Devils Creek

The Devils Creek area encompasses 89,916 acres across the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico, spanning elevations from 5,321 feet in Saliz Canyon to 6,473 feet at Devils Park. The landscape is defined by a network of steep canyons—Gordon Canyon, O Block Canyon, Gatlin Canyon, Willow Spring Canyon, and Leggett Canyon—that drain into Devils Creek, the area's primary watercourse. Devils Creek originates in the high country and flows northward, joined by Mineral Creek, Deep Creek, Bearwallow Creek, and Copper Creek before reaching the San Francisco River. These drainages create a hydrological system where water moves rapidly through narrow canyon bottoms, carving riparian corridors through otherwise dry terrain and sustaining aquatic communities that depend on year-round flow.

The forest composition shifts with elevation and moisture availability. At lower elevations and drier aspects, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland dominates, with Colorado Pinyon (Pinus edulis) and Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana) forming an open canopy above a shrub layer of Pointleaf Manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens). As elevation increases and moisture becomes more reliable, Southwestern Ponderosa Pine (Pinus brachyptera) becomes the dominant canopy species, often mixed with Gambel Oak (Quercus gambelii) on north-facing slopes. In the coolest, wettest canyon bottoms and north-facing slopes above 6,000 feet, Mixed Conifer Forest takes hold, with Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and other conifers creating a dense, shaded environment. Along the perennial streams, Arizona Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and Narrowleaf Cottonwood (Populus angustifolia) form riparian galleries where water is consistently available. The understory and ground layer vary accordingly: the ponderosa zone supports New Mexico Locust (Robinia neomexicana) and herbaceous species like Mogollon Mountain Draba (Draba mogollonica), while canyon bottoms host moisture-dependent plants including Mogollon Deathcamas (Anticlea mogollonensis) and Arizona Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus arizonicus).

The area supports a complex web of wildlife adapted to these distinct habitats. In the riparian corridors, the federally endangered Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis) and loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis), along with the threatened Gila trout (Oncorhynchus gilae), occupy the stream channels where they feed on aquatic invertebrates and compete for limited habitat. The federally endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher nests in the dense riparian vegetation, hunting insects above the water. The threatened Chiricahua leopard frog (Rana chiricahuensis) occupies pools and seeps within these same drainages. In the forested canyons and slopes, the threatened Mexican spotted owl hunts from the dense Mixed Conifer stands, preying on small mammals and insects. The federally endangered New Mexico meadow jumping mouse occupies the grassy understory near water sources, while the threatened Narrow-headed gartersnake hunts along stream margins. The Mexican wolf, present as an Experimental Population, Non-Essential designation, ranges across the broader landscape as an apex predator. Smaller predators and insectivores—including the American Dipper in the streams and the Painted Redstart in the canopy—occupy their own niches within this layered system.

A visitor following the canyon bottoms experiences the landscape as a series of ecological transitions. Walking up Devils Creek from lower elevations, the riparian corridor narrows and deepens, the sound of water becoming louder as the canyon walls rise. The open Pinyon-Juniper Woodland of the lower slopes gives way to denser Ponderosa Pine forest, the understory darkening and the air cooling noticeably. Where the canyon opens into small meadows or flats, the riparian vegetation thickens—Arizona Sycamore and Narrowleaf Cottonwood create a canopy overhead, and the ground becomes soft with accumulated leaf litter and moisture-loving plants. Climbing out of the canyon onto the ridges and higher slopes, the forest transitions to Mixed Conifer, the canopy closes further, and the understory becomes sparse and dominated by shade-tolerant species. The shift from the roar of the creek to the quiet of the high forest, from open sky to dense shade, marks the passage through distinct ecological communities, each supporting its own suite of species adapted to the specific conditions of elevation, moisture, and light.

The Devils Creek area lies within the traditional homelands of the Chiricahua Apache, specifically the Warm Springs (Chihenne) band. The Apaches used the rugged terrain of the Gila headwaters and Mogollon Mountains as a stronghold, utilizing the mountains for wickiups, the valleys for small-scale fields, and the prairies for pasture. The region was also inhabited by earlier peoples—the Mogollon and Southern Ancestral Pueblo—who lived in pithouses, masonry pueblos, and cliff dwellings, practiced agriculture growing corn, beans, and squash, hunted wild game, gathered edible plants, and created pottery and weavings. Zuni, Hopi, and Acoma Puebloan tribes trace their ancestry to these earlier inhabitants and maintain contemporary cultural and spiritual ties to the land and its archaeological sites.

During the Apache period, the Battle of Devils Creek occurred on May 22, 1885, during the Geronimo Campaign. In the broader region, mining activity established Chloride in 1880 as a hub for the Apache Mining District, which reached a peak population of roughly 2,000 residents. Livestock grazing became a long-standing land use in the area, as did timber harvesting—the Devils Creek area has historically been targeted for timber sales.

The Gila River Forest Reserve was established on March 2, 1899, by proclamation of President William McKinley. Following the passage of the Transfer Act of 1905 and the Receipts Act of 1907, the reserve was officially redesignated as the Gila National Forest on March 4, 1907. The forest's boundaries expanded through subsequent additions: the Big Burros National Forest was added on June 18, 1908, lands were transferred to and from the Datil National Forest on March 3, 1921, and a portion of the Crook National Forest was added on July 1, 1953. In the 1950s, the construction and improvement of Forest Road 150 (North Star Road) bisected the original Gila Wilderness, leading to the administrative separation of the Gila Wilderness and what would later become the Aldo Leopold Wilderness. The Gila Wilderness itself had been administratively designated on June 3, 1924, as the first designated wilderness area in the world, originally covering approximately 755,000 acres.

The Devils Creek area was formally identified as an Inventoried Roadless Area under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, based on Roadless Area Review and Evaluation inventories conducted in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1978, approximately 4,286 acres of the area were administratively endorsed as a wilderness proposal, though the larger roadless area remains undesignated. In 1998, a legal settlement required the Forest Service to exclude livestock from riparian areas in the Tularosa, Gila, and San Francisco River systems to protect endangered species habitat, reflecting ongoing legal and environmental conflicts regarding the balance between traditional land uses and species protection in the region.

Vital Resources Protected

Headwater Protection for Federally Endangered Aquatic Species

Devils Creek and its tributaries form the headwater system for one of the Gila National Forest's longest free-flowing river stretches—a 20-mile reach of unobstructed flow. This headwater network is critical spawning and rearing habitat for the federally endangered Gila topminnow, loach minnow, and spikedace, as well as the federally threatened Gila trout and Chiricahua leopard frog. The roadless condition preserves the cool, stable water temperatures and intact riparian buffers that these species require; road construction would introduce sediment and thermal stress that directly degrade spawning substrate and increase water temperature beyond the narrow tolerance ranges these species can survive.

Riparian Corridor Integrity for Migratory and Breeding Birds

The Devils Creek drainage supports dense cottonwood-willow riparian galleries that are essential breeding habitat for the federally endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and the federally threatened Yellow-billed Cuckoo. These species depend on the structural complexity and hydrological stability of intact riparian zones—dense, mature vegetation with reliable water availability. Road construction in or near riparian areas would fragment these galleries, reduce canopy cover through clearing and edge effects, and alter streamflow patterns, making the remaining habitat unsuitable for nesting and foraging.

Mixed-Conifer and Ponderosa Pine Forest for Mexican Spotted Owl and Old-Growth Dependent Species

The area's montane forest—spanning ponderosa pine, mixed conifer, and pinyon-juniper ecosystems across elevations from 5,300 to 6,500 feet—provides critical habitat for the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl, which requires large blocks of structurally complex, unfragmented forest with dense canopy closure. The roadless condition maintains the interior forest conditions (absence of edge effects, minimal human disturbance) that this species and other old-growth associates require. Road construction would fragment this forest into smaller patches, increase edge habitat that favors predators and competitors, and expose the interior forest to invasive species and human activity that degrade nesting and foraging conditions.

Elevational Connectivity and Climate Refugia for Montane Species

The area's elevation gradient—from 5,300 feet in the canyons to 6,500 feet in Devils Park—creates a connected corridor of montane habitat that allows species to shift upslope as temperatures warm. This connectivity is particularly critical for species like the Pinyon Jay (vulnerable, IUCN), Northern Hoary Bat (vulnerable, IUCN), and the federally threatened Narrow-headed gartersnake, which depend on moving between elevation zones to track suitable climate conditions. Road construction would sever this elevational connectivity by fragmenting forest patches and creating barriers to movement, trapping populations in increasingly unsuitable habitat as climate conditions shift.

Threats from Road Construction

Sedimentation and Stream Temperature Increase from Canopy Removal and Cut Slopes

Road construction requires clearing vegetation and cutting into hillslopes to create stable roadbeds. In the Devils Creek drainage, this disturbance would expose bare soil on steep montane terrain, causing chronic erosion and sediment delivery to the headwater streams. Simultaneously, removal of riparian and streamside forest canopy would increase solar radiation reaching the water surface, raising stream temperatures. Together, these changes would degrade spawning substrate for the federally endangered Gila topminnow, loach minnow, and spikedace—species that require cold, clear water with fine gravel beds. The headwater location of this area means that sediment and thermal impacts would propagate downstream through the entire Devils Creek system, affecting critical habitat designated for loach minnow and spikedace.

Habitat Fragmentation and Edge Effects in Interior Forest

Road construction creates linear corridors of disturbance that fragment contiguous forest into smaller, isolated patches. In the Devils Creek area's mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine forest, this fragmentation would reduce the interior forest habitat required by the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl, which avoids nesting near forest edges where predators and competitors have increased access. The creation of road edges also increases light penetration, favoring invasive plant species and altering the understory structure that supports the arthropod prey base for spotted owls and other forest insectivores. Once fragmented, the forest patches become too small to support viable owl populations, and the loss of connectivity prevents recolonization from adjacent populations.

Culvert Barriers and Flow Disruption Blocking Aquatic Species Movement

Road crossings of streams require culverts or bridges. Improperly designed culverts create velocity barriers and perching problems that prevent the federally endangered loach minnow and spikedace—small-bodied fish with limited swimming ability—from moving upstream to access spawning habitat and refugia during drought. Additionally, road fill and drainage structures alter the natural hydrology of the riparian zone, reducing water availability to the cottonwood-willow galleries that support the federally endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and federally threatened Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The disruption of perennial flow in tributaries would be particularly damaging in a system already stressed by climate-driven drought and reduced snowpack.

Invasive Species Establishment and Spread Along Road Corridors

Road construction creates disturbed soil and a linear corridor of human activity that facilitates the establishment and spread of invasive plants such as saltcedar and knapweed. These species are documented threats to the Devils Creek area according to USFS assessments. Once established along roads, invasive plants outcompete native riparian vegetation, degrade habitat for the federally endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and alter fire behavior in adjacent forest. The road corridor also provides dispersal pathways for invasive aquatic species (non-native fish and the chytrid fungus affecting amphibians) that would reach the headwater streams and threaten the federally endangered Gila topminnow, loach minnow, spikedace, and the federally threatened Chiricahua leopard frog. The montane isolation of the Devils Creek drainage means that once invasive species become established, they are difficult to control or eradicate.

The Devils Creek roadless area spans nearly 90,000 acres of mountainous terrain in the Gila National Forest, ranging from 5,300 to 6,500 feet elevation across ponderosa pine forest, mixed conifer, and riparian canyon bottoms. The area's roadless condition preserves backcountry access to a network of maintained trails, cold-water fisheries, and remote hunting country that would be fragmented by road construction.

Hiking and Horseback Riding

Eleven maintained trails provide foot and stock access throughout the area. Mineral Creek Trail (201) is the primary route, running 12.2 miles through native material surface and connecting multiple drainages. Shorter day hikes include Long Canyon (501, 0.6 miles), Log Canyon (808, 2.1 miles), Whitetail Canyon (202, 2.4 miles), and Red Canyon (198, 1.7 miles). South Fork Mineral Creek (798, 2.3 miles) and Bearwallow Creek (190, 4.6 miles) offer access to riparian corridors and wilderness boundaries. Trailheads at Redstone, South Fork Mineral Creek, Log Canyon, Sandy Point, and Reserve Fitness provide entry points. Cottonwood Canyon Campground serves as a base for multi-day trips. All trails are native material surface; recent wildfires have created fallen trees and washouts on some routes. Water sources like springs and creeks can be unreliable outside the summer monsoon season. The roadless condition keeps these trails free from motorized use and maintains the quiet, undisturbed character essential to backcountry travel.

Hunting

The Devils Creek area lies within New Mexico Game Management Unit 16B, managed for elk, mule deer, black bear, and mountain lion. Elk archery season runs September 1–24; rifle season occurs in October. Tags are distributed through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish lottery draw, with limited numbers to maintain lower hunter density. The unit is known for mature bulls; hunters must be prepared for steep, rocky terrain and dense cover. Because the area is roadless, access is by foot or horseback from over 50 trailheads bordering the unit. Pack trips using horses or mules are standard for meat packing. The absence of roads preserves the remote, low-density hunting experience and unfragmented habitat that define this unit's character.

Fishing

Mineral Creek supports self-sustaining populations of native Gila trout, roundtail chub, desert sucker, longfin dace, and Gila topminnow. The San Francisco River near its confluence with Devils Creek is designated for scenic and recreational use under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Devils Creek itself is a perennial or intermittent system within the Gila River watershed. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish manages Gila trout waters under special regulations—typically requiring barbless hooks and catch-and-release or limited harvest. The area is a primary site for native fish recovery; non-native eradication and repatriation of roundtail chub and other native species are ongoing. Access to Mineral Creek and the San Francisco River confluence requires backcountry travel on foot or horseback. The roadless condition protects cold headwater streams and riparian habitat from road-related sedimentation and fragmentation.

Paddling

The San Francisco River, which borders the roadless area, offers multi-day wilderness paddling. The San Francisco to Pleasanton stretch (Class II–III) and the Lower San Francisco Hot Springs to Clifton, Arizona section (Class II–III) are documented paddling routes. Put-in is near Pleasanton, New Mexico; take-out is near Clifton, Arizona. Paddling is seasonal, with spring runoff and summer monsoon rains providing necessary flows. Hazards include large strainers and tree debris. Internal streams—Devils Creek, Mineral Creek, and Deep Creek—support hiking and fishing rather than paddling. The roadless condition preserves the scenic canyon character and undisturbed riparian zones that define the San Francisco River experience.

Photography and Wildlife Observation

Devils Park (6,473 feet) is an open montane meadow offering internal vistas of ponderosa pine forest. Saliz Canyon, Gordon Canyon, and O Block Canyon provide riparian corridors with Arizona sycamore and narrowleaf cottonwood, which display seasonal color. Documented wildflowers include Arizona hedgehog cactus, New Mexico locust, and pointleaf manzanita. Wildlife species documented for photography include wapiti (elk) in high-elevation meadows, American dipper near perennial streams, painted redstart, and Mexican spotted owl. The area is part of the experimental population area for Mexican wolf, though sightings are rare. The Devils Creek area lies in a region of low light pollution suitable for astrophotography. The roadless condition maintains dark skies and preserves the quiet, undisturbed forest and meadow habitats that support wildlife observation and photography.