[GriffinS]

Hello,

My family and I are traveling to Arizona this October from Indiana. My parents travel to Sedona almost every year to relax and house shop. This year we are coming along and wanting to do some multi-day backpacking trips.

Our first idea was to hike the Grand Canyon. The only problem was we did not realize how difficult it was to get a permit. I called the offices around the second week of June (June 1st being the first available day for October) and there were no permits available for our time frame. We could always day hike an in-and-out trip, but that seems to take a little bit of the grandeur out of the event, for me at least. We have 'seen' the canyon before, we were just trying to hike it this time.

Now we are looking for some good areas to do multi-day backpacking trips in around the Sedona area. We are also only looking for areas that allow us to choose our own campsites as we wish. I know there are areas that do not allow camping (Inner Basin), which is ok, we just don't want to be camping in designated campgrounds (pre-cleared campsites are ok though).

I've been poking around the internet, and the Coconino National Forest seems like the obvious choice. Some of the pictures of the San Francisco Peaks are EXACTLY what we want... if we can't do the GC. You know those pictures with the nice serene wilderness in the forefront with large snow capped mountains in the background? I want to take that pictures and see that scene with my own eyes. I'm not sure if I will get exactly that picture, but I think you get the point. The only problem is I am having trouble pinpointing trails and/or areas of appropriate length that would allow for a 2-4 night backpacking trip. It does not HAVE to be in the San Francisco Peaks area, but merely somewhere that could fit our plans with some grand landscapes and wilderness all around.

I've been a little spoiled with some of the Midwest regions DNR websites as they make trip planning very easy. I've found many resources in hikearizona and the Coconino websites, but I am having trouble fitting the pieces all together.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[joe bartels]

Autumn at the "Inner Basin" is over with by October 1st. It's pretty cold at night but doubtful there will be snow. We got lucky last year with some rare early snow storms so who knows.

The San Francisco Peaks aren't really visible from Sedona. There's an open range area called "Fry Park" up 89A to FR 535 that's nice for jumping out of the truck and camping. Areas to hike up in that vicinity are "Kelsey Little LO", "Winter Cabin".

For simple car access and more Sedona views I'd go for "Secret Canyon" looped with either "Bear Sign" or "Dry Creek" trails. Another good backpack in that area is "Loy Canyon" up onto Secret Mountain.

Bill Williams (Bixler Saddle, Benham, Buckskinner and Bill Williams trails) & Kendrick Mountain (Pumpkin, Bull Basin & Kendrick trails) have some nice loops with San Francisco Peak views but they aren't Sedona hikes.

[GriffinS]

Autumn at the "Inner Basin" is over with by October 1st.

Blah. I thought it would be perfect time for Autumn colors. We will actually be there for that full week and will have a few days in September, but I get your point. Hmm, I liked the colors I was seeing from pictures in that area.

The San Francisco Peaks aren't really visible from Sedona.

That's ok. We are flying into Phoenix and driving up to Sedona. My parents will stay in Sedona and do their thing, and they are willing to be our "taxis service" anywhere in the area as long as it's not too far away. If we settle on something further away we will just rent another car for ourselves and hope for some parking space. Sedona is just the area we will start in.

For simple car access and more Sedona views I'd go for "Secret Canyon" looped with either "Bear Sign" or "Dry Creek" trails. Another good backpack in that area is "Loy Canyon" up onto Secret Mountain.

Bill Williams (Bixler Saddle, Benham, Buckskinner and Bill Williams trails) & Kendrick Mountain (Pumpkin, Bull Basin & Kendrick trails) have some nice loops with San Francisco Peak views but they aren't Sedona hikes.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will do some research on them. Is it too late for "Fall colors" in regions surrounding Sedona at that time of year?

[joe bartels]

That's only for "Inner Basin". Arizona has life zones sporting Autumn for four months!

Autumn is generally prime 3rd week of October at "West Fork of Oak Creek".

EDIT: My bad, I meant the 10th not the 1st! Here's a seasonal link http://hikearizona.com/Foliage.php