West Fork Trail

wasnt there for long but it was amazing to say the least will definitely go back

This is my favorite hike in the Sedona area! The landscape is beautiful no matter what time of year you go. Incredibly lush and green along the entire trail in the summer, golden yellow/​orange/​red leaves in the fall, and possibly even snow in the winter depending on the weather. The trail runs through the canyon and you cross the serene Oak Creek several times during the hike. There are plenty of logs and rocks to use when crossing the creek if desired. A lot of pretty birdsongs echo throughout the canyon too. :) We tend to hike in the morning so the trail is mostly shaded on the way in but becomes more sunny when we are coming back out. We usually turn around at the last point of the designated trail before you have to start hiking in the water, which is a little under 3 hours round trip for us. I definitely recommend going early or during the week if you don’t want to wait for a parking spot!

I loved West Fork and so did my dog. This is a wonderful trail for your furry pet, as long as you don’t mind them getting a little wet. The parking can be a bit crazy, but besides that it’s a beautiful trail.

I absolutely love how beautiful, scenic, and blissful this trail is. Its fairly easy, but lengthy.

Such a beautiful hike! If you are in Sedona you have to do this one! Such beautiful scenery and beautiful people along the way

Amazing hike! If you are in the area you need to do this hike. It has a little bit of everything! It has water, trees and the canyon walls! It is a really easy hike, it is great for children. A lot of people had their dogs too.
We went on a really busy weekends so we ended up having to park up the road a little and then walk in. It’s $ 10 a car or $ 2 a person to walk in. We got some many great photos! I highly recommend this hike!

This was a easy to moderate 3.3 mile hike/​walk. The trail is easy to follow with beautiful sights along the way and at the end you have no choice but to wade through the water to go further. There are lots of people but not that crowded.

An incredible hike for a nice sunny, warm day.
We were slightly disappointed with the parking situation. Waited about 15 minutes to pay for a parking space as the lot was full. Ended up leaving the lot and parking on the street about a half mile north.
As we walked in the toll booth operator grumpily screamed at us and told us we had to pay if we walked in. Signage not so clear that there was a fee. We were a little taken aback by his attitude and grumpy disposition.
Once the drama of getting into the trail was over we were pleasantly surprised. There are public bathrooms at the trail head. The trail is clearly marked the entire way and the creek bed crosses the trail 13 times, so wear shoes that can get we but have a grip! The water element was fantastic really added a special factor to the experience. Shaded trails made for a cool, refreshing hiking experience.
We saw all types of hikers, children, elderly, experienced, etc. Very accommodating for such a beautiful place.

Amazing trail !!! My family and I spent the whole day here and look froward to doing it again. Not difficult for children at all, it’s a must hike.

Not being experienced hikers, the hubby and I were somewhat concerned that this trail might be too hard for us. I had spent many nights researching hiking trails in Sedona and the West Fork trail always had mixed information. Some sources said it was 13 miles long with a lot of wading and swimming in the creek while others said it was an easy 3 mile hike. We decided to give it a shot. We could always turn around if it got too hard!
This hike is so different than other hikes that we experienced in Sedona. Down in a beautiful canyon with the creek and gorgeous foliage, we forgot that we were only 10 minutes from civilization. While the Red Rocks are beautiful, West Fork was a nice change of scenery. I didn’t think that the trail was as well marked as others but we still made it about 1.5 miles in. At that point, the creek crossings were becoming a little difficult for my slippery, old tennis shoes and lack of balance! Next time, I will remember to wear better shoes and bring a hiking stick!
Also, at the beginning of the hike, take some time to check out the Mayhew Lodge. Lots of history there and parts of the burnt down lodge are still standing.
For anyone that is a photography buff, this is a great place to set up your camera. I know nothing about photography and was able to get some amazing pictures of the creek, trees and rock walls.
Like everyone else has said, get there early! We arrived around 8:30 and there were only a handful of people there. When we left at 11:00, the place was packed with tourists drinking their Starbucks and dragging their screaming kids behind them. Seriously!!!

I will start off by saying that this is a beautiful hike. It is an easy 3 – 4 mile hike (one way). This specific hike is pretty much flat so you get beautiful views looking up.
This was not exactly the hike we were expecting. However, it was our fault for not doing more due diligence. We just read that this hike had spectacular views and we were sold. We thought there was a bit of incline. Nope.
We probably only made it 45 minutes in and turned back because we wanted to hike some red rocks. We saw some folks running this trail. Good run until you hit water.
With that said, I would recommend this beautiful, peaceful hike if you are looking for an easy hike.
A few tips:
1. Water shoes. Wear them.
2. You will be crossing plenty of water. There are some walking sticks people leave behind at the start of the hike. They come in handy when you are trying to cross the river (for balance).
3. There is a special parking pass for this trail. The normal one we bought at the convenience store did not work here.

This hike has a little bit of everything. Plain paths, a little uphill walking, rocks, and stream after stream to cross. It is beautiful, not to mention peaceful. It is a comfortable easy walk. Having a walking stick to cross the streams can be helpful or at least it was for me. We found a nice stick and used that and on our way back donated with the others to use at the entrance… hahaha.
This place has shade with the abundance of trees and the streams are not so bad to cross, but be careful some rocks are not steady, but there are plenty of rocks to chose from to cross to the other side. I can see it being difficult if the water level gets higher, but we can in November during Thanksgiving week and it was fine.
We came here with two boys, one seven year old and one two year old. The two year old was a bit of a challenge at times because he wanted to pick up all the rocks and sticks and play on the dirt. When crossing the streams we had to carry him, which wasn’t too bad, but we only made it through I would say 4 –5 streams and we stopped and said we will return next time to finish the trail.
I hear it is about a 6 mile trail total, we made it about 1.5 miles one way so halfway for us. If it wasn’t for our two year old we probably would have gone all the way. If you are in town and want to do a nice hike to see a little bit of everything I would recommend this. It is a nice one to do.
My husband and I will definitely come back to redo this both as a family again and just the two of us… we really enjoyed it… well up to where we left off… haha.
Note: Someone did mention earlier if you don’t get here before 10 am you will wait for parking. This may be true. We got here around 11:30ish and we did wait a little bit. We were the next car to wait for someone to leave, which wasn’t more than 5 – 10 minutes, but there were cars behind has so who know how long they waited. The fee was 10.00, but well worth it.
For an easier hike (1 mile total I believe) with great views I would recommend Fay Canyon Trail… that one is nice too!

In the 27 plus years I have lived in this area, I have hiked West Fork several times during different seasons. It never disappoints and always impresses me with it grandeur and simple beauty. It’s gotten much more crowded over the years and now even has a pay to enter parking lot. It used to be more like truly hiking in the wild when I first made the trek more than a quarter of a century ago. Despite it’s park like upgrades and restrictions, it still has all the wonder and glory of a special hike. It’s full of lush greenery and tall trees. It’s lovely in the fall but can be warm in the middle of summer. There is always some water in the creek but the spring and early fall are the best times for a good flow of cool, clear water. You can take a nice day hike that is not too strenuous or trek all the way to the end which is several miles and requires an overnight stay.
Fortunately West Fork was largely untouched by the recent Slide Fire that burned more than 20,000 acres across northern Arizona and parts of Oak Creek Canyon. West Fork, along with all the other public camp sites and trails in Oak Creek Canyon has been closed since the Slide Fire for fear of flash floods which so far have yet to materialize. Even so, these closures are a welcome respite for the this heavily utilized area.
If you enjoy hiking and want to see one of the best and most accessible, West Fork is for you.

Decent trails but way overcrowded. Many other trails that are less crowded and just as nice if you know where to look.

Most popular hike in Sedona.
7 miles RT from parking lot.
Easy, flat, well maintain trailed
13 stream crossing at Narrow Canyon Pool. Water is low in 1^st week of May.
Only bathroom (pit toilet) at parking lot
$ 10 entrance fee
Watch out for snake
Caterpillars inside the big web
Wild flowers bloom at the time I went (1^st week of May)
Go there early to avoid car and people traffic. Narrow trail on same area.
This is one of most beautiful hike I been to. Every where is so green, that I am not tired of taken pictures of it

It’s so beautiful! Really crowded but as you get into the trail the crowds dissipate. One if the most beautiful trails I have ever been on.

The Hubs, our pooch, and I had a wonderful time hiking the West Fork Trail this past weekend during our getaway to Sedona. We ended up hiking this trail for about eight miles total, as we never saw an end to the trail, but the three and half hour experience was totally worth the effort exerted.
We were pleasantly surprised to see snow on the ground on the trail and the creek was covered in ice for most of the journey. Our dog was so happy, I’ve never seen him so excited to hike and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. It was a cold hike since most of the trail is blocked with shade by the canyon walls, but that makes this trail so unique and fun. Hopping across the creek was awesome as well, especially with the added ice. The trail is not difficult and with the beautiful scenery, the time passes so quickly.
This is by far one of my all-​time favorite hikes in Sedona and beyond. I cannot recommend it enough, and thanks to those of you on Unilocal for helping us find this gem. It’s well worth the $ 9 parking fee. Be sure to check it out any time of year!

It’s pretty difficult to NOT given something less than a 5-​star for ANY trails in Sedona. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — Sedona is fucking gorgeous! Sorry for the curse word, but I had to put that expletive in there to really enhance how majestic and stunning this town is. Perhaps it’s because my pupils are a tad «deep color» deprived living in the Valley of the Sun (browns, beiges, light pinks, etc.)??
My BFF and I did the 6-​mile hike yesterday. We crossed a total of 26 streams, burned a crap-​load of calories, took in the pure and sweet oxygen, and saw such radiant colors of autumn! How could one NOT like this?

This is an excellent trail for many reasons:
— good for everyone (family friendly — my 12, 8, 6, and 4 year old nieces and nephews had a blast)
— not too easy, not too hard (I’m a pretty aggressive hiker a lot of this time and I did not get bored here)
— nice change of scenery: the trail winds back and forth across a river bed. For $ 1 you can buy a trail map — count your river crossings to get a sense of how far you’ve gone
— water time! Because of all the river crossings, the kiddies had a blast playing in the water. Tip: hike in water shoes (my preference would be keen sandals).
— following in the previous point: Crossing #5! This is the perfect spot to stop for a snack or lunch and some water play time. It’s got a mini slide rock feel with a good area for swimming.
— if you’ve got a dog, bring it! This trail is dog friendly and they’ll love to play in the water at all the crossings.
Definitely a must if your around the Sedona area and enjoy the outdoors.

Pros: This is the most beautiful hike in AZ. Even if you just go in and out, don’t miss this hike. The temperature inside is cool and refreshing. You can hear the peaceful noises of the stream no matter where you are walking.
Cons: Get here before 10am. If you don’t you are going have to hang around and wait for parking.