TAP
TANK
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Annual goldeneye in full bloom Sept. 25, 2021
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October
in Arizona means cooler temperatures, dusting off of hiking boots and the annual
rush to view golden high-country fall foliage.
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View from the high pastures above Rarick Canyon
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While
it’s sometimes overlooked, Arizona autumn gold happens underfoot as well as
overhead. The low-growing option is easy to spot along Interstate 17 between
Sedona and Flagstaff.
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Landforms of Sedona viewed from FR 213F
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Tap Tank caps off the hike in Coconino NF
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From late September
through October, the rangeland is dominated by the peaking of Annual goldeneye
flowers that blanket the rolling hills in a paint-splatter style reminiscent of
loosely-rendered works created by plein air impressionists working in airy, Provence
meadows. |
Tap Tank attracts wildlife and domestic cattle
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Annual goldeneye bloom May - October
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The annual showing of Heliomeris
longifolia var. annua, a knee-high, shrub-like plant in the sunflower
family that produces small golden flowers from May through October, is at its
best in early fall.  |
The route crosses rugged Rarick Canyon
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One particularly
fine area to walk among the blooms is the rangeland of Coconino National Forest
around Stoneman Lake north of Camp Verde.
Many dirt roads wind through the hilly backcountry including one that’s not
only dripping in goldeneyes, but includes a dip into scenic Rarick Canyon and a
traipse to a high pasture with a glassy stock tank and amazing vistas.  |
Storm clouds brew above FR 213F
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View from the upper end of FR 213F
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Forest
Road 213F serves as the trail for this moderate-rated hike. The rough dirt two-track begins easily enough
with a short walk through juniper-studded flats. At the 0.2-mile point, the
road splits.
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Acres of Annual goldeneye color the landscape
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Take the less-obvious left
fork to stay on FR 213F and save the unnamed right track for a surprise add-on
trip on the way back. A half-mile in,
the road starts a short, steep dip into Rarick Canyon and crosses the bottom of
the rocky gorge.  |
Wright's birdbeak blooms Jun- October
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Once past the boulder-jumbled
gully, the road heads up the east face of the canyon wall. It’s less than 500 feet of climbing from the
canyon depths to the high pastures above, but many dips and ascents along the way
accumulate to over 1,300 feet of elevation change.  |
Mountain vistas and high pastures on FR 213F
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Along this segment, views of the Verde
Valley, Bradshaw Mountains and the colorful rock formations of Sedona open up
to the north. At the 1.8-mile point, the
road splits again. Forest Road 213J
spins off to the left while FR 213F continues south around 6,197-foot Table
Mountain.  |
The road dips & climbs through Rarick Canyon
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For this trip, take the left
fork which is marked by a faded post obscured by a juniper tree, and follow the
overgrown road a few yards to Tap Tank.
Set in a shallow depression on the north side of the road, the glassy
livestock water hole is besieged with a fringe of wildflowers, water plants, hip-high
grasses and an arc of junipers.  |
A skunk bush blushes with autumn color
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The tank
makes for a good turnaround point. For an
alternate look at the annual goldeneye show, backtrack to the first junction
and head out on the unsigned right fork. This spur road is flatter and sunnier than its
companion route.  |
Extend the hike on an unnamed spur road
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Over
its 0.6-mile course, it serves up a full menu of breath-taking vistas that rise
above acres of scrub oak, yucca and a seemingly never-ending sea of golden
blooms before it dead-ends at the lip of Rarick Canyon.
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White prairie aster bloom August - October
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LENGTH:
5 miles round trip (including the spur road)
RATING:
moderate
ELEVATION:
5,548 – 6,031 feet (1,313 feet accumulated elevation change)
GETTING
THERE:
From
Interstate 17 drive 19 miles north of Camp Verde and take the Stoneman Lake
exit 306. Head east at the bottom of the off ramp and follow Stoneman Lake Road
(Forest Road 213) 1.8 miles to Forest Road 213F on the right where there’s a
gate and cattle guard. There’s parking
for 2-3 vehicles near the gate. NOTE: FR
213F may be closed in winter and when there’s flooding in the canyon.
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