Nature
Hellsgate Wilderness is a 37,440-acre protected area in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest at the base of the Mogollon Rim, designated by Congress in 1984. Its steep, rugged landscape spans a 3,480-foot elevation range, with Tonto Creek carving a canyon about 1,000 feet deep. Reliable water supports diverse wildlife, including bears, mountain lions, deer, coyotes, beavers, trout, catfish, and bass, though difficult access keeps human use light. The area also preserves a long human past, from Salado use in the 13th and 14th centuries to Apache hunting grounds in the 16th century, and includes the site of Martin Jensen’s 1927 emergency landing while carrying MGM’s Leo the Lion.
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Star Valley, Arizona · United States
