Bear Sign / Secret Loop • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Sedona, AZ

Backpack		Apr 10 2021
		GrangerGuy • Triplogs 111

Backpack	19.30 Miles	2,179 AEG

Backpack	19.30 Miles	1 Day 3 Hrs
	2,179 ft AEG		27 LBS Pack

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I have had my eye on this area for some time, well before I started my little project to hike and photograph all the designated wilderness areas in Arizona. I am trying to hit these areas in season, not to hot, not too cold, and early April was a great time for this hike. I saw that a guide was needed for Bear Sign Canyon, as well so I added that into this trip.

I debated at length, should I drive to the trailhead, or leave the Cherokee at the end of the pavement. There were so many frightening comments about FR 152, I decided to walk it. It turns out, at least as of this writing, if you can negotiate the rock berm at the end of the pavement, the rest of the road will not give you trouble. Just take it slow. But, who knew? I saw many and varied 4x4s on the road, all the way to the end.

However, I think the Lord wanted me to walk FR152. A couple miles in, I was passed by two hikers while I was taking some pictures, and then I caught up with them a little later. Turns out, they were headed for the Devil's Bridge trail, and had walked right past it. I set them straight and they headed back. Coming out, I ran into a young couple who had no idea where they were, or even how they got there. I invited them to walk back with me to my car, and I would drive them to wherever they had parked. This offer was accepted.

This year in April, there was plenty of water along this route. However, not all water is at the indicated places on the water charts. Sometimes it is significantly up or downstream.

Dry Creek Trail and Bear Sign Trail are positively lovely! A great mix of red rock and various trees. This was my first exposure to the Arizona Cypress. I thought it was a juniper, but the cones got my attention. Same family, different genus. I found Douglas Fir, Ponderosa Pine, Maple, Oak, and something I would swear was salal, but it really doesn't belong here.

On the Bear Sign / David Miller part of this hike, I was surprised to see a couple with their dog. Did not expect to see anyone. They hiked all the way up Bear Sign #59 to the formal end of the trail and continued on. The David Miller Trail is pretty steep on both sides. The soles of my boots are getting worn, so it wasn't that fun.

Once down to the Secret Canyon Trail #121, I saw several backpacking parties. I headed up the canyon to its narrows and a little beyond, before I decided I had had enough. I camped on a nice flat area not far from water.

I finished out the trip on Secret Canyon Trail. That is one of the nicest, easiest to walk trails I have been on recently. At times it felt like walking on a carpet.

Jul 30 2020

mt98dew

Guides 69
Routes 37
Photos 3,010
Triplogs 2,387

55 male

Joined Oct 24 2010
Phoenix,Az

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Jul 30 2020
		mt98dew • Triplogs 2,387

Hiking	15.85 Miles	1,045 AEG

Hiking	15.85 Miles	5 Hrs 45 Mns	2.76 mph
	1,045 ft AEG

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Belated post. Day 5 of our Pinetop/Sedona vacation. My initial plan was to do an in and out on the Secret Canyon Trail. Having done some reading about this trail, it sounded as if would be doable, though I was a little concerned about the mention of poison ivy. I've never had any dealings with that, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Got to the Dry Creek TH just after 5am. Took FS 152 to the juncture with Secret Canyon which was about 3.3 miles. Not the prettiest of trails, but definitely one of the more direct routes. At the TH there is a nice map of the nearby trails that give you a simplistic view of how the trails interact. The initial entry on Secret Canyon was very promising. The trail crossed a major dry rocky wash to start out with but became a solid, easy to follow single track trail on the other side. The trail was fairly straight, (no twists or turns) and pretty much held its elevation. I came upon the H.S. Canyon trail which is signed, though the trail showed little sign of usage. Along the way the were some nice views of the Sedona red rocks, above me to the north. Just before the David Miller juncture the trail became very rocky and exposed (minimum vegetation) offering some nice views to the west and south. The trail up to the David Miller juncture was solid and either well maintained or well used. That perception changed immediately after passing the Miiler trail. The Secret Canyon trail descended down a very rough rocky trench and then headed west entering into what I assume was the beginning of Secret Canyon. The views which were nice before, really started to "amp up" as I went further in. After descending "the tench" there was descent red rock drop off to my left with isolated pools of water at the bottom. Views to the south opened up, to the the north the red rocks slopped above me. Entering the canyon proper the views became shrouded, intimate, providing glimpses of spectacular red rock monoliths. There was a dry creek which was a constant companion to the trail which I can imagine having flowing water during the right time of the year. Unfortunately, with the entry into the confines of the canyon, the trail became more intimate (though still very evident and easy to follow) with growth coming from all sides. This is where my trepidation with poison ivy came into play. I'm a shorts guy and I found myself contorting on a more and more frequent basis the further I proceeded down the trail. The time spent trying to avoid the touch of greenery was becoming ridiculous as well as a major distraction from the hike. I was probably a little over a mile in from the Miller junction when I decided that I needed either better knowledge of poison ivy or, at least, more protection from it. So regrettable I decided to turn around and attempt the full length of the canyon at a later time.

I was pretty bummed about not doing all of Secret Canyon, but I was determined to scratch one trail off the list so as I was hiking back I decided to do the loop involving the David Miller and the Bear Sign Trails. As I was making my back to the the Miller juncture I was rewarded with the highlight of the hike. I had reached a spot where the views had opened up to the south and I had paused to take them in, when I looked to the north and the slopes above me. There, framed by the clear blue sky was a mid sized black bear looking down on me. It was an incredible moment. A very nice consolation prize for not seeing all of Secret Canyon.

I suppose I shouldn't have been too surprised because bear scat was everywhere.

I was surprised at how rugged the David Miller Trail turned out to be, especially with how smooth the Secret Canyon Trail was up to the juncture. The trail was still evident (for the most part) but the growth as I ascended up the south side of the saddle was heavy in places. With poison ivy still fresh on my mind I did my best to avoid what I could, but it was impossible given the intamacy of the trail. The Miller really started to gain some elevation as it approached the saddle offering some nice views to the south and in my opinion, even nicer, more dramatic views to the north once I reached the crest. The trail on the north side of the saddle is a complete change from the vegetation that was on the south side....forest! It was an amazing almost instantaneous switch. The descent involved some steep and badly eroded switchbacks. Lost the trail once, but quickly discovered where the trail had "switch backed". it wasn't long after the saddle that the Miller junctured with the Bear Sign Trail.

The Bear Sign Trail was very easy follow and very enjoyable to hike. The views were not Sedonaesque, primarily because I was hiking through a forest! Any distant views were pretty much obscured. But I will be honest with you, that was a trade off I was more than willing to make. Being a desert dweller it is always a treat to hike amongst the trees. Plus, I believe it was 104 that day and shade/cooler temps is always appreciated on those longer hikes. I feel I got a little lucky with the Dry Creek juncture. The juncture occurs while the Bear Sign is traversing a major wash. I happened to be on the right side of the wash when the junctured occurred and was able to pick up the trail without a problem. But I can very easily imagine someone hiking down the middle of the wash (or the left side of it) and not realize that the the trail has departed from the wash.

The end of the hike was anticlimactic and to be honest an unpleasant slog. I opted to hike back on FS152 as that was the more direct route, but it was exposed and not nearly as attractive and engaging as the previous 9 miles. Didn't see my first hikers until the Devil's Bridge juncture and then it was non stop to the TH. Didn't do my intended hike, but I did not come away feeling dissapointed.

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Jul 04 2020

Lost

Routes 22
Photos 416
Triplogs 67

42 male

Joined Apr 18 2009
Anthem, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Jul 04 2020
		Lost • Triplogs 67

Hiking	6.82 Miles	991 AEG

Hiking	6.82 Miles	3 Hrs 11 Mns		2.20 mph
	991 ft AEG	5 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

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Started from the Vultee Arch trailhead shortly before 6am to beat the holiday rush and the forecast high approaching 100 degrees. I wish I had found this loop a long time ago! You get a little bit of everything on this hike: wide open red rock views on the Secret Canyon side, and a cool forest walk on the Bear Sign side. Did not see a single person on the hike, just the way I like it.

Secret Canyon trail is in great shape and very easy to follow. The southern turnoff for HS Canyon is signed, but the trail looked faint at best. I completely missed the northern HS canyon junction and have no idea if it's actually there; just like everyone else it looks like. David Miller west of the pass is a little brushy and faint in areas, east of the pass it's better and looks like there's been some very recent trail maintenance. Bear Sign and Dry Creek are in good condition as well.

It was nice to be back in this area: the Vultee Arch trail was the first "real" trail I hiked in Arizona nearly 20 years ago, and probably what spurred my love of hiking. Then the road turned into what it is today, and there's no way my old 1996 Saturn could make it down here now. High clearance is definitely required, preferably with a short wheelbase. 2WD could probably be done with careful driving and a dry road, but I was definitely a lot more comfortable with 4WD low.

Wildflowers Observation Light

Bear Sign Canyon

Dry

H S Canyon

Dry

Secret Canyon

Dry

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Nov 23 2019

ShatteredArm

Guides 12
Routes 192
Photos 863
Triplogs 356

42 male

Joined Nov 30 2015
Phoenix, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Run/Jog		Nov 23 2019
		ShatteredArm • Triplogs 356

Run/Jog	13.28 Miles	1,711 AEG

Run/Jog	13.28 Miles	3 Hrs 59 Mns	3.33 mph
	1,711 ft AEG

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Forest Service Road 152

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Made the decision yesterday to head up to Sedona today. Originally I thought of doing Wilson Mountain, but then decided it might be fun to take the Jeep out for a spin... So decided on some combination of Dry Creek, Bear Sign, and whatever else I felt like doing.

Started out with the Dry Creek out-and-back. Despite the rain a few days ago, Dry Creek was mostly dry. Like a lot of the other canyons in the area, a couple miles in, you're treated with nice mature Ponderosa Pine forest. It actually got quite chilly in this section, and despite the nice verdant forest, I had a hostile encounter with a shindagger. No gushing or anything, but a subtle reminder that I should probably start bringing a first aid kit on these sorts of trips.

After 3+ miles, the trail was still going, but I wasn't really sure if this was still the official route. Decided to head back down to Bear Sign.

From the Dry Creek junction to David Miller, Bear Sign is much better maintained and less scratchy than Dry Creek. I found this trail to be more enjoyable overall (although there were so many leaves on the ground in Dry Creek, it may be worth checking out a month or so earlier in the year...). After the David Miller junction, the trail gets a lot harder to follow, and I quickly lost it, along with my interest in continuing up the canyon.

The first quarter mile or so of David Miller was the only steep section of the day, and the saddle granted a nice view to the north and to the south. The original plan was to take a detour through HS canyon, but I wasn't sure where the trail was (my maps indicate that it forms a loop, but who knows if that's accurate). Might be easier to try from the south end.

Was a good day. Once past the Devil's Bridge circus, there was lots of solitude, and I managed to go 12+ miles on a Saturday in Sedona without seeing another human. Chalk that up as a win!

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Apr 30 2018

fricknaley

Guides 93
Routes 397
Photos 4,984
Triplogs 4,124

49 male

Joined Jun 20 2003
Tucson, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Apr 30 2018
		fricknaley • Triplogs 4,124

Hiking	15.92 Miles	2,073 AEG

Hiking	15.92 Miles	6 Hrs 15 Mns		2.62 mph
	2,073 ft AEG	10 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

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Brins Mesa Trail #119

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a very much needed mental getaway. always wanted to do the bear sign/secret loop but wanted some extra miles so i started from the jordan trailhead and used brins mesa (thanks for the idea @hikerdw)

brins mesa is always a pleasant trail, imo, and especially coming back down late in the day with the sweet views. predictably saw nobody after the soldier pass cutoff.

quick walk along dry creek road and trail

bear sign is pretty awesome, especially up canyon with some pretty big trees, shade and occasional neat views. poison ivy is ready and raring to go. hated to see it end so soon

david miller...holy smokes. who knew? talk about short and sweet. really great views from the saddle, especially if you climb up the little high point. the wind this day, and especially on the highpoint was

secret canyon kind of goes by fast, but held it's charm from what i remembered (last hiked it probably 13 years ago).

the whole way back was very smooth, quiet and pretty relaxing really. i think i saw maybe 4-5 people on brins mesa coming back?. nobody at all on dry creek or the loop. coming down the end of brins mesa late afternoon/early evening is a treat.

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Feb 17 2018

Tough_Boots

Routes 67
Photos 2,708
Triplogs 755

89 male

Joined Mar 28 2008
Phoenix, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Backpack		Feb 17 2018
		Tough_Boots • Triplogs 755

Backpack	14.00 Miles	1,957 AEG

Backpack	14.00 Miles	2 Days
	1,957 ft AEG

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chumley

John9L

Nice easy backpacking trip though a little cold and damp. I'd do this again though maybe in a different season.

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Feb 17 2018

chumley

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

52 male

Joined Sep 18 2002
Tempe, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Backpack		Feb 17 2018
		chumley • Triplogs 1,993

Backpack	18.37 Miles	2,902 AEG

Backpack	18.37 Miles	2 Days
	2,902 ft AEG

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John9L

Tough_Boots

We played pedestrian pinball on the way to the trailhead. If it was up to me, the FS should dynamite the bridge and return this place to some level of normalcy. The road condition has deteriorated significantly since last I drove it, and I'm guessing it is probably very much on purpose. It was nice to crawl it in 4-low, and we stopped to help a kid get his jeep back on the road after leaving it dangling off the side of a steep ravine overnight.

Dry Creek

Bear Sign

David Miller

Secret Canyon made a nice alternate on the way up, but we returned on the direct path on Secret Canyon only.

Plenty of water in all the canyons and side drainages, but little to no flow anywhere. It was a little chilly with all the wet ground, but despite ice on some of the pools, it did not drop below freezing overnight.

We went upstream about a mile and a half beyond the end of the trail, and there are a few really picturesque spots. Sometime I'd like to try the entire length of this canyon from up near Hidden Cabin. Who wants to shuttle!?

The poison ivy hadn't leafed out yet, so we pretended it wasn't there.

If you're looking to hook up with an instagram model, I recommend hiking Dry Creek Road on a weekend.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona Cypress

	Bear Sign Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	No flow but plenty of clear pools in bedrock

	Secret Canyon	Pools to trickle	Pools to trickle
	Plenty of pools the entire length of canyon, probably from recent rains. Trickles in most side canyons

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2 archives

Nov 25 2017

Nightstalker

Routes 189
Photos 7,236
Triplogs 1,740

57 male

Joined Apr 25 2011
Goodyear, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Nov 25 2017
		Nightstalker • Triplogs 1,740

Hiking	7.70 Miles	131 AEG

Hiking	7.70 Miles	4 Hrs 15 Mns		2.41 mph
	131 ft AEG	1 Hour 3 Mns Break	13 LBS Pack

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Yolanda, Carey, and Maria joined me for a ride up to Sedona to do the Bear Sign / Secret Canyon Loop. The dirt road in was worse than I remember from last year when I drove up to Brins Mesa Trailhead. We parked at Secret Canyon and then hiked up the road to Dry Creek / Bear Sign Trailhead to start the loop in a counter clockwise direction. Tall trees lined the canyons up to the saddle of David Miller trail. We explored north from the saddle to find a nice panoramic view above the thick manzanita and a fire ring. Returning on Secret Canyon Trail there were few trees, mostly manzanita. Great loop!

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

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Aug 23 2017

JuanJaimeiii

Routes 596
Photos 9,604
Triplogs 2,400

58 male

Joined Jan 30 2011
Chandler, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Aug 23 2017
		JuanJaimeiii • Triplogs 2,400

Hiking	6.65 Miles	1,047 AEG

Hiking	6.65 Miles	3 Hrs 7 Mns	2.25 mph
	1,047 ft AEG	10 Mns Break

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joebartels

First hike of the day and it was an enjoyable one. I was telling Joe I don't know why I don't get to Sedona more often. The views are always spectacular in every direction and this trail certainly didn't disappoint.

Joe had originally thrown out doing Humphrey's today however weather concerns put us here. It was just as well but I felt bad driving down 152 and watching Joe bounce around. The road is really rough now. I rarely if ever drive under 10 mph but today had me minding my manners. :lol:

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Aug 23 2017

joebartels

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

55 male

Joined Nov 20 1996

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Aug 23 2017
		joebartels • Triplogs 5,894

Hiking	6.65 Miles	1,047 AEG

Hiking	6.65 Miles	3 Hrs 7 Mns		2.25 mph
	1,047 ft AEG	10 Mns Break	10 LBS Pack

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JuanJaimeiii

After getting in a longer easy tread hike last Sat I wanted something less mental blah. This was the first hike of the day. If I felt okay we could tag on Devil's Bridge afterwards to fit in with the hip social tourists.

FR 152 was the shock of the day. Once upon a time I scraped a Ford Escort down it, that would be difficult now with a tow truck. Apparently when they made the berm at the start years ago they stopped all maintenance and the jeep tour$ rejoiced. 4wd and good clearance now or 4wd and pray. There are some good sized steps now.

Tread of the loop was easier than anticipated. On the bright side the scenery was stellar throughout. More shade from pines than anticipated. Lots of Arizona Cypress on Bear Sign, which is my favorite tree.

Last Saturday I was suffering energywise. I've lost quite a bit of weight since the accident and obviously don't have the reserves of the good ol' days. Nobody loves eating more than this cowboy. Since it turned into an olympic sport taking 3-4 times longer to chew I eat a lot less. Granted this wasn't a big hike but it was killing me early on last time. So I ate breakfast, which is not something I ever do. It made a world of difference. Just one ten minute break was plenty and only because I can't multitask yet.

I haven't seen much scenery since starting back hiking as I have to concentrate on the footing constantly. This loop is so scenic it screams at you even with your head down. This little loop exceeded my expectations, the road is not for everybody.

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- joe

May 02 2014

hikerdw

Routes 268
Photos 2,969
Triplogs 541

66 male

Joined Aug 16 2009
Mesa,AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		May 02 2014
		hikerdw • Triplogs 541

Hiking	15.90 Miles	2,071 AEG

Hiking	15.90 Miles	6 Hrs 40 Mns	2.77 mph
	2,071 ft AEG	55 Mns Break

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Brins Mesa Trail #119

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Did a lollipop loop hike starting from the Jordan Road Trailhead. Hiked Brins Mesa, 152c, then the official Bear Sign / Secret Loop, returning back the same way. Bear Sign Canyon and the short David Miller Trails were the highlight IMO. Lots of flying insects the entire hike but it is that time of the year for them. Afterwards we had pizza at the Sedona Pizza Company and then stopped in at Oak Creek Brewery for a cold one.

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Aug 12 2012

Al_HikesAZ

Guides 11
Routes 88
Photos 2,649
Triplogs 243

93 male

Joined May 16 2005
Scottsdale, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Aug 12 2012
		Al_HikesAZ • Triplogs 243

Hiking	6.80 Miles	2,015 AEG

Hiking	6.80 Miles	2 Hrs 45 Mns	2.47 mph
	2,015 ft AEG

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Nice little hike. Added this on after hiking Vultee Arch. Left my truck at the Vultee TH and did this hike clockwise to get the road out of the way first. That Davey Miller mile really kicks the cardio. Steep switchbacks going up and coming down. Nice views from the top of the David Miller trail. Dry Creek Road 152 was a lot rougher than I remembered. Taking it fast will definitely knock a few fillings loose. Wildflowers - Some penstemon, geraniums, white composites, and yellow composites.

Wildflowers Observation Light

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Anybody can make a hike harder. The real skill comes in making the hike easier.
life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. Andy Rooney

2 archives

May 24 2012

John9L

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

male

Joined Mar 12 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Backpack		May 24 2012
		John9L • Triplogs 1,647

Backpack	6.75 Miles	1,027 AEG

Backpack	6.75 Miles	2 Days
	1,027 ft AEG

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I started my Memorial Day weekend a little early and headed up to Sedona for a night. My plan was to do a short backpack and then hike a variety of trails. I picked this loop because I wanted to camp at the Secret-David Miller trail junction. I remember there being a campsite there from a Secret trip last year. It is a short and easy two mile hike that I knew I could do in the dark.

After hiking Devil's Bridge, I arrived at the Secret trailhead around 7:30pm. I spent the next few minutes packing up all my gear and then headed in. There was still light in the sky as I made the hike in. It quickly got darker as I progressed. After a mile or so I turned on my headlamp and continued. It was a lot different hiking in the dark. Especially from being solo.

Before long I arrived at the David Miller junction and started making my camp. There was a fire ring at the site but unfortunately the entire state is under fire restrictions. Luckily I brought two sets of LED lights. I set them up and started setting up my tent. The lights made a big difference! After everything was setup, I sat down and enjoyed a couple of millers I brought along.

I woke the next morning and noticed all the red rock around me. This is a beautiful spot! I spent a few minutes relaxing and then packed up my gear. I was ready to start my day.

The David Miller trail heads up hill to a saddle. I made steady progress and had to remind myself to stop so I could enjoy the views. They only got better as I made my way uphill. I arrived at the pass and then the trail immediately heads down hill. In a few minutes you arrive at the Bear Sign trail. I headed right.

The Bear Sign is a nice trail. You follow along side of a wash and cross it a few times. It was easy going heading through a forested area. I noticed numerous patches of poison ivy along the hike. I went to great lengths to avoid it. After an hour or so I was back on Dry Creek Rd which I followed back to my jeep at the Secret Trailhead.

This was a nice backpack. Once back at my jeep, I got loaded up and then headed back the way I came to the Vultee Arch trail. That was next on the list.

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Nov 05 2011

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,760

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Nov 05 2011
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	8.30 Miles	1,200 AEG

Hiking	8.30 Miles	3 Hrs 50 Mns		3.32 mph
	1,200 ft AEG	1 Hour 20 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

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Scrapped one hike with forecast highs of 32 and snow, for another with 47 for a high and snow.

The hardest part of this hike was the road in. On normal days, High clearance is all that's needed. The snow had stopped well before the hike started, but the wet slick mud meant I'd have to change things up a bit. I decided not to chance it anymore, and parked on 152, about 2/3's of a mile from the Secret Canyon TH, 3 miles from the pavement.

I Started at the Wet Creek Trail and did a Counter clockwise loop on:
Dry Creek Trail > Bear Sign Canyon Trail > David Miller Trail > Secret Canyon Trail.

This entire trek was gorgeous, with the smattering of snow on the red peaks. The hike down Bear Sign Canyon proved to be a bit interesting, with melting snow bombarding you as you walked under the over taxed limbs.

This is a relatively easy hike, with the only real elevation gain on the David Miller Trail. The views from the saddle at the apex of this trail are breathtaking. I ate some lunch close to the top here, on a dry spot in the sun, and soaked in the views.

If you can make the trip on FR152, I recommend this loop!

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Arizona Cypress Arizona Sycamore

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] HAZ Decal HAZ Rides

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated

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

Aug 15 2011

ruielu

Photos 24
Triplogs 3

81 female

Joined Aug 18 2011
Sedona, AZ

Secret Canyon Trail #121, AZ

Hiking		Aug 15 2011
		ruielu • Triplogs 3

Hiking	7.60 Miles	800 AEG

Hiking	7.60 Miles	4 Hrs	1.90 mph
	800 ft AEG

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We, my husband Jack & I, do this hike as a loop Secret Cyn #121 and connect to Bear Sign #59 via David Miller #164.
We park at the Bear Sign/Dry Creek trailhead walk back down FR 152 to the Secret Canyon Trail Head and then our car is at the end of the Bear Sign segment. A number of people start at Bear Sign and go the opposite direction but we like to hike the hardest part first while it is cooler and then do shady section last to beat the heat. This is a beautiful hike.

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May 17 2010

Jim

Guides 73
Routes 176
Photos 10,174
Triplogs 2,324

46 male

Joined Sep 08 2006

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		May 17 2010
		Jim • Triplogs 2,324

Hiking	5.00 Miles	400 AEG

Hiking	5.00 Miles	3 Hrs 15 Mns	1.54 mph
	400 ft AEG

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I only did the Bear Sign trail, not the loop. I drove my civic all the way to the trailhead. That was foolish. I got in easy enough, even if it took a long time, but it took a long while to leave and I almost got stuck. Recently improved road my pumpkin! The trail isn't bad, but it isn't great. I wanted to try it, and originally wanted to do Secret Canyon as well. I should have just done the Secret Canyon hike. Bear Sign isn't that impressive and most of the trail is hiking in a dense forest of over grown dog hair thickets of Arizona Cypress and then dense Douglas Fir which is shading out the oaks and pines. The FS sign states that the trail ends in a fern filled alcove with impressive views of the Coconino Sandstone cliffs above. Well, here is another trail that is not popular with the tourists and is not seeing maintenance. Sure, there are the usual compliment of down trees at a few spots on the trail, but 1/2 a mile or so past the David Miller trail the down trees end up blocking the trail to the point of not being able to tell if it goes further or if the end has been reached. There was no fern filled alcove with any type of view, so my assumption is that it is not seeing any maintenance and who knows how close to the end I was. Oh well, should I expect anything other?

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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Jun 04 2009

Sun_Ray

Routes 144
Photos 1,145
Triplogs 1,238

77 male

Joined Sep 09 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Jun 04 2009
		Sun_Ray • Triplogs 1,238

Hiking	5.50 Miles	604 AEG

Hiking	5.50 Miles	2 Hrs 27 Mns	2.24 mph
	604 ft AEG

no routes

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none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Did not do the loop, out and back from Bear Sign Trail #59 trailhead. Turned around at the trail junction with David Miller Trail. Did not realize until I looked up the David Miller Trail that we could have done a loop had we made the left turn at that point. Over cast day made it perfect. A little buggy at times. The 4 mile dirt road has deteriated since I'd been on it about 3 years ago. Took us 21 minutes to cover the 4 miles. Hiked with wife Judy.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Manzanita

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Coconino Sandstone

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Brian
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday......there is no SOMEDAY!

Dec 13 2008

toddak

Guides 13
Routes 38
Photos 1,651
Triplogs 577

60 male

Joined Nov 15 2005
Jackson, CA

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Dec 13 2008
		toddak • Triplogs 577

Hiking	15.00 Miles	622 AEG

Hiking	15.00 Miles	6 Hrs 30 Mns	2.31 mph
	622 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

6 linked trail guides

H.S. Canyon Trail #50

Vultee Arch Trail #22

Partners

none

no partners

Outstanding loop hike (I went clockwise from the Secret Canyon TH), with numerous fine side trails to explore. Of these, Secret Canyon is the most popular, but HS Canyon is also very nice. I especially enjoyed continuing up-canyon on the Bear Sign trail after the intersection with the David Miller Trail - narrow, in lovely forest. Went up the Dry Creek Trail a ways - OK but not especially interesting. And of course its worth the trip over to see Vultee Arch. Will have to return in the Spring when the many creeks are running.

Geology

Geology [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Coconino Sandstone

_____________________

Mar 15 2008

rlouis

Routes 1
Photos 6
Triplogs 2

46 male

Joined Mar 16 2008
Prescott, AZ

Sedona, AZ

Hiking		Mar 15 2008
		rlouis • Triplogs 2

Hiking	6.50 Miles	622 AEG

Hiking	6.50 Miles	3 Hrs 30 Mns	1.86 mph
	622 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

My wife and I did this loop hike this weekend 3/15/08. We began at the Dry Creek Trailhead, completing the loop counter-clockwise. I highly recommend that you complete this trail in a counter-clockwise direction. The views are spectacular, especially as you come through the saddle on the David Miller Trail. The Dry Creek trail is gradual and shaded. The forest is mostly AZ cypress, ponderosa pine, and huge old growth manzanita. Dry Creek was flowing beautifully. The creek at the bottom of Bear Sign Canyon was also flowing but much slower.

The David Miller trail is strenuous and steep but the view as you cross over into Secret Canyon is amazing. Take a moment to rest and enjoy the view. The immensity of the view is exaggerated because of the contrast with the enclosed feeling the Bear Sign Trail.

The Secret Canyon Trail is more exposed to both wind and heat. Again, the creeks in this canyon are flowing. Crossing can be a challenge on this trail. The creek was wider and deeper than Dry Creek. We were able to scramble over rocks; trekking polls were very helpful.

We had planned to hike into the Secret Canyon but a section of the forest was closed due to a fire. All in all a very nice day hike, highly recommended.

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Dec 15 2007

cyn

Photos 132
Triplogs 131

female

Joined Aug 13 2003
Phoenix, AZ