West Clear Creek

On the fringe of Sedona’s red rock country, sandstone cliffs meet the water’s edge to create natural swimming holes along West Clear Creek. The wilderness area runs for some 40 miles below the Mogollon Rim, creating a remote canyon best explored on foot. The 6-mile drive to the trailhead on a dirt road skirts the canyon rim and looks deep into the gorge. At Bull Pen Ranch, look for the trailhead and head down. As hikers approach the creek, the unforgiving landscape transitions into a green swath of vegetation protected by a canopy of old-growth trees. The primitive trail is often overgrown and requires creek crossings along the way that could require wading neck deep when the creek is swollen.

The Hike

West Clear Creek Trail requires a commitment. At nearly 9 miles out and back, the trail drops into a deep, narrow canyon and runs along the creek. Expect to cross the water at least four times and to get soaked when summer monsoon rainstorms fill the creek. The deeper hikers go into the gorge, the more water crossings and bushwacking is required. Seasoned hikers can continue past the swimming holes and eventually climb 2,000 feet out of the canyon on the east side. Most hikers are content with reaching the Bull Pen swimming hole, splashing around under a canopy of cottonwood and sycamore trees and climbing back out of the canyon.

The Swim

Narrow gorges in the canyon are filled with water year-round and become deep swimming holes when the conditions are right. Depending on how much rain or snowmelt the area has received, the pools at the Bull Pen swimming area might be deep enough for a refreshing wade or a plunge off surrounding cliffs. Slickrock natural water slides race visitors between red-rock canyon walls in this ultimate water playground. West Clear Creek’s canyon parallels the Fossil Springs Wilderness Area located on the south side of Highway 260. Add a second day to visit another surprising swimming hole in this high-desert canyon carved by Fossil Creek.

Visit the Verde Valley

Most visitors travel up or down I-17 to access West Clear Creek off highway 260 in Central Arizona. Choose any of the cities of the Verde Valley as home base during this epic outdoor adventure. Hotels in Cottonwood and Camp Verde, vacation rentals in Clarkdale and Jerome and resorts in Sedona offer easy access to the rivers, mountains and canyons that make the Verde Valley a pristine wilderness destination.

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