Spread over four Arizona counties to the east of Phoenix, the White Mountain Apache Reservation covers over one and a half million acres. Lands vary from the lows at Salt River Canyon in the west, to the eastern peaks of the White Mountains. The reservation is known for its outdoor recreation, offering an array of activities from whitewater rafting to skiing at Sunrise Resort Park. Trophy elk hunting, fishing for the rare Apache trout, or spending time at the Hon-Dah Resort Casino and Pow Wow indicate the wide variety of reservation fun.
   This view catches Cibecue Creek before if joins the Salt River. Here, record brown trout, largest in the state, have been pulled from its clear pools. This section of Cibecue Creek, just one of 400 miles of the reservation’s rivers, leads hikers to one of the river's most beautiful features. A day hike, authorized by permit only, leads Cibecue hikers on a steady climb, some bolder hopping and a little creek wading. Upstream, as the canyon walls narrow, the Lower Falls come into view. The 50 foot waterfall marks the end of the mile and a half hike. A hiking guide is required to proceed any further. It is sacred ground beyond the Lower Falls.

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