Cliffhanger-Lime Kiln Trail

CLIFFHANGER-LIME KILN TRAIL

Yucca bloom on Cliffhanger Trail

In a nutshell, the Cliffhanger Trail does what it says. The edge-hugging multi-use trail in west Sedona lives up to its name with a thrilling and scenic trip through a creek-scoured corner of Coconino National Forest where the courses of Oak, Dry and Turkey Creek collide.

A high point vista on Cliffhanger Trail

While Cliffhanger is billed as an OHV trail, it’s more of a hybrid. Part of its forked route shares space with the 15-mile Lime Kiln Trail that runs between Red Rock and Dead Horse Ranch State Parks with one fork leading to a non-motorized footpath that lands at a secluded floodplain on Oak Creek.

Basket cairns mark the Lime Kiln section of the route

The hike starts at the OHV trailhead with a short walk on Forest Road 9845A. At the bottom of a rise at a green gate, the road bends left and joins the Lime Kiln Trail that’s marked by basket cairns (rock piles wired into pillars).

Meadow and cliffs near trail's end.

Edible skunk bush fruits favored by birds and mammals

The route is also indicated with orange Cliffhanger trail posts.  The road continues downhill on a moderate grade through classic high desert vegetation.

Cat Claw bloom May - August

Yucca, red barberry, prickly pear cactus, catclaw, and gray thorn line the russet, rocky trail.  At the 1.5-mile point, the road crosses Dry Creek. 

Edible red barberry fruits are browsed by wildlife

Lime Kiln Trail crosses Dry Creek

A cliff hanging section of Cliffhanger Trail

Strewn with colorful boulders, there’s rarely any surface water, but a leafy fringe of cottonwoods, sycamores, desert willows and cypress trees springing from the sandy soils soak up subterranean moisture. Beyond the creek, the route swings back uphill on one of a continual string of ups-and-downs that add up to over 1,100 feet of total elevation change for the hike.

Stone foundations at trail's end at Oak Creek

With the serpentine course of Dry Creek below and views of Sedona rock formations all around, the road is hacked from red sandstone cliffs with steep drop-offs.  Except for the occasional juniper or pinyon pine, there’s little shade.

Willows and cypress trees line Dry Creek

That’s why is important to choose a cool day and take plenty of water on this hike. At the 2-mile point, the road splits. Lime Kiln Trail veers left following the north fork of Cliffhanger and Forest Road 9845N, the south fork of the Cliffhanger Trail, heads right.

Western patch-nosed snake crosses Cliffhanger Trail

Dry Creek winds below Cliffhanger Trail

For this trip, follow FR9845N as it rounds a knoll before starting its dive down to Oak Creek. This leg vacillates between canyon-bound grasslands and highpoints with views of the Bradshaw Mountains topping out at a sharp right bend where the route makes a severe dive on a rough, tiered track. Below, a brilliant band of green belies the Oak Creek corridor.

Engelmann's prickly pear cactus bloom May - June

Banana yucca fruits

 The short steep section lands in a pocket of juniper woodland where the road suddenly changes from rusty red to powdery gray. Up ahead at 3.3 miles, a green gate bars motorized access to the remainder of FR9845N. Hikers, bikers and equestrians are welcome to trudge the last 0.4-mile.  Tracing Oak Creek, the deeply rutted narrow road progresses to the hike’s lowest point, a grassy meadow hemmed in by the creek and vertical cliffs. 

The last half-mile of Cliffhanger non-motorized use

A native stone foundation and low walls that might have been a cabin or corral stand on the creek’s west bank.

Trees clutter around Oak Creek

View from Lime Kiln Trail

The stone ruins make for a good turnaround point, however FR9845N continues a short distance through the meadow and another faded dirt track, FR9845R offers a weedy walk through a quiet high desert creek corridor.

Banana yucca bloom April - July

LENGTH: 7.4 miles roundtrip

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION:  4,085 – 3,708 feet (1,100 feet of accumulated elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

From the State Route 179/89A traffic circle in uptown Sedona, go  8 miles west (toward Cottonwood) on SR89A to the Cliffhanger OVH trailhead (Forest Road 9845A) on the left.  This is directly across from the Sedona Wetlands Preserve near milepost 366.

INFO & MAPS:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=83430

 

LIME KILN TRAIL: DEER PASS TRAILHEAD TO RED ROCK STATE PARK

Lime Kiln Trail: Deer Pass to Red Rock State Park

Lime Kiln Trail crosses Dry Creek

For most of its 15-mile course, the Lime Kiln Trail winds through a dusty corridor of crumbling sediments and sparse vegetation.  Mountain bikers love the long, flowy route for its epic vistas and clear lines-of-sight that enable speedy traverses of the stark terrain. 

A highpoint vista on Lime Kiln Trail

The trail unwinds as a linear adventure anchored by two water-centric parks with miles of white-rock moonscape in between.  

Hikers who are interested in more than big, airy views and chalky flats underfoot should understand that this is a trail that keeps the juicy stuff close to its opposing terminals.

Sedona red rocks seen from the Lime Kiln Trail.

Named for a kiln built by the “Willard Boys” back in the 1880s to create lime for mortar used in building projects near Cottonwood, the trail runs between Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood and Red Rock State Park in Sedona.  From the Cottonwood (west) end, the trail’s first mile hangs on ledges above the Verde River and the park’s lagoon, passing through a lush riparian area and the historic kiln site before it climbs out onto the desert.  On the Sedona (east) side, the trail’s last 4.8 miles make for a truly magnificent, under-appreciated trek.

Bradshaw Mountains in the distance.

From the Deer Pass trailhead located off State Route 89A, the route begins its descent to Oak Creek by way of dirt roads and a mixed bag of topography and vegetation zones.  Right out of the gate, the route flanks a track of land across the highway from the Sedona Wetlands Preserve that’s irrigated with reclaimed wastewater. A healthy thicket of cottonwood trees hints that the supplemental moisture is benefiting the high desert flora.

Pools of water linger in Dry Creek

Contrary to what you might think; there’s no smell. The next half-mile is an easy stroll over a grassy plateau of scant mesquite, yucca and cacti. To the south, the mesa tumbles off into the Oak Creek gorge while views of the Bradshaw Mountains and Verde Valley in the west and Sedona red-rock massifs bolster the horizons.  Soon, watershed features such as scoured drainages and a series of native stone check dams herald the descent to Dry Creek.  This is also where the route intersects the defunct Kachina Trails system—a maze of dirt horse paths that are no longer maintained.

Lizards hang out at Deer Pass Trailhead.

To stay on track, follow the basket cairns (rock piles wired into posts) that are placed at all junctions and intermittently throughout the trail.  

Junipers are common along the trail.

As the path dips off the grasslands and into the Dry Creek chasm, junipers, pinyon pines and flowering shrubs form a fragrant green fringe. 

Mesquite trees provide a little shade.

At the 1.8-mile point, pass a gate and head right on Forest Road 9845. 

Lime Kiln Trail is popular with equestrians and bikers.

This shared-use road (watch out for ATVs) traces the cliffs above Dry Creek.  

Cottonwoods thrive in an irrigated flat along the route.

Although the intermittent stream mostly lives up to its name, residual pools and lacy rivulets remain for days after rain storms.

Rain water puddles in normally parched Dry Creek. 

A masonry bridge at the 2.5-mile point marks the major creek crossing.

Fall foliage along Dry Creek

Here, stands of Goodding’s willows that blush gold in autumn sprout from the sandy wash.  The fall foliage show usually lasts through mid-November in Sedona’s Dry Creek canyons providing the last vestige of color long after the maple leaf canopies of West Fork of Oak Creek (one of the most popular trails in Sedona for fall foliage viewing) have gone down for the season.

Most of the route follows dirt roads.

This vivid spot can be a good turnaround point for a moderate 5-mile trip. Otherwise, follow the trail as it heads back uphill and crosses Red Rock Loop Road twice before descending to its terminus near the entrance to Red Rock State Park. 

Follow basket carins to stay on track.

LENGTH: 2.5 miles one way to the creek or 4.8 miles one-way to the park.

ELEVATION: 3880 - 3320 feet

GETTING THERE: Deer Pass Trailhead:

From the State Route 179/89A traffic circle in Sedona go 9.7 west (left toward Cottonwood) on SR 89A to Forest Road 89B (past mile post 365). Turn left and continue 0.1-mile to the trailhead on the right. There are restrooms but no water at the trailhead. Trail begins at the sign in the parking area behind the restrooms. No fees unless you enter the park.

INFO & MAP:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=74051

CLIFFROSE TRAILHEAD

CLIFFROSE TRAILHEAD

Cottonwood

Cliffrose Trailhead in Cottonwood

In what might be described as the "tip of the iceberg", the Cliffrose trailhead in Cottonwood represents the ongoing efforts of the Verde Valley Regional Trails Concept Plan. This grassroots effort to enhance and maintain the area's multi-use trail systems draws upon the expertise of residents from towns of Jerome and Camp Verde, and staff from the Prescott National Forest, Coconino National Forest, State Parks, City of Sedona, City of Cottonwood, Town of Clarkdale, and Yavapai County.

Together these groups are working to foster a long-range vision for Verde Valley trails and open spaces for the development of interconnected recreational travel systems.

The compact, no-frills Cliffrose trailhead sits near the Verde Valley Botanical Area and provides access to the Lime KilnTrail which in turn provides an established 15-mile travel corridor between Cottonwood and Sedona. At this writing (Jan. 2015), the trails here are unsigned but well defined. A dirt road heading east from the trailhead curves north to meet Lime Kiln in roughly 2 miles while a web of loop trails heading west trace a starkly beautiful landscape of ravines and cave riddled, jagged-edged limestone outcroppings. Beyond the chalk white sediments and high-desert scrub, sweeping vistas of Sedona's angular, vivid, rusty hued sandstone mesas and spires contrast with the hushed tones and rounded slopes of the Bradshaw Mountains. Finding your way around the roughly 3 miles of nicely maintained trails is easy. Just use the lay of the land as a natural compass. The red rocks of Sedona are in the northeast, Cottonwood and Jerome on the western frontier and the hum of Cornville Road to the south provide all the navigation tools you'll need.

LENGTH: variable, our GPS track of the loops read 3 miles

RATING: easy

ELEVATION: 3,089' – 3,353'

GETTING THERE:

From Phoenix, go north on Interstate 17 to the McGuireville exit 293 and go 12.4 miles west on Cornville Road (a.k.a. CR30, Mingus Ave.) to State Route 89A. From here, cross 89A ,continue less than a mile and turn right at the Cliffrose Trail sign.

INFO:

http://www.lakemontezuma.us/pdfs/VVTrailPlanFinalDraft.pdf

http://cottonwoodaz.gov/Genplan/5-Open-Space-Parks.pdf

LIME KILN-BILL ENSIGN TRAILS

LIME KILN-BILL ENSIGN TRAILS

Cottonwood

Bill Ensign Trail

The Lime Kiln Trail is a reclaimed wagon road that was originally used from the 1890s thru the early 1900s to transport building materials and market goods between Cottonwood and Sedona. Today, the 15-mile-long route serves as a recreational trail for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers anchored by Dead Horse Ranch State park in the west and and Red Rock State Park in the east. Named for a kiln built in the 1880s to produce mortar for the construction of several homes in Cottonwood area, the trail wanders through a landscape of limestone-layered rock formations dotted with Crucifixion thorn, juniper and beavertail cacti with impressive views of the mining town of Jerome, Mingus and Woodchute Mountains and Sedona's House Mountain volcano. Multiple access points and connecting trails provide dozens of day hike and backpack options. One to try is an out-and-back circuit using the Lime Kiln and Bill Ensign trails. Beginning from the Lagoon trailhead at DHRSP, this trip passes by the kiln site where interested hikers can take a short spur trail to the crumbling remains. At the 1.7-mile point, turn right at the Bill Ensign junction and hike 1.5 miles through high desert terrain skirting the boundary of the Verde Valley Botanical Area--a preserve established to protect the endangered Arizona Cliffrose. The trail culminates at a high point overlooking a riparian corridor of willows and cottonwoods along the Verde River.

LENGTH: 7.5 miles (as described here)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 3,300' – 3,590'

FEE: $7 daily fee per vehicle

FACILITIES: restrooms, camp sites, cabins, picnic ramadas, fishing

GETTING THERE:

Dead Horse Ranch State Park

From Interstate 17 go north to State Route 260 exit 287 and head west toward Cottonwood. Continue 11 miles to Main Street in Cottonwood (Hwy 89A) and turn left. Continue through Cottonwood on Main Street, turn right on 10th Street and follow the signs to the park.

INFO:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=74051&actid=50

MAPS:

Lime Kiln-Bill Ensign:

http://azstateparks.com/parks/DEHO/downloads/DEHO_Trails_Color_2009_c.pdf

Lime Kiln:

http://azstateparks.com/parks/DEHO/downloads/DEHO_Lime_Kiln_Trail_c.pdf
MORE PHOTOS:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10202130904992861.1073741992.1795269672&type=1&l=a7a040e4e3