Return to West Fork

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inBeauty of NatureTags:, , , , , ,

Recently, on a perfect spring morning, we hiked the West Fork trail that runs alongside, and repeatedly crosses, Oak Creek.  (You may recall my description and photos of this creek and trail in a past post, Red Rocks on the Water.)  It’s one of the most popular hikes in the Sedona/Oak Creek area, and we were lucky to be able to get into the parking lot.  The last time we tried to visit, the lot was full and cars were lined up next to the road waiting for early hikers to exit. 

Not one of the 13 crossings, but such a nice find!

We took a picnic lunch in a cooler, so you can imagine our delight when we were directed to park under a big tree!  It was one of the only shaded spots in the lot, which held 80 cars.  The area has picnic tables, but none of them are shaded midday.

The morning was sunny with temps in the low to mid 70s, but the sun felt intense.  We were grateful for the abundance of shade.  Near the trailhead, we saw lots of deep green ferns as well as tall grasses, roped off in areas protected for healing, according to the signs.  Large patches of wildflowers greeted us.  There were plenty of birds as well as birders sporting their binoculars.  Views of red, orange, and tan walls of towering rock surrounded us.  And the waters of Oak Creek were crystal clear and cold.

An article in Arizona Highways likens this hike to walking in Manhattan for the first time. You’ll be craning your neck a lot.  Captivated.  Later, when you’re looking through your photos, you’ll notice that many of them were taken with the camera pointed upward.  West Fork is truly a feast for the senses.

The trail is 3.3 miles to the point where wading through higher water is necessary.  (The trail continues for a great stretch afterwards, and backpackers can enjoy a campground along the way.)  The trail is considered easy, but the creek crossings can be a challenge if you don’t want to get your feet wet.  You’ll utilize fallen trees and large stones to navigate the primary trail’s 13 creek crossings.

Balance is key for keeping your feet dry

According to visitsedona.com, West Fork has over 300,000 visitors per year from all over the world.  It is consistently found on Best Of hike lists for the area.  The entrance fee is $15.  If you go, take plenty of water and maybe an extra pair of shoes, just in case!

Let me know in the comments if you’ve hiked the very beautiful and popular West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon.  It’s always fun to swap adventure stories!

Spring Blessings,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

31 thoughts on “Return to West Fork”

  9. What a gorgeous looking hike Lisa. Nothing better than being immersed in beautiful nature. As for craning upwards, in awe and photo taking mode, that sounds all too familiar. Have a great weekend!

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  11. Small world – Linda and came through Sedona on our way back home from our Mar/Apr trip out west. This was our first time there and we did our standard – allocated two days, see what’s there and if interesting plan a longer stay on our return….needless to say we’ll be spending more time there for SURE. That place is incredible for hiking and “Jeeping”. Although we didn’t take that specific trail, I can imagine what it was like. I just looked and West Fork was one of the places we had on our list but they were full when we got there and went further up and birded the campground areas then decided to christen our Rubicon on one of their easier trails. We did get caught in the massive amount of traffic there and had to pass on several trail heads we were interested in. Finally went off the beaten path so to speak and headed over to Sugarloaf Trail and have a great time there. Got a bunch of lifers there on the birding front, but missed the Red-Faced Warbler unfortunately. Thanks for the pictures (and the previous post) – let’s us know what we missed.

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