West Clear Creek Wilderness
Contained within the striated walls of a remote canyon on
the Mogollon Plateau is the most expressive example of what might happen if the
powerful hand of Nature applied a sledgehammer to a mesa and filled the
resultant wound with water.
Narrow and deep, the rough-hewn upper reaches of West Clear
Creek are a maze of cracked and tilted tributary slot canyons scoured out of
contorted layers of sedimentary rocks. From its headwaters on the Mogollon Rim,
the creek rips through a riparian gallery forest before merging with the Verde
River 40-miles downstream. The
Tramway Trail #32, which offers the easiest access to this pristine wilderness,
begins on the cliffs overlooking the canyon. Here, remains of a defunct cable tram that was used from
1942 to 1965 to stock the creek with trout, hangs in rusted knots from an
enormous Ponderosa pine tree. The route into the canyon is a spider crawl along
a thin trail that clings to the siltstone precipice like a rocky fire escape.
For those who are not bothered by heights, this trail’s steep switchbacks,
rock-scrambles and dizzying drop-offs deliver a substantial adrenaline-rush.
At the base of the trail, there’s a well-worn primitive
campsite above a large pool of water where healthy tufts of Canada violets and
ferns sprout from the loamy soil.
Although the campsite marks the official end of the trail, adventurous
hikers can pick their way along the creek through thick, wildlife-rich
woodlands. At every bend in the
stream, contorted, 800-foot-high canyon walls converge and seem to swallow up
the sky only to release it as seldom-seen alcoves emerge from beyond the clutch
of the stony precipice.
LENGTH: 1 mile round-trip (on trail) with exploratory options
RATING: moderate
ELEVATION: 6,650’
– 5,900’
DISTANCE FROM PHOENIX:
150 miles one-way
GETTING THERE:
From Phoenix, go north on I17 to the AZ 260 interchange near
Camp Verde. Go east on AZ 260 (General Crook Trail) to the junction with AZ
87. From there, go north (left)
and continue for 11 miles to Lake Mary Road (Forest Road 3). Go north (left) on Lake Mary Road and
continue for 7.5 miles to FR 81.
Turn west (left) onto FR 81 and drive 3 miles to FR 81E. Follow FR 81E and the “Tramway Trail”
and generic “trail” signs for 3.6 miles to FR 693. Go west (right) on FR 693 and continue 1.2 miles to a fork
in the road. Turn left at the fork
and drive less than a half-mile to the trailhead. A high-clearance vehicle is required.
INFO: Coconino National Forest, Mogollon Rim Ranger District (928) 477-2255
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=55416&actid=50
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