Weekend Warriors Arizona Hiking Guide

WOODS CANYON

If a secluded walk up a remote Sedona canyon appeals to you, this is your hike.

HOW TO GET THERE

This hike is located near Sedona, AZ.

From the Phoenix area, take I-17 North to exit 298 to HWY 179 West towards the Village of Oak Creek. About 5.5 miles on HWY 179 gets you to mile marker 304. Just before mile marker 305, turn right off the road and go through the gate (close it behind you!). The parking area is a few hundred yards past the gate.

RATING

Be Aware of: Hot in the summer!

30 yr old Recommendation: The solitude is great on this hike. A good hike to pick when Sedona is overflowing with tourists. This is an Easy hike.

DETAILS

Elevation change: about 400 ft gradual climb

Distance: 6.0 miles round trip.

Time: It took us three and a half hours with a 30 minute stop for lunch.

Time of year: Fall, Winter, Spring

Solitude: Great solitude here. We only saw four other people on this hike during a busy Saturday.  

Sedona has recently instituted a "Red Rock Pass", which is a fancy way of saying you need to pay to play. As of April 2004, the fee is $5 per day per vehicle. There are plenty of places in and around Sedona to pay this fee and get the receipt, which you need to put on your vehicle dash to keep from being towed.

The trail is well marked throughout this hike. The first 1.25 miles is through a flat and open area until you reach the wilderness boundary. After passing into the wilderness, the trail quickly assumes a different personality, as many water loving shade trees (oak, sycamore) show up. There were many Javelina tracks, although we didn't see any. After another mile of hiking, the hot loop trail takes off to the left (ending up on top of Horse Mesa). Stay right to stay on the Woods Canyon trail. The trail stays on the left side and just above the creek. The trail holds out for the first five miles or so, then the canyon just continues in a more wild condition for another seven miles. We hiked about three miles into the canyon and found a nice place next to the water for lunch.

Water is seasonal in Dry Beaver Creek. In the spring, the snowmelt provides the highest water levels and in the summer, it reverts to a mostly dry wash.

After lunch and a break, return the way you came. Enjoy!

[Seasonal water in Dry Beaver Creek]

[hiking along Dry Beaver Creek]

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