In the next stretch, Stehr Lake is to the right and Deadman Mesa to the left. Īfter Cimarron Creek Wash enters from the right, Fossil Creek turns sharply south. Forest Road 708 (Fossil Creek Road) follows the creek for 2.5 miles (4.0 km) along this stretch, crossing the creek once at Fossil Creek Bridge. Before Fossil Creek reaches the former Irving Power Plant, it leaves the Fossil Springs Wilderness, and below the plant, it enters the Mazatzal Wilderness of the Tonto National Forest. Unnamed intermittent streams enter from left and right. Below the springs, the creek flows west and southwest, passing the remnants of a former dam. The perennial stretches of the stream begin at Fossil Springs, at river mile (RM) 14 or river kilometer (RK) 23, in the Fossil Springs Wilderness of the Coconino National Forest at an elevation of about 4,100 feet (1,200 m). Before it reaches Fossil Springs, the creek becomes the boundary between Gila County on the stream's left and Yavapai County on its right, and it remains the boundary all the way to the Verde River. Turning west, the creek receives another intermittent stream from the right in Sandrock Canyon, at the head of Fossil Creek Canyon. It continues north through the wilderness to the confluence of an intermittent stream in Calf Pen Canyon, which enters from the right. įrom high on the rim, the creek runs generally north, entering Gila County almost immediately. For about the first 3 miles (5 km), the creek's flow is intermittent. Parking is available only by advanced permit between April 1 and October 1.įossil Springs, the head water of Fossil Creek, arises at an elevation of 6,510 feet (1,980 m) above sea level on the Mogollon Rim in Coconino County north of Strawberry. Since restoration of the stream's natural flow in 2008, an increase in recreational visits has raised concerns about overuse and has led to road closings and other restrictions. Its former power-plant complex is listed as a National Historic District. The creek and its riparian corridor provide habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna, some listed as endangered or otherwise imperiled. The Fossil Creek system is the fourth largest producer of travertine in the United States.įossil Creek is one of only two streams in Arizona included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Calcium carbonate, precipitating from the 72 ☏ (22 ☌) water from the springs, creates travertine dams and deposits for several miles downstream.
A tributary of the Verde River, Fossil Creek flows from its headwaters on the Mogollon Rim to meet the larger stream near the former Childs Power Plant.įossil Springs, near the headwaters, emits upwards of 20,000 US gallons (76 m 3) per minute that flow into the creek year-round. Primary access is from Forest Road 708 off Arizona State Route 260 east of Camp Verde. Fossil Creek ( Yavapai: Hakhavsuwa or Vialnyucha) is a perennial stream accessed by forest roads near the community of Camp Verde in the U.S.
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