West Fork, Sedona’s Call of the Canyon
Towering pines growing from the rocks that line the trail at West Fork
West Fork Trail
Hiking is one of my favorite activities in Sedona, and as promised I have pictures from my favorite hike, West Fork, also known as Call of the Canyon. I hike this trail at least half a dozen times a year and whenever I have family or friends visiting from out of town, this is the first hike I like to take them on. This is an all season hike. Great this time of year because of the wild flowers and the budding trees. A perfect summer hike because of the shade of the pines and the water, and a beautiful fall hike because of the changing leaf color. Just about everyone can enjoy this trail. It isn’t difficult. There is no real elevation gain. The most difficult part would be navigating the creek. I recommend taking hiking sticks to help with balance, or wearing a good pair of hiking shoes made for getting your feet wet.
It was a lovely mid-70s this past week, great hiking weather. The parking lot was pretty full when we got there, but a great thing about this trail is it never seems crowded. There is a $9 entrance fee per vehicle for parking.
At the start of this hike you will cross a bridge that leads to an orchard, the ground covered with ferns. Ruins from an old homestead will lie in front of you. This is a lot of fun to explore. All that remains of the old brick house are the crumbling bricks of four hearths, and a couple of supporting walls. A cool round window is in the middle of one that is fun to take pictures through. This has been overgrown with vegetation. There is a trail that leads down to the creek here, but it is not the trial head. The remains of a stone chicken coop and a man-made cave, which I assume was once cold storage for this homestead still remain on this site.
The reason this is my favorite hike in the area is the natural beauty that makes up the trail. Erosion has formed huge curves in the side of the rocks that line the trail, and the clear water of the creek reflects the shades of red and orange in the water. The trail cris-crosses the creek so its fun to balance on the rocks and hop your way across. Wild flowers are starting to bloom this time of year and there were yellow and purple flowers scattered amongst the pine trees. A couple of trees had fallen across the trail in the winter months and we had to scramble over them. I love the sound of the leaves blowing in the trees and the creek. It is so peaceful.
