Rucker Canyon

4/5 (3 reviews)
This forest drive takes you up and over the southern reaches of the Chiricahua Mountains providing access to scenic canyon country, an old military camp and ranch, and several forest camps and trails. If camping, hiking, wildlife/bird watching, and exploring history are your thing, Rucker Canyon i... Read More
Start 7-Day Free Trial
All-Access Icon
Rucker Canyon is an All-Access Member Only trail guide. You'll need to start a 7-Day Free Trial to see this guide.

Highlights of Rucker Canyon

Altitude Category Icon Altitude
Camping Category Icon Camping
Forest Category Icon Forest
Ghost Town Category Icon Ghost Town
Iconic Category Icon Iconic
Scenic Category Icon Scenic
Water Category Icon Water
Highest Elevation
6147 ft
Shape of Trail
Out & Back
Typically Open
Year Round
Best Direction
East
Official Trail Name
74E
Nearest Town
Willcox
Nearest Services
Douglas
Management Agency
Coronado National Forest
District
Douglas Ranger District

Overview

This forest drive takes you up and over the southern reaches of the Chiricahua Mountains providing access to scenic canyon country, an old military camp and ranch, and several forest camps and trails. If camping, hiking, wildlife/bird watching, and exploring history are your thing, Rucker Canyon is ideal for those activities. This is where the Earp / Clanton / McClaury saga began, as Ike Clanton leads a party of rustlers to Camp Supply (Now Rucker) to steal some army mules in 1881. This put the Earps on their trail and ultimately lead to the showdown at the O.K. Corral. From the grasslands of the Sulphur Springs Valley, the road climbs into the Chiricahuas via Rucker Canyon. Arizona sycamores and cypress trees shade this perennial stream and provide habitat for birds and other wildlife, while the rocky cliffs of surrounding bluffs and mountains provide a scenic backdrop. At Camp Rucker Group Use Area, FR 74E branches off as it runs parallel Rucker Creek. A side trip up this road will lead you to cool high-country forests and a clear mountain stream. If you’d like to stay awhile, there are three developed campgrounds and several dispersed spots to provide you with that opportunity. If you would like to take a closer look at this scenic mountain getaway, there are several trails that lead into the backcountry. (Unfortunately, Rucker Lake no longer exists. In the aftermath of the 1994 Rattlesnake Fire, slopes denuded of vegetation eroded and washed downhill, filling the lake with silt. However, a visit to the old lake bed will still be of interest to those who want to see the effects of catastrophic fire.)

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
18 Waypoints
56 Trail Photos
1 Trail Concerns
3 Community Reviews
1 Video
Trail Tools
App Store Icon Open in App
Gaia GPS Icon Upload to Gaia GPS
Download GPX
Directions to...
Share Trail
Print Trail

Start a 7-Day Free Trial and Unlock 5,000+ Trail Guides

3000+ Detailed Trail Guides
2000+ Member Only Scout Routes
Companion App with Offline Use
New Tracks Added Weekly
Download GPX Files and Print Guides
Access to Trail Guide Writer
What makes our Trail Guides so great?

Sign Up for Free to Get a Taste of Adventure

Free Members get 205 introductory guides to explore. Upgrade to an All-Access Membership for 5,000+ trails at your fingertips.
Start a free trial and get this level of detail on every trail guide
Start Free Trial