6/29/09 Fossil Creek Adventure

This past Sunday afternoon, I went hiking with some buddies. Fossil Creek Flume Trail. Here’s how the U.S. Forest Service describes the Fossil Creek Wilderness:

"... the most diverse riparian area in Arizona. Over thirty species of trees and shrubs and over a hundred species of birds have been observed in this unique habitat. The stream seems to appear out of nowhere, gushing 20,000 gallons a minute out of a series of springs at the bottom of a 1,600 foot deep canyon. Over the years these calcium laden waters have laid down huge deposits of a material called travertine. That rock-like substance encases whatever happens to fall into the streambed - forming the fossils for which the area is named. - U.S. Forest Service Web Site.

The Fossil Creek Flume Trail is a moderate-to-strenuous hike (8-miles round trip) that leads you to swimming holes and waterfalls at the location of a former power plant dam. Until recently, there was an actual flume, but this has been dismantled and the entire area is being returned to its natural state -- a cynic might say this simply means that State is making it as difficult as possible to access.

Yes, there are swimming holes in Sedona and throughout the Verde Valley much easier to access. But what is a relaxing swim without a stressful adventure to proceed it, eh? Actually, you can access a very popular swimming area on Fossil Creek via a short walk from the parking area, and this is where most folks do their Fossil Creek swimming. My buddies, however, wanted to do the Flume Trail. Hummm.

I would only recommend the Flume Trail to experienced hikers who are comfortable carrying several gallons of water on their backs. The trail is very exposed with little-to-no shade and the four miles in climbs 1600 feet above Fossil Creek before descending to the water. Without compatriots to keep the conversation going, it would be quite tedious.

Oh, and NOW, at one point about 2.5 miles in, the trail is totally washed out -- destroyed by a landslide during a recent flash flood. A rope anchored to a sturdy tree allows hikers to continue into the gapping crevasse then up the other side. My friends and I ran into one group of “city hikers” who turned back upon confronting this obstacle, which looked more challenging that it was. My buddy, Prescott Mike, had two dogs accompanying him, and both dogs were able to climb down and up the steep gap without using the rope. The rest of us, however, used the rope.

Once you reach the swimming holes at the creek, there are four or five waterfalls, three terraced levels of flat water, a grotto, and several, short but powerful rapids that will beat you up like a deep-tissue massage. Just remember: after your swim, you’ve a long hike back out. We ended up hiking out as the sun set.

Another caution: SNAKES! Hiking out at dusk, we heard what sounded like an extremely loud insect -- sounded similar to a cicada, more like a high-pitched buzz than a rattle, but you can guess what it was. A rattlesnake. Don’t panic. Rattlesnakes will (almost) always retreat if you do the same (slowly). This particular rattler was curled up along the side of the trail. I was ten or twelve feet away, so not in any danger. I backed away, giving the snake time to retreat, which it did. As I mentioned above, however, we were accompanied by two unleashed dogs. Luckily, Prescott Mike’s dogs obey the “Stay!” command. They stood very still, though their curiosity was peaked. It was hard to believe that they didn’t chase after the snake, but they didn’t. Good dogs! Note: I originally assumed that seeing a rattlesnake on the Flume Trail was unusual; however, I’ve since heard of another person running into a rattler on this same trail. So … watch out. And make sure your dogs know the command, “Stay!”

After the first hour, the sky was black and the stars were spectacular. That’s one of my favorite things about northern Arizona. The stars are so bright it seems you can reach up and pinch the constellations. My buddy, Cottonwood Joe, pointed out Scorpio rising over the Mogollon Rim. Nice!

Okay, that’s enough blogging for now. And I didn’t even get to mention the Sedona poetry slam. I’ll try to catch you up on more Sedona local goings-on next time. Blog more at you soon. - Mike