The wilderness is administered by the BLM and is located northeast of Mammoth, Arizona in Graham and Pinal counties, about 120 miles (190 km) southeast of Phoenix.

[3][4] Visitors can hike to the abandoned cabin at the Parsons Grove site in the Aravaipa Canyon Preserve as of 2013.

The Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness forms the northwest border of the Galiuro Mountain range.

The Nature Conservancy's Aravaipa Canyon Preserve protects 7,000 acres (28 km2) of private land and is contiguous with the BLM wilderness area.

A permit and fee are required to enter Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness.