Red Rock Crossing/Crescent Moon Picnic Area - Sedona

Chances are if you have seen a photo of Sedona, then you have viewed this photo from Red Rock Crossing of Oak Creek flowing below Cathedral Rock. 

While this spot is not a hiking location, it is a great destination and one not to miss.  Red Rock Crossing is located 7 miles southwest of Sedona, and unfortunately you will not be alone when you visit.  In fact while we were there several tour buses unloaded to enjoy the view. However, it is still worth your time to visit.  Try to go early or during the week.  Red Rock Crossing is operated by a private concessionaire on Federal Land. The entrance fee is $9.00 a car (up to five in a car).  Yes, it is a tad pricey! You may visit from 9:00 a.m. until dark. There are several picnic tables and a nice path that will take you to various parts of the creek.  Take your time to explore the path network and play in the water.

 One spot not to miss is called Buddah Bay, this is a location that some people believe is an energy vortex.  Regardless of your beliefs people have built up small rock monuments, like cairns along the path.  It is actually quite the sight and fun to build a few with your kids.
 Here is a link to the official Forest Service page.

Directions: Drive west from Sedona on US 89A. Just outside town, turn south on FR 216 (Upper Red Rock Loop Road). Drive about 1.5 miles and follow the signs to Red Rock Crossing.
Fee: $9.00
 

Bell Trail to the Crack- Wet Beaver Creek

No people, how did I get this shot!

Warning:  Be aware of the risk of flash floods in this canyon/drainage.  Always check the weather forecast before entering any canyon/drainage.  Flash floods can occur with little to no warning and cause the water to rise exponentially. Summer thunderstorms at the head of a canyon can cause flash floods in your area.  Be aware of your surroundings.  

Note: I strongly advised you to hike this trail during the week.  The crack has an excellent swim hole that is also a party location for locals and teenagers.  I'm not sure how populated the location is during the week, but my guess is there will not be as many partyers. With that said, this is a great hike.  I want to return and try this during the week to hopefully have more of the place to myself or with less of a rowdy crowd when I arrive. The trail is out and back and is 3.5 miles to what is known as The Crack.  This is an excellent swim hole with several places to jump off the cliffs into the cool pools.  The highest cliff to jump off of is about 30 feet.  The trail is located to the east of Sedona in the Coconino National Forest.  Directions to the trail are at the end of this narrative.

Little shade on hike to swim hole

The trail is wide and easy to follow.  It does not skirt right along side the creek rather stays several hundred yards from the creek; however you can see the green trees framing the pathway of the river to your right as you hike along the trail.  The trail is exposed.  There is not much shade.  There are many spur trails that lead down to the creek to give you an opportunity to cool off.  The creek flows lightly through this area.  About half a mile in is a large black boulder sitting to the left of the trail.  Stop to take a look as their are several hieroglyphs on the rock.   

Up above the creek along the ridge

At 1.5 miles you will come to another trail, the White Mesa Trail that leads off to your left.  At 1.75 miles another trail leads off to the left called the Apache Maid Trail.  Stay on the main trail, but it is nice to know how far you have come when you reach these junctions.  At about 2 miles the trail begins to climb up the ridge to your left along a sandstone cliff.  This is not a difficult hill, but is exposed with little to no shade.  The trail skirts along the edge of the ridge and as you progress you can here the creek below running at a faster pace and also several good swimming holes which would be worth exploring from the creek below.  At about 2.5 miles the trail begins to descend towards the creek again.  Before you cross the creek you will see a spur trail that heads to your left.  This is the trail you want that leads to the swimming hole, known as The Crack.  It is only about 100 yards to this location.

The Crack is a beautiful spot, surrounded by red sandstone cliffs and green vegetation it is a place you could stay and play all day.  Unfortunately that is what we found when we got there, a lot of people.  I look forward to hiking this again in hopes to find it less populated during the week.

Remember the hike out is going to be hotter than your hike in.  Take plenty of water.  I would recommend bringing a water filter so you can just take the water straight from the creek if needed.  This hike is kid friendly, but it is 3.5 miles to the fun swimming hole along a trail with little shade.  Make sure your kids have plenty of water. FYI the Beaver Creek Campground is just a bit further down the road from the trailhead.

Length: 7 miles
Elevation Gain: 520 feet
Difficulty: Easy, but exposed
Recommend: All hiking levels

Cliff jumping at The Crack

Season: Spring-Fall
Hiking Time: 4 hours.  Add in more time to play in the pools.
Directions: From Phoenix go North on Highway I-17 to the Sedona Exit, 179 turn right, this is FR618. Follow FR618 2 miles and turn left onto FR618A. Follow the signs to the trailhead.

West Fork of Oak Creek

Put this hike on your list to do!  This trail is very popular but worth fighting the crowds to see.  Fortunately you can beat most of the crowd by arriving early to the trailhead, which is highly recommend as the parking area will fill up fast after 10:00 a.m. on a weekend.  Speaking of parking, as of 2012, the cost to park at the trailhead is $9.00.  The only way around this fee is to buy a Red Rock Pass from various Ranger Stations in the area for $5.00 and park on the main road of Oak Creek Canyon.  The trail is located in the beautiful and popular Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona. See directions at the end of this narrative.

"Official" end of the trail at 3 miles

This trail is an out and back. Although there is the option of backpacking the entire 14 mile length; one which I hope to accomplish in the future.  The "official" trail ends at 3 miles, your turnaround point.  You will know you have reached this spot as the trail ends and further progress requires the hiker to walk in the creek.  The turnaround point is a beautiful spot where the creek has carved out a small tunnelish area, (is that a word).

The trail starts by crossing over Oak Creek via a large bridge and then turns to your left through an old apple orchard.  You then will come to an old homestead area with an interesting cabin.  The trail then turns right into the "Secret Mountain Wilderness."  This trail has several creek crossings.  Although on the official section of the trail you can manage to keep your feet dry by rock hopping across the small crossings.  This trail is simply put, beautiful.  The trail is extremely vegetated and its hard to believe you are in Arizona with how green and lush the area is.  Sandstone canyon walls tower high above, small waterfalls and inviting pools line this trail.  The trail stays pretty much right next to the creek the entire time.  The only exception is near the end at about 2.7 miles where you will climb a short but fairly steep hill onto a small ridge, you quickly descend back down and follow the trail another hundred yards.  The official trail ends at this location, where the canyon suddenly narrows and forms a tunnel like area. 

3 mile point

The day I hiked this trail, in June, there were hundreds of butterflies.  It was incredible.  There is also poison ivy along this trail, so be careful if you leave the main trail for any reason.  Also, we were able to filter the water and drink with no problems.

The group I hiked with entered the creek at the 3 mile mark and we continued upward about another 1.5 miles.  This required us to be in the creek about 60% of the time.  The other 40% was bushwhacking through a lot of overgrown vegetation.  There is no official trail to follow, although you can see some areas that have been stamped down a bit.  If you have the time and don't mind getting wet it is worth the extra time to explore up the canyon.  The canyon narrows and about 3.75 miles in is a large pool.  The pool is shallow but the beauty of the spot is incomparable. Further up at about 4.5 miles we found a pool large enough to swim in.  This is the point our group turned around and began the hike out.

This hike is easy and flat, all but the small hill toward the end.  On our hike out in the afternoon the trail was very busy.  We began our hike at 9:00 and returned to the trailhead at 3:00.  

The following photos are all past the 3 mile turnaround point.  

Just past tunnel area at 3.1 miles

Large pool. 3.75 miles in

Backpackers heading down West Fork

 

Length: 6 miles out and back (official trail)
Elevation Gain: 200 feet 
Difficulty: Easy to 3 mile point.  Past 3 miles requires walking in water, scrambling over boulders and bush whacking- that's where it gets fun.
Recommened: All hiking levels to 3 mile point
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Hiking Time:  2 hours to 3 mile mark.  Plan on extra time to explore and play in the water


Directions:  From Phoenix take Interstate 17 North, Exit 298, just north of Camp Verde to State Route 179 North, turn left.  Drive through Sedona to the "Y" junction with Highway 89A. (large roundabout) Turn right onto 89A,  cross the large bridge over Oak Creek that enters the canyon.  Drive 9 miles and watch for the sign for the Westfork trailhead, the trailhead and parking are on your left. The parking area is called "Call of the Canyon".