Trip 2

Trip 2 starts with Trip 1, descends to the Rio Urique, then 3 tricky miles upriver to the Arroyo and the Inner hot springs. Return the way we came. 6-10 nights in the canyon. Some easy but exposed climbing with a pack.

The Inner hot springs

Inner Hot Springs

Cave camp near the inner springs

Alcove camp near the Inner Springs

After the rest day of Trip 1, we descend for an hour another 500′  to the Urique River. We hike up beaches and thru boulder fields  for 3 hours, crossing the river with packs on our heads (or floated in plastic bags if it’s deeper than normal.) There are three 15-minute sections of climbing & traversing. Scrambling up a side Arroyo gets us to the Inner Hot Springs. We’ll camp in the Alcove in the photo and/or tent by the springs 100 yards from there. The  springs is up to 4′ deep, the temperature controlled by allowing cold stream water in.

We can hike about 45 minutes up the falls and pools of the Arroyo until cliffs stop us. We can dive in the big river and sun on the beach, 10 minutes from camp. We can also hike up to the Overlook 400′ above the springs, and continue up to the oak zone.

On the way back, we return to the Upper Hot Springs, spend another rest day there or visiting the Tarahumara, then head back up the way we came.

 

There is more easy climbing to get to the Inner hot springs, so watch this clip. I can carry your pack here if necessary.