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Sedona with Timberline Adventures (www.timbertours.com) (May 2004) |
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Introduction
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Oak Creek Canyon Hike On the way from the South Rim to Sedona we hiked the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. It was an in and out hike and was about 6 miles round trip. I didn't think it was an especially beautiful or interesting hike except for the wild flowers and the chance to hike up Oak Creek. We had been told it was a gentle hike and we would be crossing a creek frequently so we should wear shoes we could get wet. Since my toes are still very sore I tried all the shoes I brought with me and found that the wet shoes I brought for the hike up the Virgin River in the Narrows were the most comfortable. It worked out great as many of us hiked up Oak Creek whenever it wasn't blocked by brush. There was just a gently flowing current, rocks were seldom a problem, and there was only one time it got above my knees and I quickly crossed over to the other side. It was very nice wading up the creek. Red is the dominant rock color - most of the cliffs are of reddish-orange Coconino sandstone, with white Kaibab limestone much higher up. In places the channel has substantial overhang on one or both sides and resembles the subway-like channel found elsewhere in the southwest, notably in Zion. 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. |
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pictures of the Sedona Hike 1) click on a thumbnail picture to view a larger image 2) right click on the larger image to save the picture 3) click on your Internet Browser's Back arrow to return to this page (the arrow will look similar to this one)
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When we got to Sedona we drove to this observation point and saw some of the rock formations--the cathedral, bell tower, courthouse & Wilson Mountain that we will be climbing tomorrow, as well as Sedona with the red rocks in the background. |
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cathedral & bell tower |
Wilson Mountain |
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Sedona |
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Wilson Mountain Trail |
looking ahead at the mountain |
prickly pear cactus |
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views from Wilson Mountain |
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Red Rock State Park & Crescent Moon Park After breakfast the next day we drove a short distance to Red Rock State Park and hiked 3-4 miles there. It is a very nice park and has some good trails that are VERY well marked. We also spent some time in the visitor center and although small they had some good exhibits. The we drove to Crescent Moon Park to see Red Rock Crossing. It was VERY scenic and a female painter was painting while we were there. She told us about a supposedly vortex area just a little further along the trail with hundreds of rock cairns. The rock cairns were indeed quite numerous and varied and we added a few more, but ours were simple ones. |
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Views from Eagles Nest Overlook Water and wind are the primary forces that have created the scenes before you. The Mogollon Rim, sections of which can be seen from here as Wilson, Munds and Lee Mountains, is the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau. This vast geological province formed as water and wind deposited layer upon layer of sediments over this area at a time when it lay near or below sea level. Over eons of time these sediments were transformed into strata of sedimentary rock which were later uplifted as much as two miles above sea level. Minute amounts of iron oxide have imparted a reddish hue to strata where this mineral is present. |
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Octillo Cactus |
Cathedral Rock |
me in front of Oak Creek with Cathedral Rock in the background |
Carol & I standing in the middle of hundreds of rock cairns |
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Note: This is a continuation of the Classic Canyons Trip--we
hiked three days in Zion then drove to the North Rim. After hiking
from the North to the South Rim in two days we drove to Sedona and hiked
there three days. 
