West Fork of Oak Creek

There is something about a walk in the forest in the fall that is unlike other walks. The forest smells like fall – it is damp and musky. The ground is soft with pine needles and dead leaves.

Whether the sky is clear or cloudy, it is different from any other time of year. But when it is clear, there is nothing like the color blue in autumn. Especially when you are in Sedona, Ariz.

The West Fork of Oak Creek offers one of the most tantalizing fall walks in the state. While it is a hike that lends itself to strolling rather than a hard aerobic hike (unless you are 12 – then you have to run), it is a spot that entices you to stay.

The leisurely walk starts at the Day Use Area, where there is a $7 fee to park. While there are few parking spots along SR 89A through Oak Creek, you must have a Red Rock Pass to park there. An annual pass is $20; a weekly pass is $15. Visit publiclands.org to purchase a Red Rock Pass. The Day Use Area has a ranger who collects the fee most of the time, but if there is no ranger on site, payment envelopes are available.

After paying the fee, you head to the trail head and begin the walk across a beautiful bridge spanning Oak Creek.  It sets the tone for the activity. Just over the bridge are the Mayhew Lodge Ruins. This site was built around three cabins, the first of which was built in the 1870s. In the 1880s, apple orchards were planted. Many of the trees remain. The Mayhew Lodge was developed and operated between 1925 and 1968. In 1968, the U.S. Forest Service purchased the area, and in 1976, the lodge burned to the ground. The suspected cause of the blaze was an unattended fire left in a vacant building.

While the history is interesting, the setting is the appeal to most. This time of year, the Gambel oak is golden although this year it wasn’t particularly spectacular. However, the maple trees were spectacular this year, with reds ranging from deep crimson to persimmon to pinkish-orange. They are colors you wish you had in your wardrobe, but nothing except Mother Nature can duplicate the hues so purely.

We walked about three miles in, and there isn’t much left of the length after that unless you are doing serious backpacking. Because we were there for just a few hours, we lingered along the creek, listening to its ripples and watching the clouds in the water’s reflection. One of our party took advantage of the fishing and cast a few dry flies along the way (with no luck). We did happen on to a quiet pool where the fish were plentiful, but none was hungry. One good sized trout kind of sniffed the fly but figured out it had no taste and skirted away.

The West Fork Trail really is one that most people can enjoy.  There is not much gain in elevation (270 feet) and except for a few times you have to ford the creek, there are no obstacles. Crossing the creek over a recent weekend was simple. The water was low, so rocks were exposed and dry. Sometimes you get your feet wet, but we didn’t even have to change socks when we were done with the walk.

The steep walls of Oak Creek Canyon add to the color palette. Reds and white, along with black streaks up the walls are dramatic and beautiful. And that sky. Everything goes with that color blue. But again, people cannot replicate that color. It is there to be enjoyed in nature only. That’s okay. Living in Arizona with that kind of nature is special.

The only downside to going to Oak Creek and the West Fork is the crowds. Surprisingly, people have not tarnished the area as much as you might imagine. Trash is minimal, but it is there. We packed out a few tin cans and paper and stuff. It is unimaginable to me how someone can be in a pristine place as Oak Creek Canyon and have the gall to leave an empty pop can or a gum wrapper.

This is a designated wilderness and wilderness rules apply. You pack it in, you pack it out. Stay on the trail. Leave no trace. No matter how convenient it is to the road, we still have a huge obligation to keep it beautiful. When you go for one of those leisurely walks, remember that someone will come along after you have been there. Leave the place as you experienced it.

This hike was featured November 2005.