Sedona West Fork
The leaves were a bright reminder that fall
had come to Oak Creek Canyon. It would be a few more weeks before
they hit their prime but they were off to a good start.
The
Saturday morning in mid-October was just warm enough for shorts
and the Arizona sky is the usual Technicolor blue. We arrived at
the turnoff around 10am, paid our parking fee and set off.
It
was my first visit to West Fork and I had been advised to bring
a walking stick. "You have to cross the creek frequently and the
stick helps you to balance," said my friend. I didn't have a stick
and some of the crossing rocks were wobbly but I didn't slip and
if I had the water was only 1-2 inches deep.
The
trail is sandy and generally not steep. I passed one lady who was
using a cane. On the return walk she was sitting comfortably on
a rock reading a book.
West
Fork makes for a great family hike. We passed several groups that
included grandparents and toddlers. A large group of Boy Scouts
were ankle deep and splashing in the frigid water in one of the
wider creek spots. "How could I have forgotten my camera," cried
another friend.
Besides
the gold and orange leaves the canyon walls are a source of continual
beauty. And the sun glinting on water through the canopy of pines
is spectacular. We stopped frequently to ooh and aah and luckily
a few in the group had remembered cameras.
This
is an out and back hike so the creek had to be crossed again several
times. One friend was tired of negotiating the rocks and just forged
through the water and did fine. Back at the trailhead we found a
picnic bench under an old apple tree and enjoyed lunch. I noticed
other picnic benches under the trees overlooking the creek.
My
friends and I loved this hike so much that we decided to return
in two weeks when the color would be at its height.
Sedona Travel Articles
West Fork
Jerome AZ
 Highway 179 just south of Uptown Sedona
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