Located near Flagstaff, AZ, and surrounded by the San Francisco peaks, the inner basin trail begins in Lockett Meadow. The highlight of the Parson’s Trail is the beautiful Sycamore Canyon, featuring a river and numerous swimming holes with cliff jumping opportunities for those brave enough to attempt them. This is a 7.3 mile out and back trail, which gains moderately in elevation over 800 feet. As the shade is limited and summer temperatures can reach triple digits, hikers should bring sufficient water, start early in the morning and check daily highs. Purchase a Red Rock permit in the visitor’s center for parking and take in the views of the formidable Cathedral Rock. Popular with families, the trail offers multiple access points for swim spots on Oak Creek. Baldwin Trail also connects to several other trails and can be combined to make a longer trek. Baldwin TrailĪ beautiful, scenic, 2-mile loop trail, the Baldwin Trail gains 216 feet of elevation and affords views of Sedona’s beautiful red rocks. Although this not one of the truly secret hikes in Arizona, the loop is perfect for exploring in the low season and on weekdays. Of note, there is an entrance fee for the park. To avoid the crowds, you can work your way upstream beyond the falls, though you won’t find a swimming hole as deep.Located within the Phoenix Botanical Garden, this 2.1-mile loop offers visitors the opportunity to see beautiful native species of plants, trees, and flowers. We came in February and appreciated the solitude. Unfortunately, the perfection of this spot for swimming and the ease of the trail mean that in the summer it’s always overrun, and generally with people leaving their beer and trash around. There are numerous spots with small rapids and water deep enough to splash around in, but none are nearly as nice as the final waterfall which sits amid interesting rock formations and pours over the edge of a small cliff into a deep, clear pool perfect for swimming.
It’s much easier to just walk up the road a short distance and connect with the actual trail which is pleasant and easy to navigate, although the other trail (more of a beaten path) does provide access all along the creek. This trail leads down to the river and then requires some creativity to make your way over and onto the main trail. Anyway.there is a trail that starts from the creek side of the parking area, but this is not the main trail. We ripped open a tire on our way back and had to drive 10 miles of bumpy dirt road on a donut. Getting to the parking area is probably more of an adventure than the trail itself, since it requires driving around 15 miles on a dirt/gravel road. This short, easy trail starts just up the road (east) of the Waterfall Trailhead parking area. What’s Nearby?: Devil’s Bridge Trail, Soldier Pass-Brins Mesa Loop, Montezuma Castle, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park Visit the Coconino National Forest website here for additional details. No reservations are required 2 October – 31 March and access is allowed 24 hours a day (though camping is not permitted in the area immediately around Fossil Creek). Permits are required 1 April – 1 October, and the area is open 8am – 8pm, with last entry at 4pm. This is not always reflected on gps directions. Note that approach from the east, via Strawberry, is CLOSED INDEFINITELY. Red Tape/Notes: Extremely popular trail, particularly in summer when people come here to swim. Time Required: 1+ hours (include additional time if you’re planning to swim) Location: near Camp Verde, South of Sedona, Arizona Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Arizona → Sedona Area → Waterfall Trail on Fossil Creek
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