Exploring the Majestic Beauty of Cibecue Falls: Arizona’s Hidden Gem

If you love waterfalls, adventure, and secluded trails, THIS is the adventure for you. Cibecue Falls is a one-of-a-kind hike in Arizona. It is expensive and time-consuming, but definitely worth it at least once. I’ve had this hike on my Arizona Bucket List for YEARS, and finally did it. I’m here today to give you all of the information and preparation you need to have a great trip! Check out my video below for a preview of this adventure!

***UPDATED INFORMATION AS OF JUNE 2023***

Where is cibecue Falls?

Cibecue Falls is located Northeast of Phoenix on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. Please note, we are LUCKY to be able to walk on sacred native land, so appreciate it. It’s a privilege, not a right. It is a trek from Phoenix, so count on it taking up most of your day.

DISTANCES TO CIBECUE FALLS:

FROM PHOENIX: 132 mi/ 2 hr 45 min

FROM SHOW LOW: 52 mi/ 1 hr 15 min

FROM FLAGSTAFF:  189 mi/ 3 hr 30 min

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO HIKE TO CIBECUE FALLS?

The nice thing about this hike is that it’s in a canyon, so you will have shade (unless you hike in the middle of the day). We started our hike a little after 3pm over Memorial Day Weekend and finished at 5pm. It was a toasty 95 degrees when we started and the heat was making me cranky, until we started to hike through the water. Another safety precaution- Monsoon Season is typically July-September which can cause flash floods. If there’s rain on the forecast, don’t go do this hike- it’s not worth it.

CIBECUE FALLS PERMIT

Yes, you do need a permit to hike to Cibecue Falls, since it is on an Indian Reservation. We are lucky enough that they let us recreate here, so I was happy to pay their fee. PLEASE, I BEG YOU, LEAVE NO TRACE. Many beautiful native places in Arizona have closed to the public because people have trashed it. There’s a few places to get permits, depending on where you’re coming from.

IF YOU’RE COMING FROM PHOENIX..

Sinclair Gas Station, Hwy 76 And Hwy 60, Cibecue, AZ 85911. Hours 7am-8pm BUT they only sell permits until 2pm. CASH ONLY- they have an ATM.

***UPDATED 2023*** They USED TO sell permits at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Mesa, but they don’t anymore!! The bummer about this is if you’re driving from Phoenix, like us, you have to drive about 20 miles PAST Cibecue to get to the gas station, which adds an hour of driving.

IF YOU’RE COMING FROM NORTHERN ARIZONA…

It’s easier to get a permit coming from the north! Here’s the locations listed on the White Mountain Apache Tribe website.

ROAD TO CIBECUE FALLS

Now you know everything you need before hiking to Cibecue Falls. Let’s get started on how to get to the trailhead. Once you have your permit, you’ll turn onto the Cibecue Falls road (Apple/Google Maps will direct you). From here, its 4 miles of dirt road to the trailhead. Most cars and sedans can make it, but I suggest high-clearance.

Some people say this road is VERY SKETCHY because it’s on a cliffside and it’s one lane for most of the time. I didn’t feel this way. Of course, you respect mother nature, but it was fine!

At the end of the Cibecue Falls road, there is a river crossing. Don’t go across without 4WD. If you don’t have 4WD, don’t worry. You can park before the river- it’s not a far walk. The river wasn’t nearly as wide or deep as people made it seem, at least when I was there.

Looking for other Arizona summer adventures? Check out my video below!

CIBECUE FALLS HIKE

Time to start hiking! I’ll list the hike stats below. Please note, dogs are allowed to do this hike, but it’s not dog-friendly because of the water crossings. My dog did it, and did well, but she’s very adventurous.

The beginning of the hike is a sandy, narrow trail for about a third of a mile before you start to cross the river. This trail is very overgrown. Bushes will scratch your legs, but you can’t do anything about it. From my experience, there are small trails on both sides of the river the whole way up. There’s not specific crossings. Really, you make your own trail. AllTrails didn’t help exact to track my distance and time.

WATER CROSSINGS

As I mentioned before, there are multiple water crossings in this hike. Some people choose to just walk up the creek, but that would take a long time. We counted TEN water crossings on our hike to the falls, and 10 back.. They went from ankle deep to mid thigh at times. If you have a dog, you may have to carry them a few times.

CIBECUE FALLS DESTINATION

Cibecue Falls is beautiful. Spend lots of time here. Enjoy the ferns hanging from the side of the moist canyon wall. Enjoy the view of the rushing, strong waterfall spill into a calm river. Enjoy the feeling of lukewarm water between your toes. But be respectful. Don’t swim because it’s not allowed. Don’t cliff jump. Don’t leave trash.

CIBECUE FALLS SUMMARY

I give this hike a 7/10 rating. I loved the water crossings, the length of the hike, the waterfall itself, and the overall sense of adventure. I didn’t love the long drive, cost of the permits, and difficulty actually getting the permit. I don’t feel like I need to do it again for a long while, but I’m glad I finally knocked it off my bucket list.

If you’re looking for other Arizona bucket list adventures, check out some of my other posts.

Arizona’s Hidden Oasis- Havasupai’s Waterfalls

Backpacking to Weaver’s Needle in the Superstitions

Flatiron: A Bucket List Phoenix Hike