GREAT SEDONA HIKES
Summary: A hike up the side of Oak Creek Canyon, through a pine forest and down again
Challenge Level: Hard
Hiking Distance: About 3 1/4 miles
Trailhead Directions: This is a two vehicle hike. From the "Y" (the intersection of State Route 89A and State Route 179), drive north on SR 89A toward Flagstaff for about 12 3/4 miles and park the first vehicle at GPS coordinates: 34° 00.888' N; 111° 44.259' W. Continue north on SR 89A another 1.1 miles to the spring and the Pine Flats campground and park the second vehicle.
Description: Begin the hike at the Pine Flat campground and hike up the east side of Oak Creek Canyon. The hike on Cookstove takes you up about 1000 feet to a flat mesa. I strongly recommend use of a portable GPS unit and the GPS data available (see below) for the hike across the mesa (the trail is difficult to follow at times) and down the other side on the Harding Springs Trail (to where you left the first vehicle). Nice views of Oak Creek canyon. This hike would be a nice summer hike. I thought I saw an elk up on the mesa....
Photos:
Guest Photos:
Here are photos by Lou Camp
For those of you who have a GPS unit, I have GPS data available for the hike which include "tracks," the route and waypoints.
For detailed information on this hike, consider purchasing a copy of Great Sedona Hikes by clicking HERE.
Great Sedona Hikes
Last Updated September 2, 2010
Web Page by Bill Bohan (billbo@greatsedonahikes.com)