They develop best along the canyons and side drainages of the Colorado River and Zion River. Forested areas range from Canadian hemlocks and ferns, to oak and hickory, to Ohio's last remaining colonies of rhododendron. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Pinterest. The persistent strength of these waters have cut at the walls of the Mogollon Rim of the Colorado Plateau, creating the deep, narrow, rugged . https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5341627. West Clear Creek (WCC) Wilderness Area starts in the ponderosa pine forests on the north side of the Mogollon Rim, about 40 minutes southeast of Flagstaff. From the trail's upper terminus, at Bald Hill, the route drops 1,800 feet down a steep, talus-strewn slope . Check out this 4.8-km out-and-back trail near Strawberry, Arizona. I have seen people say they have hiked that way, with no technical climbing needed, but as of yet I haven't been able to find any detailed descriptions of the route. The West Clear Creek hike from the trailhead off is one of the most beautiful day hikes in Arizona! . Western sword and fiddlehead ferns unfurl and fill in the space between Salal and Oregon Grape. Aside from the hanging garden, theres also a mini waterfall that forms from the rock overhang, and we think its the best place to take a photo. Soon after youll pass through another gate. The weather is also about 20 degrees cooler than the likes of Phoenix and Sedona making it pretty bearable in the summer. There were places I could have stopped for some cliff jumping if I wasnt in such a hurry. We hiked this early in the morning while the entire gardens area was in the shade. Getting There: From the junction of State Routes 87/260 in Payson, go north on SR 87 and reconnect with . Even my Toyota Tacoma bottomed out a couple times because I started to hurry. Sort by: Global Friends You. One of the prettier hikes Ive done in Arizona. Thank you signing up to learn more about the history, adventures, stories, wildlife, and trails in the Green River Gorge Greenway. And thats because the weather rolled in quickly. Location:Latitude: 3432'24.8"N, Longitude: 11142'28.1"W. Why You Need To Go: This tropical forest is filled with lush hanging gardens and cool watering holes like a real-life Ferngully. As I emerge from the woods I get my first glimpse of the area from this elevation, and am dumbfounded by the beauty before . Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. The road will leave the power lines for a moment and wind through the woods. The trail is the longest and most-used trail within the wilderness. The place is difficult to get to, but absolutely worth it. 8. The first time we took tubes through the whitebox bc it was very hot. You will have this place all to yourself! We had to float or swim a majority of the way through slot canyons. It's a cute spot. The trail starts as a wide grass footpath through forest and then along a chain link fence on the right. The Mogollon Rim is known as the major part of the Arizona transition zone found at the southwest of the Colorado Plateau of Utah-Colorado, and Arizona-New Mexico. This green oasis is all you need to find tranquility, clear your thoughts, and melt the negativity youre carrying away. Will never take Toms road again (unless I get a little more clearance). Junction Amite City Amity Amityville Ammon Amory Amsterdam Anaconda Anacortes Anadarko Anaheim Anahuac Anamosa Anceney Anchor . If you like camping there are some perfect spots down there too! From the West Clear Creek trailhead the hike is not okay for dogs unless your dog is a really good hiker. To get there you NEED a high clearance vehicle!!!! Remote, rugged and pristine, West Clear Creek lies at the heart of a 200-mile-long maze of canyons and jumbled ridges draining off Arizona's Mogollon Rim. If you want something different, you can just float down Verde River and taste the best wine on this magical tour! The blue fuse burns deadly between hands and burns clear. With a view as beautiful as this, youd definitely want to come back again and again. It is an 8.8-mile out and back trail located near Sedona, Arizona. Just look around you! Your email address will not be published. Look for a stack of cairns to the left after you park. You start with a rough descent down from the parking lot for just under a mile and just at 900 feet in descent. Aug 4, 2007 at 10:45 pm #1397435. I see you've posted an image. Did you included the required title information? 260 Turn off: 34.521197, -111.514108 Try to stay on dry rocks as much as possible the wet rocks in the creek are super slick. It reminded me of The Narrows at Zion National Park on a smaller scale. This past fall (spring in the Southern Hemisphere) Zo released her first book, Lost & Found, and I was fortunate enough to get a copy to . As we hiked further down stream the walls began to slowly close in on us until we got to our first set of narrows. Winter in the gorge. Youll look super cute! Pinterest. Description: West Clear Creek, Hanging Gardens: Date It's a cute spot. Here's a trail guide for The Hanging Gardens in the West Clear Creek Wilderness, Arizona. Today. Just past FR 618 is the Clear Creek Campground. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were the fabled gardens which beautified the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, built by its greatest king Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562 BCE). That meant camping at probably the most beautiful place on West Clear Creek, The Hanging Gardens. It looks like the secret garden frequented by magical winged creatures (ehem, fairies!). Required fields are marked *, West Clear Creek Wilderness Trail Hike to Hanging Springs & Pool Grande. If you want to rush it you can do it in 3 hours. Theres no easy escape from the slippery rocks. $215.00. Its definitely changed a lot. The hike begins after a long and very rough road at the rim of West Clear Creek Canyon. If youre bringing snacks, dont just throw the trash somewhere along the trail. Crossing the water a lot you will want to wear shoes you are fine going in and out of the water with. The best time to swim in the Gorge is in July and August when the river levels is generally low enough to swim safely. It is directly below the mesa that has the Rimview Trail with the trailhead on a dirt road just before the bridge over Glen Canyon. You can get a wine flight for just $10 sampling 5 wines. Do you think an Outback could make to Cash Tank using the directions in your video? If you do plan to visit a location, respect the environment. Difficulty: Easy. Yes, you need a high clearance vehicle for this trail as a car wont work. This was called the High Route and was the path I chose. White box to hanging gardens is now one of my favorite hikes in Arizona. The hike begins after a long and very rough road at the rim of West Clear Creek Canyon. There was about 9 water crossings where u needed the tube. Community Yard Sales listings will be posted on the VWOA website , the day prior to the event. There are numerous swims. Secret gem in the West Clear Creek Wilderness, The hike is really shaded so protected well from the sun, Temperature is about 20 degrees less than Phoenix, Not suitable for dogs that arent top level hikers, Trail can be easily lost when crossing the water. By Mike V. 33. The water in the white box is very deep and can be very cold, it also is around 100-200 yards in length. P. A. Clayton and M. J. Moderate 4 (37) West Clear Creek Wilderness. This hidden gem will transport you to a world of fairylands and dreamy hanging gardens. Natural springs allows the water to fall year round, but it is a difficult place to access. Get inspiration for travel, recipes & to follow your dreams. Nestled in the Coconino National Forest, this gem is free to visit and can be reached by a trail that runs along the creek. You can also visit if youre into nature photography and just want to capture this beautiful wilderness area in Arizona. Even though this is considered an easy canyoneering route, the beauty of the canyon is unreal with sculpted narrows, hanging gardens, cold pools, and maybe a rotting carcass if you're lucky. More from Lisa Parsons at: www.lisaparsons.net, Subscibe to Field Notes From Green river Gorge Greenway. Saturday, March 11, 2023. Still, its awe-inspiring. I discovered the hard way by hiking this one alone. Explore. If you want to take your time, pictures, swim around and explore give yourself about 4-5 hours. The photo above is of the Hanging Gardens with an otter highlighted in the center. Driving a 4-wheel drive CRV and decided I couldn't get very far so I parked and started walking, about 5 miles to trailhead. Last springs floods were crazy, Is it ever cool how the water falls in ao manseparastreams and not a sheet. St Mary's Bay residents are blaming the council for massive slips that left some homes hanging precariously over the northern motorway approach to the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Not many hikers. Lots of brush so if you dont want your legs scratched and cut up, wear pants or leggings. After a few trips off the rope swing and some snacks we began our hike back to the truck! If you are planning to do this hike expect to get wet and to have to do ALOT of swimming! West Clear Creek is a beautiful canyon with sections crossing through desert or dense forest. Carry your trash and just leave nature better than you found it. Went in from Toms creek road. So dont get your directions from this app. It took us 3.5 hours to get in we learned valuable lessons on slippery rocks and took 2.5 hours getting out . Length 3.0 miElevation gain 777 ftRoute type Out & back. I wont lie, it actually is pretty tough and even less fun when you are hiking back up. All of us Daxten Google maps has West Clear Creek Trailhead starting just off of Forest Service Rd 142. Panorama of Blodgett Basin, West Clear Creek Wilderness area (5988201412).jpg. Have you tried taking the other end of 142 (via 149, a few miles east along the 260 relative to where you recommend getting off) to get to 142A on the way to Cash Tank? Thanks for your contribution! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); View wordpressdotcoms profile on Twitter. Once you reach the bottom, the beauty of the river will open up, but take note of where you are. The distance between the trailhead and the destination at Hanging Gardens is less than two miles, but that number is extremely deceiving. I recommend to wear hiking shoes, bring Waterproof bag, and waterproof cell phone case. This place is a little slice of heaven. I have been that way and also along the western end of 142, one of the routes you described. Trailhead: From Highway 89, turn west on Scenic View Road about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. Aug 6, 2013 - Arizona: Hanging Gardens @ West Clear Creek. January 7, 2018 To many people. This is an easy family hike to a secluded desert oasis, 1.2 miles round trip and less than 100 feet in elevation change. They say blocked drains and a poorly designed stormwater system meant torrents of water poured between homes in the dress . Theres no escape from flash floods and I kept thinking about how seven hikers died from flash floods at Zion National Park in 2015. Passes through pine forest and gets scrubbier as you approach the canyon. Press J to jump to the feed. Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents. Handle with Care. Tons of swimming holes. I wouldn't get closer than 2 miles from the trailhead as I didn't want to risk getting a flat tire or bottoming out. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Google Maps takes you directly to the trailhead. But this treasure isnt without tribulations. Remember to bring water if you need to hydrate and re-energize along the way. Definitely worth going to the end. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 9 hanging gardens, west clear creek crossings where u needed the tube Amory Amsterdam Anaconda Anacortes Anaheim! 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