Sedona Wetlands Preserve

 SEDONA WETLANDS PRESERVE

Dedicated on September 27, 2013, the 27-acre Sedona Wetland Preserve is a prime destination for wildlife viewing hikes.

It's located halfway between Sedona and Cottonwood along State Route 89A and features six ponds filled with reclaimed wastewater surrounded by a mass of diverse native vegetation that attracts myriad waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, amphibians and small mammals.

A mile-long trail traces the perimeter of the preserve. 

The wide, flat path is outfitted with benches and educational signs. 

Two observations decks overlook open waters where a variety of ducks form feathery flotillas in the reflections of distant mountains and Sedona's red rock formations.

The Northern Arizona Audubon Society conducts expert-led bird watching field trips to this spot, but of you're visiting solo, your best chances to observe the most wildlife activity are during the early morning and late afternoon hours.

LENGTH: 1.1-mile 

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 3,772 - 3,978 feet

HOURS: dawn to dusk daily

FACILITIES: shaded picnic tables, restroom

PETS: dogs are allowed but muts be always kept on leash and kept of the water

GETTING THERE:

19655 SR89A, Sedona

From the SR179/89A traffic circle in uptown Sedona, go 8 miles west on 80A to the Wastewater Treatment Plant near mile post 366.  Turn right and follow the signs to the parking area.

Sedona Wetlands Preserve:

www.sedonaaz.gov/your-government/departments/wastewater/wetlands-preserve

Arizona Watchable Wildlife Experience:

www.azwatchwildlife.com/sedona-wetlands-preserve

Northern Arizona Audubon Society:

www.northernarizonaaudubon.org/Sedona-Wetlands-Preserve

 HIKE THE MOTHER ROAD ON ITS 100th ANNIVERSARY

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of Historic Route 66. During its roughy 50 years serving as the primary highway to the West, the narrow road embodied a uniquely American sort of inertia--constantly changing, evolving and adapting to innovations and lifestyle changes while respecting its roots. 

Also known as the Mother Road, the 2,448-mile route ran from Chicago to Los Angles weaving through cities, towns, whistlestops and open plains.  While it's no longer the arterial travel corridor it was from the 1920s to 1960s, its legacy has been curated in stretches of driveable pavement and fading backwoods ghost roads accessible only by high-clearance vehicles, horses, bikes and foot travel. In Northern Arizona, the iconic road was rerouted several times before being replaced by Interstate 40. 

These days, bits and pieces of the decommissioned road have been repurposed into scenic driving tours, wavy bike routes and shaded hiking trails the preserve its heritage and crumbling imprint on the landscape. Here are a few hikes that use remnants of Route 66 in and around the towns of Williams, Parks and Ash Fork.  Get out there and celebrate this classic slice of Americana.

• "Ghost Road Convergence" and "Devil Dog Loop"

https://arizonahiking.blogspot.com/search/label/Route%2066

• Stone to Steel Dam"

https://arizonahiking.blogspot.com/search/label/Ash%20Fork

Beale Wagon Road:

https://arizonahiking.blogspot.com/search/label/Beale%20Wagon%20Road

"Keyhole Sink" and other Route 66 adjacent hikes around Williams:

https://arizonahiking.blogspot.com/search/label/Williams

OK-Dawa-Arizona Cypress Loop

OK-DAWA-ARIZONA CYPRESS TRAIL LOOP

Mescal Mountain seen from Dawa Trail

Best tip for hiking in Sedona—learn to appreciate the little trails. Many of Red Rock Country’s lesser-used routes offer easy access, no fees and surprisingly available parking.

Arizona Cypress Trail

The Upper Dry Creek Area Trails are a great place to start exploring the joys of under-the-radar hiking.  

Sycamores in Dry Creek

Easy to access off Dry Creek Road and Boynton Pass Road in West Sedona, the maze of short, interconnected trails wind through classic high desert ecozones, mingling with the jumbled corridor of Dry Creek and scoured drainages.  Excellent map signs placed at all trail junctions make finding your way around so easy.

Bear Mountain seen from OK Trail

One scenic loop to try uses the OK, Dawa and Arizona Cypress trails. The simple-to-follow routes are neither secret nor hidden. They’ve been around for decades, existing in relative quiet not far from the famously popular Bear Mountain, Fay Canyon and Devils Bridge trails.  

Doe Mtn (L) and Bear Mtn seen from Dawa

Starting from the blink-and-you’ll miss-it OK Trailhead, a short access path dives into juniper-cypress forests with glimpses of Doe Mountain on the western skyline.  At the first junction, pick up the Dawa Trail (Dawa is Hopi for moon) heading west. Evidence of this trail’s former life as a dirt road pops up intermittently as it jogs between sunny meadows and deep woods. Sometimes wide, sometimes a narrow footpath.

Shaggy bark on an AZ Cypress tree

The trail makes a gradual climb to a scenic high point where views of Bear Mountain, Mescal Mountain, and the Cockscomb formation stand out in an arc of rusty stone. At the 0.8-mile point, veer left at a junction to stay on the Dawa trail as it twists down to meet the leafy corridor of Dry Creek.

Dawa Trail crosses Dry Creek

AZ Cypress Trail

Lush with manzanita and flowering shrubs, yucca and mesquite, there’s plenty of shade between breaks in the tree cover that frame mountain and wide valley views.

Chimney Rock seen from Dawa Trail

Just past a crossing of the creek, pick up the Arizona Cypress Trail (go left again), which parallels the creek.  True to its name, the route is flush with the eponymous shaggy barked conifer with distinctive geometric seed pods.

Map kiosk at the OK Trailhead

For the final leg, follow the OK Trail back to the first junction and backtrack to the trailhead where a kiosk shows an overview of the many hike options available to hikers who love solitude, options and a good leg stretch. 

LENGTH: 2.7-mile loop

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 3,339 – 4,539 feet

GETTING THERE:

OK TRAILHEAD: From the State Route 179/89A traffic circle in uptown Sedona, go 3.2 miles west (go left) on SR 89A to Dry Creek Road.  Follow Dry Creek Road 2.8 miles to Boynton Pass Road, turn left and continue 0.5-mile to a small parking area on the left.  There’s room for 3-4 cars. A Red Rock Pass in not required at this trailhead. 

NOTE: The Sedona Shuttle does not serve this trailhead.  For info on how to use the FREE shuttle to access popular trailheads Thursday – Sunday, visit https://sedonashuttle.com

Maverick-Cholla Mountain-Corral Loop

MAVERICK-CHOLLA MOUNTAIN LOOP

Saguaros on the Maverick Trail

All it takes is a little rain to paint the desert in wildflower color.  

Buckwheat

The late December precipitation in the Phoenix area soaked the Sonoran Desert just enough to revive drought-stressed plants and spur new growth.

Chuparosa

Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a rich botanical garden that’s already teasing of spring blooms to come.  

Desert lavender

A short hike using Browns Ranch Road, Maverick Trail, Cholla Mountain Loop and the Corral Trail provide a good tour of desert plant diversity.  From the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead, follow Brown’s Ranch Road north.

Dry Gulch Trail

Along this wide passage, fragrant turpentine bushes and yellow-flowered brittlebush dominate the fringe, shading delicate wishbone bushes sporting tiny white blossoms.  

Cholla Mountain Loop

At the one-mile point, turn right at the Maverick Trail sign.  Fiddleneck, globemallow and shrubby deervetch sprout along washes and at the bases of desert hackberry and wolfberry shrubs.  

Mormon tea

Wolfberry

This early in the season, it takes a sharp eye and slow pace to catch patches of rattlesnake weed, lacepod and scorpionweed emerging from the sandy soils.  

Wishbone bush

Continue following the signs to the Cholla Mountain Loop trail where massive boulders harbor clumps of chuparosa, desert lavender and jojoba bushes.  

Shrubby deer vetch

Hang a left at the Dry Gulch Trail and follow it a short distance noting the expansive basin of giant saguaros that front views of Tonto National Forest mountains to the north.

Christmas cactus

Next, turn left at the Corral Trail. This leg features acres of filaree, also known as stork’s bill.  Introduced by Spanish settlers, the low-growing naturalized plant with purple flowers and a beak-like seed pods served as forage for livestock.

Filaree aka stork's bill

Brown's Mountain seen from Corral Trail

Also, along this leg, look for spiny Mormon tea, fragile paperflower, pungent triangle bursage and Christmas cactus.

Fiddleneck

Back at the Browns Ranch Road junction, head back to the trailhead taking in big views of distinctive flat-topped Brown’s Mountain framed by mesquite, yucca and creosote. 

Fairy duster

Happy New Year!

LENGTH: 4.5 miles

RATING: easy

ELEVATION:  2,678 – 2,800 feet

GETTING THERE:

Browns Ranch Trailhead:
30301 N Alma School Pkwy, Scottsdale