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HOT LOOP TRAIL
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| Woods Canyon viewed from Hot Loop Trail |
In the wrong hands, a hike like the Hot Loop could go bad. Forest Service signs on the trail warn of extreme conditions, sketchy sections and the fact that the “loop” involves connecting with Jack's Canyon Trail for a rugged 22-mile trek.
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| Bell Rock, Bear Mtn and Courthouse Butte |
While the full trip is clearly not for everybody, there are less treacherous yet still challenging options to sample some of the best parts of the trail.
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| Cypress woodlands on Hot Loop Trail |
The 12.6-mile Hot Loop trail in Coconino National Forest near the Village of Oak Creek, has two main access points, the Jack's Canyon trailhead—as described here, and the Woods Canyon Trailhead near the Coconino National Forest visitor center along State Route 179.
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| Horse Mesa seen from Hot Loop Trail |
Neither trailhead hints at the precarious nature of what lies ahead. Rough terrain, little shade, steep drop-offs and the potential for springtime floods could put a fatal kink in trail user plans.
The less-crowded Jack's Canyon trailhead is the preferred launch site for day hikers. The trail starts at the west end of the parking area near a corral. The first half mile is an easy stroll among mesquite and cactus skimming bucolic ranch properties that bump up against the forest boundary.
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| Scrubby landscape above Woods Canyon |
The hike’s transportive quality soon kicks in as the terrain moves from flat fields to hilly cypress-and-yucca foothills giving up good views of iconic rock formations Courthouse Butte and Bell Rock.
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| Overlooking Village of Oak Creek |
Narrow and rocky, the singletrack path initially takes it time moving up the lower slopes of Horse Mesa. Pinon pines and shaggy-bark cypress trees throw bits of shade on the track as it reveals bigger and better vistas around every turn. At around the 1-mile point, the trail makes a pronounced northeast bend, passes a gate (close it behind you) and then descends slightly onto slick rock ledges above the chasm of Woods Canyon. Cupped in the folds of the mesa the trail dip is a short-lived respite before the trail takes on a ferocious mile-long climb. Some loose rock and edgy traverses can be unnerving, but well-equipped hikers should have little trouble picking their way up the 1000+-foot ascent.
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| Edgy ascent of Horse Mesa |
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| Trail users should be prepared. |
The huffing and puffing ends at the lip of the scrubby mesa and enters the Munds Mountain Wilderness area. A short walk reveals panoramic views of the Pine Valley community, Sedona’s red rock formations, the deep cut of Woods Canyon and Dry Beaver Creek and the distant silhouettes of Capitol Butte and Bear Mountain.
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| Jack's Canyon trailhead |
For the casual day hiker, the rim makes for a good turnaround point for a satisfying 3-miler.
LENGTH: 6 miles round trip to top of the mesa as described here.
RATING: difficult
ELEVATION: 4,234 – 5,200 feet
GETTING THERE:
Jack's Canyon Trailhead:
From Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde, take the Sedona/Oak Creek exit 298 and continue 6.5 miles on State Route 179 to the Jack’s Canyon Road/Verde Valley School Road traffic circle. Veer right and continue 2 miles on Jack’s Canyon Road to the trailhead on the right. Roads are paved up to the trailhead. There are no fees or facilities at this trailhead.
Woods Canyon Trailhead (alternate access):
From Phoenix, travel north on I17 to exit 298 for SR179, Sedona-Oak Creek, go left (west) and continue 8.5 miles to the turn off for the Red Rock Ranger District Station on the right. Trailhead is located within the ranger station complex in the south (lower) lot where a small metal sign indicates the start point.
INFO:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/recarea/?recid=54992&actid=50
