Arizona - Lake Havasu - Red Canyon Loop

A most scenic red loop.

Warning this loops involves a little bit of climbing at point "Drop 1".
It may be dangerous, so be warned.

Park at the second parking in SARA Park, opposite the Hawks entrance.
Walk downhill over the ridge or in the wash to the left.
Follow the wash downhill, it narrows and eventually becomes a wide sandy wash.
Look for fence poles crossing part of the wash, on the right hand side.
Just past this fence a trail leads left out of the wash up the left bank.
Follow this trail, as a trail branches to the left, keep on going over the bank (straight on).
The trail eventually turns to the left and descends.

Cross a wide sandy wash and pick up the trail on the other side.
Go steeply uphill.
Once on top, at the next fork, keep left, follow the jeep trail for a short while and take a trail to the right.
In a small wash you have two options.
A) Follow that wash downhill, into the west fork of the red canyon, this is the easy route.
B) Go into the canyon, and leave it at once going for the saddle a bit to the left. This canyon may involve a bit of climbing and may be dangerous.

On the saddle, follow a faint trail along the ridge to another saddle.
You should be in the right canyon, descend it on a faint trail.

At a slot canyon, go back a bit and take the bypass to the west (left when going back).
The bypass is quite easy, follow the canyon downhill.
At point "Drop 1" you get the only mayor obstacle. This is the only problematic point.

For more average hikers look to the west (right hand side as you came in).
This part may be dangerous.

You can see a lava bubble that made an arch. Go up, a bit level towards the drop and take the ledge uphill a bit to the right.
And surprise, the other side is easy to come down on.

Take a look into the canyon you came from, a fairly easy hike uphill until you reach the drop.
Didn't look too bad from this side.

You may want to take a quick look at the mining site to the left, uphill just out of the wash. To do so follow an old jeep trail.

Go back and follow the west fork towards Keyhole landing. (the lake). A small beach with unblocked view of the lake. Normally these washes end in a dense vegetation, but not this one.
On the other side is Havasu Palms.

Hike back and keep in the main wash.

Hiking time: 3 Hour, 20 Minutes return.