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| Hiking | 8.00 Miles |
457 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.00 Miles | | | |
| 457 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | As the description says, this is an easy and enjoyable hike. The creek was flowing but very shallow with a gravel bottom in most areas making it a very nice walking surface if you don't mind getting your feet wet. A little rock hopping kept me out of water that would have been over the top of my boots. The greenery and fall colors along the creek were a beautiful contrast to the forests of saguaro cactus along the canyon hillsides. I definitely recommend going in the middle of the week if possible - I never saw another person the entire day although there are signs of frequent ATV and jeep usuage along the creek all the way to the Verde River.
As noted in the description, the water flowing down Red Creek disappeared into the gravel creek bottom about a half mile from the Verde River but reappeared with no loss in flow about 5 yards upstream from its confluence with the Verde. The Verde was a beautiful green color - OK, the name implies it's supposed to be green but it was muddy all the other times I've seen it below Horseshoe Reservoir. There is a nice shaded but frequently used camping area on the river bank. A climb up to the corral reveals a great view of the river rapids below. The jeep trail that goes past the corral appears to loop back towards the air strip but I heeded the warning in one of the earlier triplogs and hiked up the hillside to the strip at a location about a quarter mile back up Red Creek. There is a trail returning to Red Creek from the picnic table located near the middle of the strip. The airstrip shows signs of frequent use by aircraft that use only a short length of the strip. I was disappointed to find no sign of the log book noted in one of the triplogs.
I camped overnight on the bank of Red Creek a short distance upstream from where FR18 descends to the creek. This is also a beautiful shaded camping area. In the morning I did my usual post breakfast stroll with a mug of coffee. After a short climb up a hill overlooking the creek I returned to camp to find Javelina had rooted in the dirt over my morning stroll footprints - never heard or saw them, a disappointment because I have yet to see them on my frequent desert wanderings.
On the drive out I spotted what I can only describe as a Desert Seance Circle along side FR18 about a quarter mile from Red Creek. Someone spent a lot of time making this circle for what purpose I don't know. After returning home I looked at this area on Google Earth and the circle was visible. Could it be the work of space aliens? |
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