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Sedona > West Fork of Oak Creek
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The most popular trail in the
Sedona area is along the lower end of the West Fork of Oak Creek - this stream flows year round
through a deep, forested canyon, quite narrow in places, with many pretty eroded rock formations and plentiful wildlife. The carpark at the trailhead is set in a clearing next to a grassy meadow which in summer is filled with wildflowers of every colour and frequented by humming birds and large butterflies - a most attractive sight. The official trail is 3 miles long; beyond, the canyon extends for a further 11 miles, and is one of the best all-day hikes in Arizona, assuming transport is available at the upper end. A few places in the stream may require swimming but there are no serious obstacles, though for some, two days may be required for the complete trip. |
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Location: The West Fork joins the main Oak Creek canyon near its north end, about 6 miles south of the point where highway US 89 descends from the flattish, densely-forested land that
extends south from Flagstaff into the red rock country around Sedona. The designated carpark at the trailhead is a little south of milepost 385.
Permit: US 89 is narrow and winding with few places to park at the roadside so most visitors to the West Fork are obliged to pay $7 (2005) to use an official carpark at the trailhead; apart from this, no permit is required.
Photographs: 7 views of West Fork of Oak Creek.
Map: TopoZone topological map of West Fork of Oak Creek.
Description: From the carpark, a path crosses Oak Creek and follows it downstream for a short distance, passing through a the site of a ruined settlement, with overgrown remnants of fireplaces and stone floors still visible. There is also an unusual cliff house nearby, all structures being part of the early 20th century dwelling of Mayhew Lodge, long since abandoned. The official trail starts just beyond, near the West Fork
confluence - the three mile route is well-used, with distance indicators every half mile, although I didn't see the 2.5 and 3.0 mile posts.
The canyon is hundreds of feet deep and moderately narrow from the
start; wooded, overgrown and shaded with many fallen trees and old logs, often lying in the streamway. The path crosses the creek many times and is occasionally difficult to follow, and in places there are paths at
both sides. Wildlife is quite abundant, though not necessarily interesting. I saw many butterflies and colorful birds, squirrels, a few lizards and one medium-sized snake.
Red is the dominant rock colour - most of the cliffs are of
reddish-orange Coconino sandstone, with white Kaibab limestone much higher up. The sandstone rocks are multi-layered, often eroded into many curving shapes and with frequent short, tunnel-like passages, similar to the famous Subway of
Zion National Park. Occasionally the creek has pools 3 to 4 feet deep which harbor trout and other fish although usually the water (in summer) is only a few inches deep. The stream flows gently, and the hike is very pleasant and relaxing - only occasional sunlight reaches the canyon floor so the trip is ideal for the hot summer months.
The trail is nearly always level and close to the stream, until near the 3 mile point where it climbs steeply above across a wooded hillside then drops down to
a stony area in mid-river, a point which marks the end of the official path. Ahead lies a 50 metre long tunnel-like channel with sheer cliffs at either side and water usually no more then 1 foot deep. Thereafter the canyon
is not much different to before - a few large pools (some over 6 feet deep) although the deepest wading required over the first few miles is only 3 feet, frequent cascades and small waterfalls, always with eroded, curving rock formations rising above. Fish are more plentiful, their size proportional to the depth of pool. About half of the time is spent walking in the river, and half along the river banks, where a distinct path persists.
Overhanging cliffs provide occasional sheltered areas for camping and fires, away from the water. The canyon does not become noticeably narrower, just gradually less deep, though also more overgrown in the upper reaches. It is possible to continue through to the upper end of the creek, and meet with dirt roads in the Coconino National Forest - this is a 14 mile trip, and usually involves some swimming of deep pools as well as much wading and boulder scrambling. I went only as far as the first major side canyon - also narrow, but filled with bushes, boulders and trees so difficult to follow, which joins from the south about 6 miles from the start of the trail - even in mid summer I met no-one else after the 3 mile point. This 12 mile round trip took 5 hours.
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