VULTEE ARCH

VULTEE ARCH Red Rocks Secret Mountain Wilderness What resembles one of those plastic rock-scape thingies used in lizard terrariums and is named for a guy who crashed his plane? Give up? It’s one of the most-visited geological attractions in Sedona--Vultee Arch, a wide sandstone bridge tucked into the red-rock slopes of Sterling Canyon. In fact, the entire Vultee Arch trail oozes with the accouterments of a lizard paradise: warm sandy soils, lots of rocky ledges for soaking up sunshine and shady thickets of pungent pine-and-lavender-scented juniper and cypress trees. The fact that these same trappings also are a huge draw for people, explains the snarled masses of SUVs at the trailhead. Yet, working through the parking corundum is worth the effort to hike this trail to its end where lizards do push-ups on a bronze plaque placed in memory of the crashed plane guy and his wife in view of the arch that bears their name. LENGTH: 3.4 miles out-and-back RATING: easy ELEVATION GAIN: 500 feet FEE: A Red Rock Pass($5 daily fee) is required.  http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/passes/index.shtml



 INFORMATION: Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, (928) 282-4119

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/vultee-arch-tr.shtml

GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, go north on I-17 to exit 298 for  Sedona/Oak Creek.  Go left (west) on SR179  and continue into the town of Sedona. At the junction of SR179 and US89A (the “Y” traffic circle intersection) turn left onto Highway 89A and continue for 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right onto Dry Creek Road (FR 152C) and continue for 2 miles to the turn off for FR 152 on the right. Get on FR 152 and go another 4.4 miles to the signed Vultee Arch trailhead. FR 152 is a bumpy dirt road--although we've seen passenger cars at the trailhead, high-clearance vehicle is a better idea .

DOE MOUNTAIN

View from top of Doe Mountain

Bear Mountain as seen from Doe Mountain

Fancy carin marks a trail on top of Doe Mountain

DOE MOUNTAIN Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness One of the easiest ways to get high enough to enjoy great view vantage points in Sedona is to hike up the Doe Mountain trail. The short, well-worn trail switchbacks among low-growing juniper and cypress trees as it ascends to the top of the isolated red sandstone mesa. Here, many of the area’s most recognizable geological features, including Chimney Rock and Wilson Mountain, are visible in the distance. Once on the summit of the mesa, it’s possible to extend the hike by following one or more of the informal pathways that meander through the high desert scrub to scenic overlooks. LENGTH: 2 miles round trip RATING: moderate ELEVATION: 4,600'-5,000'  GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, go north on I-17 to the Sedona/Oak Creek exit 298. Turn east onto SR 179 and continue into the town of Sedona. At the junction of SR179 and US89A (the “Y” traffic circle intersection) turn left onto  89A and continue  3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road. Turn right onto Dry Creek Road (FR 152C) and continue to the intersection with Long Canyon Road. From there, turn left to stay on FR 152C . At the intersection with Boynton Canyon Road, turn left onto Boynton Pass Road. Drive for about 1.2 miles to the trailhead on the right. FEE: Red Rock Pass required: http://www.redrockcountry.org/passes-and-permits/index.shtml

  INFO:  Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, 928-282-4119

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/recreation/red_rock/doe-mtn-tr.shtml

CAVE CREEK TRAIL #4

CAVE CREEK #4
Tonto National Forest


Traversing a swath of classic Arizona Upland Sonoran Desert terrain, Cave Creek trail is a study in environmental diversity and human history. . The trail can be directly accessed from either the Seven Springs area or from the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. Either way, hikers will encounter lots of dips and twists in the well-worn path as it wanders among remains of early ranching operations, old mines and a smattering of ancient Hohokam petroglyphs and ruins. Although recent wildfires scorched the eastern end of the trail, the gurgling waters of Cave Creek are feeding a resurgence of the sycamore and cottonwood trees that formerly crowded intermittent pockets of riparian plant life that thrive below saguaro-studded hillsides. The creek runs at its fullest during springtime when a riot of wildflowers paint the desert vistas in vivid shades of orange, purple and red.

LENGTH: 10.4 miles one-way
RATING: Moderate
ELEVATION: 3,500 – 2,440 feet

GETTING THERE:
East trailhead: From the Loop 101 in Scottsdale, take the Pima/Princess Road exit. Go north on Pima Road for 13 miles to Cave Creek Road. Turn right (east) onto Cave Creek Road (which will turn into Forest Road 24) and continue 9.5 miles to the Cave Creek Trailhead.
West trailhead: From the intersection of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road head north on Cave Creek Road about 2.5 miles to Spur Cross Road. Turn north and drive 4.5 miles to the Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area. From the parking area, hike 2 miles up Spur Cross Trail (which becomes Forest Road 48) to the Cave Creek trailhead. There’s a $3 daily fee per person. Exact change is required for the self-serve kiosk.

INFORMATION:
fs.fed.us/r3/tonto/recreation/rogs/hikingtrail/ccrd/CaveCreekTrail4.pdf or (480) 595-3300
maricopa.gov/parks/spur_cross/maps.aspx or (480) 488-6601

CRITTERS

You never know what you'll run into while hiking in Arizona.

MOURNING DOVE FAMILY: photo by Arlene B.
GILA MONSTER: photo by Gary A.
TARANTULA: photo by Pete S.
CACTUS WREN: photo by Arlene B.
LIZARDS: photo by Mare
WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLESNAKE: photo by Pete S.

MORE CRITTERS

ARIZONA TRAIL CRITTERS
Just a sample of the critters we run into while hiking in Arizona.
GREATER ROADRUNNER: photo by Arlene B.
CHUCKWALLA: photo by Pete S.
COYOTES: photo by Arlene B.
BLACKTAIL RATTLESNAKE: photo by Mare
HORNED LIZARD: photo by Cheryl D.

OLD CAVES CRATER

OLD CAVES CRATER Flagstaff Even in the rain (as we experienced), hiking to the summit of Old Caves Crater is a thoroughly enjoyable experience offering a unique opportunity to explore both geological and human history. The trail is shaded by pine and juniper and wildflowers grow profusely in the many grassy meadows along the way. Gaining just 500 feet over 1.2 miles, it takes only about 20 minutes to reach the summit. Once at the crest of the hill, a “T” intersection divides the trail. Head right to visit the old caves where ancient inhabitants lived and stored their food. The “caves” are actually gigantic air pockets within the russet-colored lava flow that signaled the death of this dormant cinder cone. Hundreds of pottery shards litter the hillsides behind the cave. Observe and enjoy these remnants of an ancient culture but remember that it’s not only disrespectful to steal or displace the artifacts – it’s also illegal. Don’t forget to explore the other side of the trail from the “T” intersection that leads to the hill’s high point and features beautiful views as well as an array of unusual plants. GETTING THERE: From Phoenix, go north on I-17 to the junction with I-40 in Flagstaff.  Turn right and go east on I-40 to the turnoff for  US89 north. Follow US89 north to Silver Saddle Road. Go east (right) onto Silver Saddle Road and continue for a quarter-mile to the obvious, signed parking lot on the left. LENGTH: 2.4 miles round trip RATING: easy-moderate ELEVATION: 6,675' - 7,183' INFORMATION & MAP: Coconino National Forest:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/recarea/?recid=55142&actid=104