It’s a dry heat but it doesn’t have to be. Turn right on Tuzigoot Road, cross the Verde River and turn left on Sycamore Canyon Road, (FR 131). After four miles it reaches Parsons Spring, a wide marshy area that signals the end of the trail and reminds us to believe in improbable things.Where: From Phoenix, take I-17 North to the AZ-260. Yapp also has experience writing and editing for a small California newspaper. This is a gap in the rock that reaches down the ocean floor which is filled with minerals. The trail scrambles 200 feet down the canyon wall to the creek bed and from there makes easy going through a tunnel of leafy shade.Pools form along the way, creating rippled mirrors that reflect the canopy of treetops and high cliffs that surround me. Drive for 1.5 miles to the old Beaver Creek Ranger Station, turn left and continue to the trailhead parking lot.Tumbling from the forested heights of the Mogollon Rim, West Clear Creek slices a deep narrow gash through sandstone cliffs. Staying on a sunny bench above Wet Beaver Creek, the trail skirts the base of desert hills. The waterway forms a slender riparian corridor that barely keeps the spiny desert at bay.The trail cuts across the old Bull Pen Ranch for about a mile before dipping into the canyon where you encounter the first of four stream crossings.
I like to walk in the woodland shade where cooling breezes rustle every leaf. Swimming is allowed anywhere along the river although there is no lifeguard on duty and swimming is at your own risk. The river is a fantastic place to canoe or kayak, see Paddle Maps for route information. But watch out for others as well. But there’s no need to venture that far if you’re just looking for a personal oasis. Fishing is allowed. Pack out all your trash and any that you might find. FR 215 can be rough going and is best managed in a high clearance vehicle. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.Ginger Yapp has been writing professionally since 2006, specializing in travel and film topics. in film and media studies and has worked as an ESL teacher at an international school. Turn left onto FR 618 and drive 2.2 miles to Forest Road 215. Home to Weaver's Needle, a United States Geological Service-recognized rock formation, the beach and river brim with tourists during the summer months trying to escape the punishing Arizona sun.The drive up to Needle Rock can be a bit treacherous -- situated 14 miles from Scottsdale, travelers will take Rio Verde Drive up to Forest Road 20.
I like to hear that music, that soothing splash of water spilling over rocks. They make refreshing swimming holes in warm weather and lush riparian escapes the rest of the time. Nestled at the base of a towering red-rock cliff, this wide clear pool varies in depth. I’ve spent many a happy hour sprawled on the banks enjoying its complex tune. It follows a sandy path and crosses limestone ledges at the water’s edge. She earned her B.A. Please remember, these are fragile environments. Winding for 30 miles, West Clear Creek is the longest drainage. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible.