Continue 4.5 miles to Forest Road 95T and take a left onto that turn off. A classic canyoneering spot. Parsons SpringSycamore Canyon Wilderness begins with a crack on the Ponderosa pine-cluttered edge of the Colorado Plateau near Williams and ends with a splash at one of Arizonas most classic swimming holes north of Clarkdale. I took my Wife to the view point and watched her jaw drop, this has its own beauty, not like the Grand Canyon. There are fallen trees blocking the trail from start to finish. I like to hear that music, that soothing splash of water spilling over rocks. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Will definitely come back again! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Lots of birds but no other sightings. pretty good shape for the devastating flood that went through the canyon. Seven Cataracts 32.36202 , -110.7264783 By chickandbeast. Drive for 1.5 miles to the old Beaver Creek Ranger Station, turn left and continue to the trailhead parking lot. The directions were easy to follow and necessary since the fire roads are not well marked (or just plain unmarked). Sycamore Canyon: Amazing Falls - See 39 traveller reviews, 11 candid photos, and great deals for Arizona, at Tripadvisor. ELEVATION: 3,800-3,600FACILITIES: NoneFEE: NoneDOGS: Controlled/leashed allowedGETTING THERE: From Phoenix, travel north on Interstate 17 to exit 287 for State Route 260. Close. Swimming hole in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness, outside of Clarkdale, AZ. No entrance fees to this area. Sycamore Falls and the Grundy Day Loop feature just over 3 miles of hiking trail with countless creek access points, swimming holes, and waterfalls. Will try it again in the spring. Amazing adventure. This may be one of the most popular natural swimming holes in the USA. So I guess we need to get back there with proper equipment for thorns. When the water is flowing at its highest in early summer, you'll be hiking in water in a slot canyon. Unable to tell where river crossings are. The roads and very manageable, at least when we went. Also the "What to do in Williams" free visitor magazine describes how to get there via County Road 141 and FS Road 56 not the way to go as it leads a dead end (do not take FS Road 54). 100% of travelers recommend this experience. We love exploring all of these hidden gems in Arizona. You can experience an incredible array of bird species, fish, and even mountain lions and black bears. Just walk around and the views change with the sun a must see! Swimming holes are spread along the entire length and getting to them begins on a high-desert mesa with a 200-foot decent into a lush riparian forest buttressed by sandstone escarpments and bizarre vertical walls of columnar basalt like those at Devil's Postpile in California. Swimmers have their own beach tucked away in a quiet cove with a playground nearby. After several creek crossings, the trail ends at Parsons Spring (4 miles), a wide marshy area. It restores our faith. good bass fishing and bring a head lamp for the mine. The official trail continues across the water and up the other side of the canyon, but we say stay and play or at least lean against a beached boulder and revel in the peaceful seclusion. Turn right and continue 7 miles for First Crossing, 7.5 miles for Water Wheel, 8 miles for Second Crossing and 8.5 miles for Third Crossing.INFO: Tonto National Forest, http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/tonto/null/recarea/?recid=35587&actid=70POST-SWIM: Extend your water-themed getaway at Verde River Rock House, an upscale bed and breakfast resort on the Verde River. out and back. Details:928-453-3444,www.golakehavasu.com. lost the trail in a few areas but found it again. Pack out all your trash and any that you might find. London Bridge Beach may be Arizonas most ocean-like beach, with its swaying palm trees and seagull wings flashing white in the sun. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible. Romero PoolsIt takes some determination to get to the tinajas (rock pockets carved by running water) tucked high in Romero Canyon. Tumbling from the forested heights of the Mogollon Rim, West Clear Creek slices a deep narrow gash through sandstone cliffs. Courtesy of swimmingholes.org Bathing suits: May be optional at farther swimming hole More Information Here is a report from Tim Joyce using this trail in 5/2010: "Yesterday we hiked North Canyon via the South Yuba trail (South Yuba Campground). Know Before You Go You can either hike or take a mule, horse,. Welcome to The Crack. Swimming holes are spread along the entire length and getting to them begins on a high-desert mesa with a 200-foot decent into a lush riparian forest buttressed by sandstone escarpments and bizarre vertical walls of columnar basalt like those at Devils Postpile in California. Lakes are beautiful and rivers are mighty, but creeks feel the most personal. In Arizona, air conditioning keeps us sane but water and shade set us free. excelente, como advertencia, el acceso es un poco difcil, lleva un coche alto. After backtracking and after the crossing we continued on to Summers Spring. 14. The deeper into the canyon you go, the more solitude you'll find. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Turn right and continue approximately 3 miles to the Bull Pen Ranch Trailhead. this trail is absolutely beautiful! more, Grand Canyon Railroad Excursion from Sedona, Antelope Canyon via Canyon X and Horseshoe Bend Scenic Tour from Sedona, Out of Africa Wildlife Park Admission Ticket, Small Group Antelope Canyon Day Trip from Phoenix, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend Private Luxury Car Tour, Sedona with Jerome and Montezuma Castle One-Day Van Tour, Chuck Wagon Supper & Western Stage Show at Blazin' M Ranch Ticket, Grand Experience Coach Railroad Excursion Sedona, Grand Canyon and Sedona Day Adventure from Scottsdale or Phoenix, Good drive for a great view..seasonal conditions. Easy hike, stunning views. Nobody else out there :). Ortega Falls This 1/3-mile round trip hike visits a refreshing waterfall, cascade, and swimming hole off Ortega Highway in the Santa Ana Mountains. Time for the second half of Thomas birthday week!We left Camp Verde and drove down the road to stay in Cottonwood AZ. Cottonwood is a great vacation spot, with all the typical shops and lots of winery tasting rooms. Perhaps it would be a different story if you go after heavy rains. Several well-used social paths branch off and lead to the stream at prime pools and smooth rock mini-beaches. In June we were able to find large caches of water on the canyon floor for a 3day/2 night backpack. I would recommend SUV or truck to drive this 11 miles dirt road but I did see one Sedan parked at the trailhead. CA United States. Lots of flood debris, way more than last time we did this hike in 2019. The highlight of the Parsons Trail hike is reaching Parsons Spring which feeds the swimming hole at the end of the 4-mile one-way hike. 336 SR 179, Sedona, 928-282-4838, tlaq.com. All roads are paved and parking is available beyond the pay station.INFO: Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, 928-203-2900, http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/coconino/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5299994&width=fullPOST-SWIM: Explore Tlaquepaque arts and crafts village and refuel with beer-battered fish and chips and a Horseshoe Hefeweizen at Oak Creek Brewery and Grill. Theres a roped-off swim area at Boulder Beach, with a white sand beach and plenty of nearby picnic tables. Youll need a rest before making the slog back up to the trailhead that steep climb can feel downright Sisyphean for novice hikers (leave the little ones at home for this one), especially after a day swimming in the sun. SYCAMORE CANYON SWIMMING HOLE HIKE | EXPLORING COTTONWOOD & JEROME, AZ | RV LIFE No views May 22, 2022 Hi! Sycamore Canyon & Thornhill Broome campground gates open at 8am and close at 10pm. Turn right on Tuzigoot Road, cross the Verde River and turn left on Sycamore Canyon Road(FR 131). Never carry glass containers. From Cottonwood, drive northwest on Main Street, following signs to Tuzigoot National Monument. The water runs fast and shallowcolliding with boulders, rushing through chutescreating a splashy symphony that changes around every bend. It was much easier than the Humbug trail hike. Sycamore Falls This is a new favorite of mine because there's so many swimming holes and waterfalls all in one place. Nice shade throughout the trail. Because only a small section of it contains reliable water sources and there are no roads, it has remained relatively untouched and unspoiled. Where: Lake Havasu City is 193 miles northwest of Phoenix. This 21 mile long scenic canyon is about a mile wide the 2nd largest only to Oak Creek Canyon in Yavapai County AZ. There are two seasonal waterfalls and pools at the ends of the Y, and the point where the Y merges is the popular "Prow" area. Scenic overlook at TH has views of red rocks and the canyon and creek below. This trail ends at a lunch spot with a view of Sycamore Cyn. Beautiful canyon trail with plenty of shade, water, and vistas. The Grand Canyon is awesome but Sycamore Canyon is a hidden little gem that a lot of folks do not know about. The comments about the trail being washed out concerned us, but its been cleared and we had an amazing hike. North Sylamore Creek is located in Stone County in north-central Arkansas. Elevation gain says 800+ but we logged far less, likely because we followed the wash versus the cliff due to difficulty navigating. Hike down . Just took the drive from Williams to Sycamore Point to see the vista, We used the directions from Googlewhich were not very accurate. A lesser known, but equally scenic, cousin of Oak Creek Canyon, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness contains more than 50,000 acres of colorful cliffs, soaring pinnacles, and one of the world's rarest habitats, a desert riparian area. To reach Sycamore Falls, cross the bridge and merge on to the Fiery Gizzard Trail. A rock hopping trip hike along Sycamore Creek, a drainage which runs parallel to the Bee Line Highway near Sunflower. For the most part it worked well, but I was disappointed to see a fair amount of ghosting artifacts in the clouds. Cross two side canyons and ascend to the south on rocky tread beneath a rocky-topped peak. Directions. The flood damage was devastating. The trail changes from rock, dirt, sand, river rock, and dense brush throughout the entire 4 miles. Buckthorn berries proliferate along the shores, while wildlife (including red-tailed hawks) look on. The Grand Canyon is the largest. Take Highway 89A South from Sedona to Cottonwood AZ. Please remember, these are fragile environments. We found a baby scorpion hiding under a rock (which all four of our kids loved), along with a woolly aphid. The dirt roads are passable by sedan but a high-clearance vehicle is recommended.INFO: Red Rock Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, 928-203-2900, http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=55372&actid=50POST-SWIM: Old Town Cottonwoods Pizzeria Bocce is a hip restaurant and bar on the banks of the Verde River. Turn left onto FR 618 and drive 2.2 miles to Forest Road 215. Tons of debris. The Big Kahuna shows up at the 3.5-mile point where the softly percolating issue of Parsons Spring refreshes a tiny lake besieged by a beveled ring of limestone shelves and a graceful tangle of alders and vines. Dont recommend this hike for many years unless you want to see total devastation. This old ghost town has a lot of character and has been featured on Ghost Adventures! Plus some of the trail has been washed away or covered by debris so you can hone your tracking skills. However, although the crystal-clear water looks inviting, it's extremely cold even in the height of summer. I have gone out there probably 4 to 5 times now. In the end I had to replace the sky by painting in the properly exposed one using a photoshop layer mask. Continue for approximately 0.6 miles until you see the sign for Sycamore Falls. It is a much prettier way to get into or out of Sycamore Canyon, compared to the paved Sycamore Canyon Fireroad. The term 'wilderness' isn't used lightly here: This region of steep cliffs, soaring pinnacles, and desert riparian zones was designated a Wilderness Area in 1972, the state's first. Just under half way through the . The river pools up into a beautiful swimming area about 1 mile in. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Explore. Day trips and backpacks to enjoy. I see you've posted an image. The sites are somewhat close together and this campground is definitely known as one of the more social spaces . The first river crossing was not well marked and we continued on for about .25 miles on a path that got progressively narrower and more brush covered. Did you included the required title information? Signs warn of washed out trail and fire damage which we found to be true in many spots. There's also the option to swim in the shallow and calm water holes underneath Twin Falls, which is within Lynn Canyon too. After a few miles of dirt roads through pine and pinyon trees, the view opens up to a spectacular view of the canyon. It is pretty singletrack with several easy stream crossings. Sycamore Canyon: Amazing Falls - See 39 traveler reviews, 11 candid photos, and great deals for Arizona, at Tripadvisor. The dirt road has a couple of rough spots but is usually accessible to sedans. They make refreshing swimming holes in warm weather and lush riparian escapes the rest of the time. West Clear CreekThere are many swimming holes and other aquatic treasures throughout West Clear Creek, which, at 30 miles, is the longest drainage on the Mogollon Rim. These high levels also create 70-degree travertine pools at the base of some of the falls, making them the perfect swimming holes. Sycamore Canyon Swimming Hole Yesterday the wife and I decided on a hike in the remote Sycamore Canyon Wilderness (just to the west of Sedona, AZ), with the destination being this idyllic swimming hole found along Sycamore Creek. Per the signs, camping is allowed at Parsons Springs. For a post-trek treat, indulge in soft pretzels with beer cheese and a Strawberry Blonde ale at THAT Brewery (3270 N. AZ Hwy 87, Pine, 928-476-3349, thatbrewery.com). From Pacific Coast Hwy turn inland on Corral Canyon Rd. Turn right onto Forest Road 618 and continue 2 miles and park at either the Bell trailhead or Beaver Creek Picnic Area. View full map. Arrived at 10am on a Sunday to one other vehicle. A clutch of graceful sycamores shades the shoreline. We are Thomas and Victoria, and we are starting our adventure as full-time RV newbies. Follow the signs for a little more than half a mile to the trailhead, where you can park for free. Did not hike. This creek is a sly beauty. Grasshopper PointFor years, Grasshopper Point took a backseat to Sedonas star watering hole, Slide Rock. But if you want to marvel at the power of nature and water youll love this hike. creek crossing was too deep for the dog, otherwise 5 stars. A Sycamore is a huge 56,000 acres and almost all of it is only accessible by foot or horseback. Floods have knocked down a large percentage of the trees. Nestled at the base of a towering red-rock cliff, this wide clear pool varies in depth. Sycamore Canyon is the second largest canyon in the Arizona redrock country, after Oak Creek Canyon. I have been to about a dozen and had an adventure at each one. 1060 N. Main St., Cottonwood, 928-202-3597, boccecottonwood.com. 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