This picnic area, located along the 21-mile-long Black Hills National Back Country Byway, provides a scenic vista of the Gila River canyon and nearby mountain ranges.

The Black Hills Back Country Byway can be accessed from U.S. Highway 191 between Safford and Clifton. The southern end of the Byway is accessed from the highway at milepost 139 and the northern end at milepost 160. The Canyon Overlook Picnic Area is located 7.2 miles from the southern entrance to the Byway and approximately 14 miles from the northern entrance.