Arizona whitewater, San Francisco River Greenlee county, Alma to Clifton section whitewater kayaking, rafting, and paddling information.     The put-in location is a reasonable drive from Safford, if you're not familiar with the area there's a road map further down the page. The natural beauty of Arizona and the sparkling of the sunlight on the water are reasons enough to come here and paddle. Now this is a pretty long section, perfect for a real wilderness adventure. The campgrounds here at San Francisco River are pretty good. The nearby hotels are a bit away from the river, but     you'd better reserve in advance because these hotels fill up quick. If you've been whitewater rafting and kayaking outside Arizona you might find the rivers here a bit more challenging, so don't forget that lots of rivers here are not for beginners. The beauty of the San Francisco Mountains is a great plus for this river. The Alma to Clifton section is one of a few paddling sections in this river system. A good workout and a chance to spend some time outdoors will have you coming back for more. No matter if you're whitewater rafting or kayaking there are not so many other good rivers for that around here. Briefly about the general area: Good hiking   is available along the Blue River One Hundred One Trail, and a tremendous spot to stop at is Bull Canyon. Be careful coming to the San Francisco Mountains, you might not ever want to return back home again. The Hole is always fun to check out, and don't leave San Francisco River without first going for a hike along the Horse Canyon Trail Thirty-six. Coming to this river is always a good idea. Put some time aside to spend at Hickey Spring while you're here at San Francisco River. Not much precipitation falls here at San Francisco River. July is the wettest month with most rain while April is generally the driest month. San Francisco River, Alma to Clifton road map Printable road map with the put-in and take-out locations clearly marked.     Map Detailed Map Stats Stats for this river stretch Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near San Francisco River.   Whitewater Near San Francisco River: San Francisco River, Catron County, 18 miles away       Class II - 40 miles long (Lower San Francisco Hot Springs to Clifton Arizona) San Francisco River, Greenlee County, 20 miles away       Class -blank- - 40 miles long (Alma to Clifton) Blue River, Greenlee County, 27 miles away       Class IV-V - 34 miles long (Blue Crossing to Forest Service Road 475)   Ski Areas Near San Francisco River: Sunrise Park, Arizona , 55 miles away, 1800 foot drop, 10 lifts, 65 runs   Hotels Near San Francisco River: Comfort Inn & Suites Safford, Safford , 44 miles away Quality Inn & Suites, Safford , 44 miles away Economy Inn Safford, Safford , 44 miles away Best Western Desert Inn, Safford , 45 miles away Comfort Inn & Suites Thatcher, Thatcher , 46 miles away   Campgrounds Near San Francisco River: Coal Creek Campground, Greenlee County, 7 miles away Blackjack Campground, Greenlee County, 8 miles away Clifton RV Park, Clifton, 13 miles away   Trails Near San Francisco River: Horse Canyon Trail Thirty-six, Greenlee , 9 miles away, 9.3 hiking miles, 3378 feet elevation difference Blue River One Hundred One Trail, Greenlee , 15 miles away, 21.7 hiking miles, 3112 feet elevation difference Frye Trail Twelve, Greenlee , 15 miles away,  5.8 hiking miles, 411 feet elevation difference H L Canyon Eleven Trail, Greenlee , 15 miles away,  5.8 hiking miles, 1216 feet elevation difference Little Blue Creek Forty-one Trail, Greenlee , 18 miles away,  17.8 hiking miles, 1688 feet elevation difference Stray Horse Canyon Trail Twenty, Greenlee , 20 miles away,  13.6 hiking miles, 894 feet elevation difference   Public Lands Near San Francisco River: Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Willcox - AZ , 60 miles away Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Silver City - NM , 64 miles away Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Arizona , 28 miles away   Golf Courses Near San Francisco River: Greenlee Country Club, Duncan , 16 miles away