the trail 7-8. Even with the bypass at waypoint 12, there are still plenty of tough obstacles. I would rate the trail with the bypass harder than a 5 though so overall I would put this at a 6-8 right now. Some of the trail may have become more difficult with rainstorms and wash outs as well as little use of the trail overall. I have been through more challenging obstacles on local trails but what made this one unique was that the obstacles were long. Ultimately I really loved the trail and would like to try it in reverse some time. From waypoint 12 through 16 it did not look like the trail had been used for quite some time. The trail was overgrown and was a little difficult to find in a couple of spots along this section, but having Trails Offroad and Gaia kept us on track. It was good to have good spotters although I still hit the differentials a few times and scraped the rear fender on a boulder. A lot of the rocks are loose and move a bit while crawling so sometimes the line you choose changes while you are on it, which keeps things exciting. We passed one other jeep right at the halfway mark but other than that, it was just the mining operations near the beginning and the end of the trail and no one else along the trail. Incredible views, beautiful country, I highly recommend but it isn't for beginners and I would be uncomfortable doing the trail with less than a 2" lift and 35" tires. We got some great shots of the area but always forget to get the pictures in the moment of conquering an obstacle.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 11/13/2021
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

If you are looking for Rubicon trail Little Sluice practice run, Hackberry Creek is a good place for it. We did this in two 2.5" on 33s" 2021/2020 JLUR/D. No winching required, but a good spotter is needed. Quite a few off chamber situations and relatively steep rock climbs and decencies . If your in a buggy or rock bouncer it's only a mild challenge. If you are looking for a harder trail, run it backward from the description. Video is only part 2 of 4.
Official Crew
73850
Temporary Closure
Visited: 06/25/2021

Tonto National Forest officials will close the state’s largest national forest due to ongoing extreme fire danger beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 25. The forest is implementing this forest closure as a precaution to protect the health and safety of the public, employees and firefighters by reducing the risk of human-caused fires. No one is allowed in the closure area, including Forest Service personnel, unless they are responding to a wildfire or other emergency or patrolling to ensure enforcement of the closure. The order shall remain in effect until July 31, 2021 or until rescinded, whichever occurs first. Residents or businesses using roads in the restricted area to the extent necessary to access their private property are exempt.
Official Crew
73850
Temporary Closure
Rated 5/5
Visited: 06/07/2021

There is currently a large forest fire burning in the area. The Telegraph Fire has consumed 41,000 acres as of 6/07/2021. It is burning the area around Telegraph Mountain, in the town of Superior and up on the rim by Hackberry. Hwy. 60 and 177 have been closed, so this route will be closed for some time. Link to incident report https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7512/
800
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 11/17/2019

A difficult but very fun trail. Two optional routes (to the right) offer very challenging obstacles and long windy boulder filled trails up and down the mountain. I have a 98 TJ, F&R lockers, long arm suspension and 35" tires. The other vehicles in my group were a 2015 Rubicon Unlimited on 35" tires and a RZR turbo. Large tires/lift, lockers and armor is essential. Very steep obstacle/hill climb before Chevy Hill, if you want go skip it and the steep hill climb, take the route out that you come in on when the loops intersect. Very beautiful scenery, especially at the lookout. SE corner of the bottom loop.

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