FALL! 11 Reasons Autumn in Sedona is so Cool!

Pumpkin Gathering. Football. Evenings in the Galleries. Hiking.
Apple Picking. We’ve got your complete guide to the best
of the season!

BY ERIKA AYN FINCH; PHOTOGRAPHS BY DEBBIE WEINKAUFF

Autumn’s arrival in northern Arizona heralds more than just shorter days and cooler nights – in fall, Sedona seems to awake from a sluggish summer slumber to show off all her splendor with vibrant changing leaves, the tempting smells of apple cider and roasting chiles, the frequent appearance of elk and deer, and adults and children decked out in elaborate Halloween costumes. Have you guessed yet that fall is our favorite season in Red Rock Country? See our top 11 reasons why on the following pages, and we think you’ll agree! Read on for the lowdown on the best hikes and drives to find fall colors and wildlife; Halloween activities for everyone in the family; some of the area’s favorite mouth-watering harvests; football in Flagstaff; why “Evening in the Galleries” is even better this time of the year; and, of course, where to get your pumpkin fix. October temperatures – with an average high of 78 degrees and low of 48 – beckon locals and tourists outdoors before the chillier winter sets in. It’s not too late to plan a camping trip or even a picnic dinner in the red rocks – ’tis the season to “fall” in love with Sedona all over again!

Pumpkins
In years past, northern Arizona had several options for finding the perfect pumpkin but two of the best patches, Young’s Farms near Prescott and Hauser & Hauser Farms in Camp Verde, have exited the pumpkin-picking business. What’s a pumpkin lover to do when that annual October hankering rolls around? We did a little digging, and found you can still enjoy the bright orange vegetable in a variety of ways here in Sedona, thus pumpkins squeeze into the No. 11 spot on our list. The Hilton Sedona Resort and Spa in the Village of Oak Creek hosts an employee pumpkin carving contest that’s not to be missed. For at least the past six years, the resort has purchased pumpkins for its 12 departments, each of which spends weeks scheming and planning an award-winning design, says Cindy Dean, Hilton’s director of sales and marketing. Hilton guests vote for their favorites on Oct. 31, Nov. 1, and Nov. 2 in two categories: Best Carved and Best Decorated. The winning departments are announced Nov. 3 and receive a pizza party. Voting isn’t restricted to hotel guests – Sedona locals are invited to stroll through the Hilton’s lobby and express their support for their favorite creation.

“It’s extremely popular with the employees and guests,” says Cindy. “It’s also very competitive and we always get some fabulous pumpkins. Some are Halloween themed but some are Sedona themed – one year we had a Pink Jeep pumpkin.”

If you’d rather carve your own masterpiece than marvel at someone else’s, check out the pumpkin patch at the Sedona United Methodist Church. Every year since 1995, the church has trucked in 5,000 to 6,000 pumpkins from farms in the Four Corners region on the Navajo Reservation, says Dawn Bush, the pumpkin patch coordinator. Dawn says the pumpkins range in size from miniatures to specimens that measure more than two feet in diameter. All proceeds go toward church ministries, with a percentage being returned to Navajo farmers. The patch also sells Indian corn and gourds. This year, the pumpkins are scheduled to arrive Oct. 5 with sales through Halloween. The patch is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“The pumpkins are excellent quality because they come to us straight from the field,” says Dawn. “We also get larger pumpkins than the local grocery stores, though we never really know what we’re going to get. We have a lot of locals who come by each year but we also have people from Phoenix who make a day out of picking out their pumpkin in Sedona.”

Of course, for many of us, it isn’t really fall until Starbucks starts serving up its sweet, frothy Pumpkin Spice Lattes, which they do every year from September until New Year’s.

The Hilton Sedona Resort and Spa pumpkin carving contest begins Oct. 31, with voting until Nov. 2 in the hotel lobby. The resort is located at 90 Ridge Trail Dr. in the VOC. Call 877-273-3762 or visit www.hiltonsedona.com.

The Sedona United Methodist Church sells pumpkins Oct. 5 – Oct. 31, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The church is located at 110 Indian Cliffs Rd., just off Hwy 179. Call 928-282-1780 or visit www.sedonaumc.org.

Sedona Westerners
Autumn is our favorite season FOR HIKING in Sedona and it seems we’re in good company. The Sedona Westerners, a hiking club with more than 300 members, begins its hiking season right after Labor Day and continues to hit the trails through early May. The club’s “trail boss” (or president) Al Vander Peut says September hikes mainly take place in Flagstaff and Oak Creek Canyon – Sedona hikes aren’t in full swing until October. The Westerners include six hiking groups based on hikers’ skill levels and the length of scheduled hikes. Groups range from the Amblers, who favor shorter hikes and lots of socializing, all the way up to the Rough Riders who cover eight to ten miles in a hike with few stops. Scheduled hikes take place Sunday, Tuesday, and Saturday, with two hikes every Thursday. One Wednesday hike a month focuses on geology, history, archaeology, geography, or photography.

Club members pay $20 a year for unlimited hikes – a package Al calls “the best deal in Sedona.” Many hikes take in trails not found in the popular hiking books, leading to hidden caves and Native American ruins. The Westerners also host several social events each year, including a cook-out at Red Rock State Park on Oct. 9 at 11 a.m. Al encourages anyone interested in the Westerners group to get in touch and join them at a hike or social event to find out what its activities are all about. Anyone can hike twice with the Westerners before officially joining, but guests must be familiar with Westerners’ rules, such a wearing lug-soled hiking boots, carrying adequate water, and signing a release of liability before heading out.

The Sedona Westerners launched in 1961 as a social club enamored with western lore. Hiking was added as a social event in 1965, and in 1971 the group developed the first Sedona hiking map. Since then, the club has worked closely with the U.S. Forest Service to establish many of Sedona’s best loved trails. The Westerners hold monthly meetings at the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, 100 Meadowlark Dr. The Westerners have 23 hikes scheduled for October and 22 in November with more than 200 hikes in the 2008-09 season.

Al says the group primarily exists to “promote friendship through hiking,” and agrees that fall is Sedona’s magical season. “I love the fall,” he says. “I’ve lived here nine years and we usually have great temperatures with the beautiful fall colors. Hiking in the fall is more about the flora rather than the fauna because the wildlife is always there, though the elk are in rut in the fall so you probably have a better chance of seeing them.”

The Sedona Westerners include several hiking groups based on a hiker’s skills and the lengths of the hikes. An annual membership costs $20 – potential
members may participate in two hikes before joining. For more information, including a schedule of hikes, visit www.sedonawesterners.org.

The NAU Skydome opened in 1977 and has 15,000 permanent seats. NAU has a student population of 21,352 at its 738-acre campus in Flagstaff and at more than 35 sites across Arizona. The college was founded in 1899 as Northern Arizona Normal School (it didn’t receive the Northern Arizona University moniker until 1966). The Lumberjacks played their first game in 1915 against Winslow High School and won 26-0. The 2008 football roster includes 78 young men heralding
primarily from California and Arizona.

The NAU Lumberjacks have seven games remaining this season, including three home games in October. Tickets range from $9 to $25 for a single game; season tickets ($70-$80) and family passes ($125-$135) are also available. For more info, visit www.nau.edu or call 928-523-5661.

Looking for Wildlife
While we can’t guarantee you’ll see moose and grizzlies on the side of Hwy 89A, wildlife sightings in northern Arizona are more common when the temperatures begin to drop and breeding season begins. Depending on weather and animal health, the elk rut can last into the beginning of October while mule deer begin breeding in November and December, says Shelly Shepherd, information and education program manager for Arizona Game and Fish. Antelope are easier to spot as the days become cooler while near Flagstaff it’s interesting to watch animals such as squirrels and (cross your fingers) the occasional black bear as they prepare for a long winter’s nap.

“In the fall people’s activity in the forest increases due to the nicer weather and hunting also picks up, so all that human activity means the animals are on the move,” says Shelly. “If you hike or spend time in the forests, chances are you’re going to see wildlife. We recommend people use a blind, binoculars, and spotting scopes, and always keep your distance.”

You’re more likely to see wildlife at dawn and dusk. We’ve had luck spotting huge herds of elk in the area north of Hwy 179 and east of I-17 – if you have a high-clearance vehicle head up to Apache Maid. There’s a fire lookout at the top of the mountain and the views are stunning – bring binoculars and scan the meadows and valleys beneath you to spot elk, deer, pronghorn antelopes, and flocks of Merriam’s turkeys. You also have a good chance to spot antelopes and coyotes (maybe even the occasional bobcat or mountain lion – between 2,500 and 3,000 live in Arizona) along the dirt roads off F.R. 525, northwest of Hwy 89A between Sedona and Cottonwood. While Shelly says you’re less likely to see reptiles in the fall than in summer, birdwatchers might want to head toward Upper and Lower Lake Mary, Mormon Lake, Frances Short Pond in Flagstaff, Page Springs Fish Hatchery in Cornville, or Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery east of Payson to see waterfowl. Check out the Upper Verde River north of Chino Valley for a chance to spy bald eagles, beaver, badgers, skunks, raccoons, and the gray fox. If you’re hoping for a glimpse of Sedona’s unofficial mascot, the javelina, we’ve had luck at the creekside park at Los Abrigados Resort and Spa, but Shelly says javelina breed year round so you’re just as likely to spot one in the spring.

If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the giant endangered condors at the Grand Canyon this fall, Shelly says you’ll have better luck spotting the birds in the Vermillion Cliffs region or on the Kaibab Plateau. About one-quarter (50) of the world’s condor population is in Arizona and they tend to move further north in fall. Bald eagles migrate here in December, January, and February, when northern Arizona can become home to as many as 300 birds, but October is a bit too early.

For more information on wildlife viewing in Arizona, visit Arizona Fish and Game at www.azgfd.gov or call 928-774-5045. The agency offers several publications for sale including the new Arizona Wildlife Viewing Guide.

Sedona Gallery Association’s
“Evening in the Galleries”
It’s true, the Sedona Gallery Association hosts “Evening in the Galleries” on the first Friday of every month, but we think there’s something extra special about wandering from gallery to gallery at sunset when there’s a chill in the air. The Sedona Gallery Association began in its current incarnation in summer 2003, and the art walk was the first order of business. From 5 to 8 p.m., 15 SGA member galleries serve wine and hors d’oeuvres while hosting artist’s receptions and special exhibits (this month’s event takes place Oct. 3). Oftentimes gallery artists from all over the world attend, giving art lovers the unique opportunity to meet an admired artist. Joyice Gere, SGA president, co-owner of El Prado By The Creek, and Sedona Monthly contributor, says the association’s original mission and purpose still stands strong.

“We wanted to form a group in order to support one another in selling fine art,” she says. “We want to hold each other accountable while educating the public and promoting art. What makes this organization unique is that we’re all in competition, yet we all represent different artists so we have the ability to refer galleries and build the art community.”

Monthly member dues pay for advertising, a brochure published twice a year, a Website (www.sedonagalleryassociation. com), and for the trolley service that shuttles art lovers around free of charge during the first Friday event. Joyice, who was born and raised in northern Arizona, agrees autumn is a special time of year.

“Most of the high-end tourism – the people who love and collect fine art – comes to town in fall and spring when the weather is drop dead gorgeous,” Joyice says. But that’s not the only reason SGA is celebrating this fall. The association hosts its first annual Red Rock Canvas event Nov. 7–9. Red Rock Canvas includes “Evening in the Galleries” on Nov. 7, a gala and auction at Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa on Nov. 8, and a Nov. 9 tour of the extraordinary property of John Henry Waddell, sculptor and former head of the Art Education Department at Arizona State University. John is also the honoree of the event – he will provide art for the Saturday evening auction and take part in a ticketed brunch Saturday morning. Throughout the weekend, gallery artists will give talks and take part in hands-on activities. Proceeds will go toward art programs at Camp Soaring Eagle, a camp for children suffering serious illnesses, located near the Village of Oak Creek (www.campsoaringeagle.org).

“Each gallery plans to offer something unique in the way they interpret the idea of Red Rock Canvas because each of our galleries is so different,” says Joyice. “Fine art takes many forms and yet so many artists identify with the red rocks surrounding us – they have inspired and drawn artists for many years.”

The Sedona Gallery Association hosts “Evening in the Galleries” on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 8 p.m. Participating galleries include Andrea Smith Galleries, Eclectic Image, El Prado By The Creek, Erickson Studio & Gallery, Gallery of Modern Masters, Goldenstein Gallery, James Ratliff Gallery, Kinion Fine Art and The Sedona Art Vault and Theater, Kuivato Glass Gallery, Lanning Gallery, Lark Art, Renee Taylor Gallery, Sedona Arts Center, Turquoise Tortoise Gallery, and VC Gallery of Fine Art. Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village is SGA’s corporate sponsor. For more info, visit www. sedonagalleryassociation.com or call 928-282-7390.

Red Rock Canvas takes place Nov. 7 – 9 with events including artists receptions, a gala and auction, brunch, and a tour of artist and honoree John Henry Waddell’s home and studio. For ticket prices and further info visit www.redrockcanvas.com or call 928-282-7390.

Roasted Hatch Chiles and Piñon Nuts
Drive past Son Silver West any day of the year and you’ll see bright red chile ristras, symbols of welcome in the Southwest, hanging from the eaves of the gift shop and gallery. But only during late summer and early fall will you savor the smell of fresh New Mexican Hatch chiles roasting on the patio. First harvest came in August, earlier than usual, says Patricia Carroll, the store’s manager. Chiles are harvested several times in the late summer and early fall; fresh batches sell out early so get to the store ASAP (Son Silver offers frozen chiles all year long). Chiles are sold by the pound and roasted in a cast iron roaster while you wait, creating an aroma that’s pure Southwest.

Hatch is the common name for the green and red chiles, but they are actually Sandia peppers grown in the Hatch region of southern New Mexico near Las Cruces, where the annual Chile Festival, held over Labor Day, attracts 30,000 visitors. While each batch is different, prepare for some heat as Hatch chiles are spicy. One medium-size green chile pod contains as much vitamin C as six oranges while one teaspoon of dried red chile powder satisfies the daily requirement of vitamin A. Watching your weight? Hot chile peppers burn calories by triggering a thermodynamic burn in the body and speeding up the metabolism.

Chiles aren’t the only culinary reason to celebrate the Southwest this time of the year – head up to Flagstaff on any weekend and trawl Route 66 for trucks selling roasted piñon (or pinyon) nuts. Piñon nuts come from two species of piñon (Spanish for “pine nut”) pine trees growing wild in the high desert mountain areas of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Piñon nuts are normally roasted in the shell, which resembles a bean and contains the delicate, pale brown nut. Each nut in any given batch tastes a little different. It’s a great snack, but they are not cheap. Many piñon pine trees grow on Indian reservations and they are all harvested by hand in the fall. Those in the know say the best batch of piñon rolls around every seven years or so – the 2008 forecast shows a decent crop coming from mid-New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. Pine nuts are full of amino acids, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, and are excellent in pesto sauces and salad dressings, so eat up!

Son Silver West is located at 1476 Hwy 179, between Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek. Call 928-282-3580 to check chile supplies. Trucks selling piñon nuts can be found along Route 66 in eastern Flagstaff.

Lockett Meadow includes a beautiful campground with 17 sites ($10 per night) complete with fire rings and picnic tables, but the sites are reserved on a first-come first-served basis – they fill up early on the weekends. The limited parking also fills early with families snapping Christmas card photos in front of the aspens and the peaks. Don’t be surprised if elk, porcupine or even a black bear wanders through the area. Look for the “historic” graffiti carved into the trunks of the aspens, remnants of the area’s ranching history.

Closer to home, drive up Schnebly Hill Rd. 13 miles from Sedona to I-17 (high clearance vehicles are a must). As you climb, you’ll notice veins of amazing reds, oranges, and yellows winding up the steep walls of Bear Wallow Canyon to the top of the Mogollon Rim and Foxboro Ranch. We recommend stopping at the Cow Pies parking area about 3.5 miles up the road and taking a stroll. Look toward the Mogollon Rim and marvel at the color threading through solid stands of evergreens. Stop at Schnebly Hill Vista for a bird’s-eye view of Sedona. Just beyond the vista, you’ll catch dramatic views of the San Francisco Peaks. There’s a pastoral pond located at Foxboro Ranch – great for reflection photos.

To reach Lockett Meadow, head north on Hwy 89A to Flagstaff. Take I-40 east and Hwy 89 north for 12.5 miles to Forest Road 420, directly across from the Sunset Crater National Monument turnoff. Head west for about 1 mile to Forest Road 552. Turn right at the Lockett Meadow sign and continue to the campground. This dirt road is closed in early spring and late fall due to snow. There’s a $5 day use fee.

Apple stands on Hwy 179 and in Oak Creek Canyon
If August tastes like A JUICY RIPE peach, then October is the satisfying, crisp crunch of a tangy apple. Bob Mertis, Sedona’s apple guru, satisfies our need with two fruit stands – Garland’s stand in Oak Creek Canyon at Indian Gardens, which Bob has managed for five years, and the stand at Oak Creek Orchards on Hwy 179, which Bob has leased since 2007. Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge has grown 15 varieties of apples for the past 36 years while Oak Creek Orchards grows 80 varieties, says Bob. Harvesting begins in mid-August for gala apples and ends in late October when the Arkansas blacks are ripe for pickin’. Both fruit stands sell beautiful bags of organic apples and, our personal favorite, raw apple cider, delicious served cold or hot on a chilly fall evening.

Apples have a long history in the Verde Valley – Slide Rock State Park, just up the road from the Garland’s apple stand, was originally a 43-acre apple orchard, planted by pioneer Frank L. Pendley in 1912. Several of the original trees are still growing and producing fruit in the park, which celebrates its apple heritage Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the annual Slide Rock Apple Festival (the orchard produced 1,200 boxes of apples for the 2007 festival). The Jordan family also grew apples along Oak Creek in the early 1900s – their 3,300-square-ft. apple packing shed and apple grading machine are on display at the Sedona Heritage Museum (the museum’s logo happens to be an apple as well). Bob calls his apple stands a continuation of Sedona’s agricultural heritage. “I’m just following a tradition and bringing something back that used to be,” says Bob, who’s lived in Sedona for 21 years.

Unfortunately, a freeze this year damaged most of the local apple crop so Bob was forced to bring in apples from California. Bob says it happens every seven years or so, but he promises tourists and locals will still be able to buy fresh apples from the stands. Bob also plans to sell zucchini, pumpkins, corn, beans, and tomatoes grown at Oak Creek Orchards (those who’ve lived in Sedona for ten years or more will recall the health food store that previously operated at the site of the orchards) this fall. He has big plans for the future as well. Once roadwork is complete on Hwy 179 Bob hopes to build an apple barn where visitors can watch Sedona Sweet Cider being made, which he plans to distribute throughout the country. Bob says the freeze wasn’t necessarily a bad thing because it’s introduced him to quality fruit and vegetable purveyors, allowing him to mix other products (he sold excellent peaches and cherries this summer) with those that are locally grown and operate as a high-quality farmers’ market. Both stands might also begin offering homemade apple pie. Our mouths are already beginning to water…

Bob operates two apple stands – one at Oak Creek Orchards along Hwy 179, just south of Hillside Sedona, and the Garland’s stand at Indian Gardens on Hwy 89A in Oak Creek Canyon. While the Oak Creek Orchards stand is usually open seven days a week, at press time Bob wasn’t sure he’d have enough fruit to constantly supply the Garland’s stand.

Jerome Ghost Walk
The old mining town of Jerome, about 20 miles south of Sedona in the foothills of Mingus Mountain, often tops lists as one of the most haunted spots in America – just stop in at the Jerome Grand Hotel and read accounts of ghost sightings in the log at the front desk, and even the most cynical might feel a chill. The town revels in its spirited past: The annual Ghost Walk will celebrate its sixth anniversary this year. The event, sponsored by the Jerome Historical Society, takes place Oct. 11 with walks every 30 minutes starting at 4:30 p.m. – the final walk of the day leaves at 10 p.m. Each walk includes up to 50 people and lasts about 90 minutes; tickets sell out earlier and earlier every year, says Annie Kelly, an assistant at the society. This year, ghost lovers from all over the state began calling about the event in February. Tickets are $15 per person and on sale now.

This year’s theme, the Story of Ann Hopkins, pays tribute to just one of Jerome’s many interesting past residents. According to the Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott, in the early 1900s Ann’s husband, Clarence, was the chief engineer with the United Verde Copper Co. while Ann was a businesswoman in her own right, buying and renting out properties. Ann began to suspect her husband of an affair and eventually he admitted to a relationship with a teacher in Jerome. Ann became consumed with her husband’s affair and sought a divorce. When it appeared Clarence was going to seek custody of the couple’s children, Ann flew into a rage, tracked down the teacher at the Connor Hotel in Jerome, and threw a glass of carbolic acid in her face. Ann was arrested, tried, and served several years in jail in Florence. After she got out of jail she moved to California where she raised her children, worked as a nurse, and spent time trying to clear her name, insisting there was more to her story. Each walk, led by a costumed volunteer portraying Ann, chronicles her life in Jerome. Walks begin at Spook Hall, end at the Bartlett Hotel, and include lots of stair climbing – the walks are not wheelchair-accessible and the evening is rated PG-13; Annie strongly recommends kids stay at home for the Ghost Walk. Wear comfortable shoes and don’t plan on taking a seat until the end of the tour.

Directors have been hired this year and about 30 volunteer actors from the community of Jerome portray characters in Ann’s life. Costumes come, in part, from the historical society’s archives, and walkers are also encouraged to dress up. Proceeds from the evening go toward maintaining the town’s archives, renovations, and grants for restoration of historic buildings. Shops, restaurants, and bars tend to stay open late for the Ghost Walk and Annie says, “it’s a big ol’ party” in Jerome that night. Don’t miss out.

To get to Jerome drive south on Hwy 89A through Cottonwood and Clarkdale (the highway turns into Main St.). Free parking is available in several lots and along the street. The Ghost Walk begins at Spook Hall on Hull Ave., just below Main St. For tickets, call 928-634-1066 or visit www.jeromehistoricalsociety.org.

Halloween in Uptown/Cliff Castle

Holly Epright, executive director of the Sedona Main Street Program, says the Uptown Halloween bash began as a way to keep trick or treaters safe. “In Sedona we have dark skies, arroyos rather than sidewalks, no streetlights, javelina and coyotes – it’s not necessarily a place where it’s easy or safe to trick or treat,” says Holly. “Plus you can visit so many more storefronts in Uptown than you can visit homes in our rural neighborhoods. In this community, nothing makes more sense than gathering everyone in Uptown.”

Holly says more and more people have been attracted to the party since the Uptown enhancement project was completed. Instead of walking in the street and threading between parked cars, people can now gather with their neighbors on wide sidewalks and sit in several open seating spots. “It’s made a big difference,” she says.

If you’re looking for something a bit more adult-oriented, Cliff Castle Casino’s Halloween Party regularly attracts hundreds of people from all over Arizona. This year’s party, with the theme Good vs. Evil, takes place Oct. 31 and includes the always-popular costume contest.

The party’s soundtrack comes from live music at the Dragonfly Lounge. The entire evening is set among the casino’s 20-lane bowling alley, video arcade, live-action blackjack and poker, 570 gaming machines, and four restaurants. Having a little too much fun (Halloween does fall on a Friday, after all)? Book a room at the casino’s 80-room hotel so you don’t have to drive home.

The 22nd Annual Halloween Safe and Fun Trick or Treat takes place Oct. 31, 5-8 p.m. in Uptown Sedona. Free. Parking is available in the municipal lot on Apple Ave., at the Hyatt Piñon Pointe or in the lots on Van Deren Rd. For further details, call Sedona Main Street at 928-204-2390.

Cliff Castle Casino “Good vs. Evil” Halloween party takes place Oct. 31 at the casino located at 555 Middle Verde Rd. in Camp Verde. Costume contest for ages 21 and older. Kids activities and live music throughout the night. There is no charge to enter costume contest. For more details, call 928-567-7999 or visit www.cliffcastlecasino.net.

Hiking West Fork

Unfortunately, the beautiful vegetation doesn’t last long and hikers realize this – the trailhead parking lot can fill up early in the morning on weekends in October and parking along the side of Hwy 89A is not advised (and illegal in most places). If you can swing it, pick a day mid-week to experience the beauty without the crowds. If you hike to the beginning of the West Fork narrows (where the trail heads up the creek another 11 miles and requires wading and swimming) and return to your car, you’re looking at a six-mile hike with very little elevation change but you don’t have to go all the way to the end to see the fall foliage – the best colors begin about 1.5 miles in. You’ll notice the area is referred to as the Call of the Canyon – Zane Grey set his novel of that name in this area and the movie of it was filmed here in 1923. Be prepared to cross the creek many times along your journey and keep an eye out for squirrels, garter snakes, and mule deer. Along with the changing leaves, you’ll see soaring red rock canyon walls separated by ribbons of blue sky, wild grapevines, and an incredibly idyllic stream. A note to photographers: Bring a tripod and look for spots where the leaves are reflected in the stream for photos you’ll hang proudly.

To hike West Fork drive north on Hwy 89A up Oak Creek Canyon to the Call of the Canyon/West Fork day use area on your left between mile markers 384 and 385. There are picnic tables and restrooms in the area. Fees are $8 per car (up to five people). Weekly and grand annual Red Rock Passes are accepted in lieu of entrance fee.

Sedona Monthly Features Archive Home

© 2006-2007 Bar225 Media Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sitemap

Internet Marketing by North Star Direct Marketing