| Black River | |
|---|---|
| Basin countries | United States |
The Black River is a 114-mile-long (183 km)[1] river in the White Mountains of Arizona, USA, to the west of Alpine. Along with the Whiteriver, it forms the Salt River, a major tributary of the Gila River.
It was named by James Ohio Pattie in 1826 as he explored the area.[2]
The Black River has multiple forks, including the east and north fork, that hold great trout fishing. There is also a stretch called the Lower Black River that holds some of the state's best smallmouth fishing.
The river flows through Gila County, Graham County, Greenlee County, Navajo County and Apache County Arizona. It acts as a boundary between Greenlee County and Apache County, Graham County and Apache County and Graham County and Navajo county.
Most of the Black River acts as a boundary between the White Mountain Apache(Fort Apache) Indian Reservation (north side) and the San Carlos Indian Reservation (south side). Be sure and check on a map to see which reservation you will be fishing on. You will need a reservation permit to fish on Indian land.
Directions can be limited to some of the spots on the Lower Black River. Be sure to view a "Black River AZ Map" or a "Lower Black River guide book" before heading out. Many of the roads will be dirt and unlisted on Google Maps.
Also note that there are heavy bear populations at the Black River so take caution.