West Clear Creek & Blodgett Canyon Loop • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Camp Verde, AZ

Backpack		Nov 21 2020
		bballard • Triplogs 31

Backpack	8.20 Miles	2,741 AEG

Backpack	8.20 Miles
	2,741 ft AEG

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West Clear Creek Trail #17 to Maiden Falls

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bcollins

A pleasant, surprisingly warm, and secluded one-nighter clockwise around Blodgett to West Clear Creek Trail. My first time on an AZ classic! A tip to aspiring backpackers- be creative & seek previously camped spots on the "esplanade" if the main locations by the creek are already taken. We had neighbors thrashing about in the brush by the water for a less than desirable camp.

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Sep 08 2018

chumley

Guides 94
Routes 840
Photos 22,055
Triplogs 1,993

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

West Clear Creek Trail #17 to Maiden Falls

Camp Verde, AZ

Canyoneering		Sep 08 2018
		chumley • Triplogs 1,993

Canyoneering	11.53 Miles	2,500 AEG

Canyoneering	11.53 Miles	7 Hrs 44 Mns	1.73 mph
	2,500 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break

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FOTG

The hike down is steep. The hike up was hot. The hike at the bottom was perfect. The road up top is pretty rough, but a vehicle with good clearance and quality tires can make it to the end. It's only about a mile long though, so no real reason to drive it if you don't want to.

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I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.

Apr 09 2016

wrenegade

Routes 5
Triplogs 5

42 female

Joined Apr 05 2016
phoenix, az

Camp Verde, AZ

Backpack		Apr 09 2016
		wrenegade • Triplogs 5

Backpack	14.00 Miles	3,000 AEG

Backpack	14.00 Miles	3 Hrs 37 Mns		3.87 mph
	3,000 ft AEG		28 LBS Pack

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plmb

12 miles in taking trail clockwise the first day. All elevation gain and loss is in this day! Very steep. Long first day, short second day. Hammock friendly down by the creek.

Hiked with Noah & Micah, Greg, and Michael.

Found awesome campsites right before second water crossing.

I'm new to posting routes and whatnot. Forgot to turn Route Scout back on after lunch, so part of trail is wrong (straight line lol).

Wildflowers Observation Light

	Clear Creek Number One Spring	Quart per minute	Quart per minute

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4 archives

Jul 26 2015

LARichardson73

Routes 5
Photos 118
Triplogs 14

52 male

Joined May 18 2009
Phoenix, AZ.

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Jul 26 2015
		LARichardson73 • Triplogs 14

Hiking	14.00 Miles	3,000 AEG

Hiking	14.00 Miles	11 Hrs 15 Mns	1.70 mph
	3,000 ft AEG	3 Hrs Break

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Me and my friend Hunter took the loop described here on HikeAZ. We took the clockwise route, as suggested. We went up Blodgett Basin Trail #31, to FR 214, FR 214A, and then down West Clear Creek Trail #17, back to Bull Pen parking area.

We saw a few other people on the trail, just before we hit the water.

It was a bit too hot in July. I would suggest doing this trail in, maybe, May or September.

I hadn't done any real hiking in quite a while, and this trail kicked my pumpkin. If I remember right, trail #17 is described as mostly flat. But, if you're going in the clockwise direction, the first couple miles after the 1st creek crossing have quite a bit of up and down. It's nothing too crazy, but, having already done ten miles, it was taxing. Of course, it all depends on what you're used to and what kind of shape you're in.

Quite an adventure. Beautiful place. WooHoo!! :y:

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May 11 2013

joebartels

Guides 264
Routes 2,797
Photos 14,494
Triplogs 5,894

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		May 11 2013
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	15.00 Miles	3,130 AEG

Hiking	15.00 Miles	8 Hrs 43 Mns		2.01 mph
	3,130 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break	12 LBS Pack

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The_Eagle

This was my first trip on Blodgett #31. It's been about 15 years since I hiked a bit of WCC #17.

Blodgett was easy to find a short hike west of the bathrooms. The hike up offered excellent views. The trail was in better shape than I anticipated. Pants were not really necessary. Noted a lot of volcanic rock that might be tough on pooch paws.

The road hike on top is just okay. The hike down is steep for twenty feet in the upper section #17 then it's not terrible.

Bruce wanted to explore upstream WCC. On our first crossing I slipped and took a good hit just above my ankle. At which point I was not wanting to go upstream much. We didn't go far and in retrospect it was the best part of the day. Nice ledges, cascades and the surrounding lush environment with steep walls set the atmosphere. Bruce commented several times how the canyon at the western end of WCC is deeper than the middle or eastern end we've traveled.

There are a few large areas of very healthy poison ivy. All are easy to bypass.

Getting back on #17 for the westbound return a group of fishermen helped us find the trail. Reading gpsjoe's description it sounds like he had some fisherman luck too. With about 2.75 miles to go we passed and said hello to Matt and Dilip!

Not as many people as my last experience, still plenty. This is good to visit every 10-20 years. Upper Woods Canyon or WCC Whitebox are more excitable but this is always nice.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Crimson Monkey Flower

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bull Pen Ranch

Wildflowers Observation Light
believe there was some larkspur and Crimson Monkey Flower among various yellows I'm clueless about

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- joe

May 11 2013

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,762

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		May 11 2013
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,762

Hiking	15.66 Miles	3,483 AEG

Hiking	15.66 Miles	8 Hrs 43 Mns		2.10 mph
	3,483 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break	16 LBS Pack

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joebartels

Another hike that has been on my list.

Absolutely perfect weather for this one. We did this one the recommended clockwise direction, affording us shade on the climb up and the creek for the later parts of the day.

5.85 miles gets the majority of the climbing out of the way on this one and takes you to the upper West Clear Creek Trail head. To this point all the views have been behind you. You need to remember to turn around and check out where you came from. Even the road walk up top isn't bad if you take in the scenery.

The drop into West Clear Creek gets a bit steep and loose in spots, but the views don't quit.

I had plans to do some 'splorin' up West Creek once we got to the bottom. Joey was feelin' a bit tired and really wasn't up another water hike. I kept telling him "Come on, lets see what's around that Corner", "I think I can hear another Waterfall ahead", "Look at that rock formation up there". We made it less than a quarter mile up creek.

I'd really like to get farther up there.

We scurried back from the creek up to the trail and continued our way back. From this point you are 6.5 miles from the TH and 4 more creek crossings, none more than thigh deep. We saw our first people at the first Creek Crossing (Some Fishermen) and at every subsequent crossing the number of people increased. The Trail head and camping area was packed when we got back to the car.

I can see why the area is popular with the short hike to some swimming, a bit longer to some fishing, and plenty of places to explore and play in the water.

I'm glad I did the loop, but as others have commented, next time I'd just go farther up West Clear Creek.

A Video Playing with the New Camera:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da2iJEIWPyo

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Palmer's Penstemon Poison Ivy Yellow Columbine

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Teva

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Cairn

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Bull Pen Ranch

Wildflowers Observation Light

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

Aug 20 2011

Tough_Boots

Routes 67
Photos 2,708
Triplogs 755

89 male

Joined Mar 28 2008
Phoenix, AZ

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Aug 20 2011
		Tough_Boots • Triplogs 755

Hiking	14.00 Miles	2,556 AEG

Hiking	14.00 Miles
	2,556 ft AEG

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John9L

Did this clockwise as recommended in the description. It would have sucked the other way around because the Blodgett trail was already pretty hot early in the morning. The first mile is pretty overgrown. I wish I had been wearing shorts because my legs are pretty cut up. I did enjoy the Blodgett, though. Its pretty standard AZ hiking and has some nice views. The forest road section of the loop was pretty dull and would have been a little easier if not for all the mud from the rains the night before.

The West Clear Creek trail down to the bottom is pretty steep. By this point we were really itching to get down to the water. We finally made it to the first crossing and had lunch. Wading through the water felt pretty wonderful. The closer we got to the trailhead and the popular swimming holes, the more people we saw. I was actually expecting to see more but what the crowds lacked in numbers, they made up for in overabundance of trashy-chic. We stopped at a pretty deep swimming hole and I took a short dip in the water and we were ready to go.

I'd like to explore WCC some more but don't think I'd do the Blodgett section of this hike again.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] West Clear Creek

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Aug 20 2011

John9L

Guides 6
Routes 183
Photos 5,612
Triplogs 1,647

male

Joined Mar 12 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Aug 20 2011
		John9L • Triplogs 1,647

Hiking	14.00 Miles	2,556 AEG

Hiking	14.00 Miles
	2,556 ft AEG

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Tough_Boots

I found this trail write up by GPSJoe and figured why not, we'll follow a loop for a good chunk of miles & AEG. We got an early start and hit the Blodgett trail. We made our up and were sweating in no time. It poured the night before and the humidity was intense! I was soaked by the time we hit the roads. From there it was easy going all the way to WCC trailhead sign off of 214A.

We took our time descending into WCC. That portion of trail is steep with great views...not a good mix! Finally the trail levels off and we find ourselves heading down canyon parallel to WCC. We greatly picked up our pace and arrived at the 4th Creek Crossing (From Bull Pen). We crossed the creak and had our lunch. The water was so refreshing and helped reenergize myself! The rest of the hike back was a breeze.

The Blodgett portion was a chore going up. I would only recommend it if you want the miles and a loop. The views are solid along the way. You can gaze down on WCC for just about the entire section. That was cool!

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Nov 06 2009

gpsjoe

Guides 16
Routes 123
Photos 2,810
Triplogs 140

83 male

Joined Feb 13 2004
Mesa, AZ

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Nov 06 2009
		gpsjoe • Triplogs 140

Hiking	14.00 Miles	3,000 AEG

Hiking	14.00 Miles	9 Hrs	1.56 mph
	3,000 ft AEG

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Did this 14 mile loop hike at WCC Friday, the 6th. Looking good there right now.

Water in the creek was knee deep at the crossings as usual. I thought it might be low but that is not the case.

In spite of the brilliant color in some photos there still is plenty of green that has not turned yet and I think the color will get even better over the next two weeks barring any major wind events. The whole Camp Verde area is pretty colorful right now.

It is not necessary to hike the 14 mile loop to enjoy WCC with fall color since the color is all along the creek. All you need to do is hike along the creek.

If you want to do the loop there are plenty of hunters along the upper part of the hike on FR214 and especially on FR214A. Good idea to wear something bright orange or yellow. There were no hunters along the creek.

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Apr 15 2009

gpsjoe

Guides 16
Routes 123
Photos 2,810
Triplogs 140

83 male

Joined Feb 13 2004
Mesa, AZ

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Apr 15 2009
		gpsjoe • Triplogs 140

Hiking	14.00 Miles	3,000 AEG

Hiking	14.00 Miles	7 Hrs 10 Mns	1.95 mph
	3,000 ft AEG

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Hiked today with friends Dan and Jim in the windy cool/cold cloudy weather. We moved along nicely and made no navigational errors. The track posted for this hike is the most accurate one so far. A nice hiking day !!

Note: Improvements have been made to the WCC trail over the past year and it is now in excellent condition.

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Become a skilled GPS user and it will set you free!

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1 archive

May 31 2008

cerebellum

Routes 3
Photos 168
Triplogs 13

59 male

Joined Mar 09 2008
Phoenix,AZ

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		May 31 2008
		cerebellum • Triplogs 13

Hiking	13.00 Miles	3,000 AEG

Hiking	13.00 Miles	10 Hrs	1.30 mph
	3,000 ft AEG

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We decided to start early in the morning for this long loop. At the Bull Pen CG was quiet in the morning. You have to pay attention or use a GPS if you want to find the Blodget TH. We started early because in May you will pay the price and take the heat if you start late. The directions posted by the author were accurate and I want to thank GpsJoe for posting them. Great scenery till you get on the forest road for maybe a mile and a half. The West Clear Creek trail starts with the juniper woodland and in a couple hundred yards start to descend abruptly in to the canyon. Great view down the canyon. We spent some time taking photos of the flowers and continued toward the water. We needed! It was around noon when we hit the fourth crossing. We spent a well deserved hour swimming in the pools. We tried the impossible and took us 5 hours to return at the Bull Pen on the river. Couple of rappels and climbings made it possible. Even though is shorter is much harder, especially with the kids on your side. So if you enjoy the canyoneering this will be the only way back. Close to the second passing the music start covering the canyon and hundreds of people were swimming and drinking cold beer from their huge coolers. Kind of strange.... to carry a full cooler for a mile... We return to the car and WOW the place looked like a mall parking in a busy weekend day.

As the author said I would recommend this hike for the strong and experienced hikers.

PS Agave, Yucca, Mountain Mahogany and Prickly Pear Cactus covered the rocky slopes all around the loop.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Prickly Pear

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Yarrow's Spiny Lizard

Wildflowers Observation Moderate

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3 archives

Nov 17 2007

toddak

Guides 13
Routes 38
Photos 1,651
Triplogs 577

60 male

Joined Nov 15 2005
Jackson, CA

Camp Verde, AZ

Hiking		Nov 17 2007
		toddak • Triplogs 577

Hiking	14.00 Miles	3,000 AEG

Hiking	14.00 Miles
	3,000 ft AEG

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